español
Learn Spanish by reading short stories.
Original news, satire, travel and fiction in Spanish, written at A1 and B1 and read side by side with English — with audio for every sentence.
El ganador del maratón se detuvo dos veces a tomar un espresso.
The marathon winner stopped twice for an espresso.
ganador · winner · noun · singular · masculine
Today in Spanish, at A1.
See all stories ›
Satire · A1 · 1 min
El ministerio de salud de EE. UU. celebra 10 000 estudios que nadie leyó
US health department celebrates 10,000 studies nobody has read
News · A1 · 1 min
Mozambique protege un bosque lleno de mariposas
Mozambique protects a forest full of butterflies
Satire · A1 · 1 min
Estudio: los líderes de los partidos británicos no oyen la palabra "dimitir"
Study: British party leaders cannot hear the word 'resign'
Satire · A1 · 1 min
En directo: el parlamento alemán debate cuánto tiempo debatir, día tres
Live: German parliament debates how long to debate, day three
Satire
Satire in Spanish, at A1.
Satire · A1 · 1 min
El ministerio de salud de EE. UU. celebra 10 000 estudios que nadie leyó
US health department celebrates 10,000 studies nobody has read
Satire · A1 · 1 min
Estudio: los líderes de los partidos británicos no oyen la palabra "dimitir"
Study: British party leaders cannot hear the word 'resign'
Satire · A1 · 1 min
En directo: el parlamento alemán debate cuánto tiempo debatir, día tres
Live: German parliament debates how long to debate, day three
Satire · A1 · 1 min
La aseguradora dice que tu pierna izquierda está fuera de la red
Insurer says your left leg is out of network
Satire · A1 · 1 min
Estudio: el alquiler en Londres sube más rápido que la luz
Study: London rent goes up faster than light
Satire · A1 · 1 min
El yate de un multimillonario recibe ayuda de comida del gobierno
Billionaire's yacht gets food help from the government
Satire · A1 · 1 min
Una aerolínea barata dice que tu abrigo ahora necesita un billete
Cheap airline says your coat now needs a ticket
Satire · A1 · 1 min
La ley de playas libres de Italia: el mar tiene que comprar un billete
Italy's Free Beaches Law: the sea must buy a ticket
News
News in Spanish, at A1.
News · A1 · 1 min
Mozambique protege un bosque lleno de mariposas
Mozambique protects a forest full of butterflies
News · A1 · 1 min
Nuevas herramientas ayudan a los guardas a proteger los leones en Namibia
New tools help rangers protect lions in Namibia
News · A1 · 1 min
Un nuevo teatro de ópera abre en Shanghái
A new opera house opens in Shanghai
News · A1 · 1 min
Una estatua alta de un rey antiguo está ahora en Atlanta
A tall statue of an ancient king now stands in Atlanta
News · A1 · 1 min
Una organización benéfica planea un anillo verde alrededor de Londres
A charity plans a green ring around London
News · A1 · 1 min
Un joven para un autobús escolar sin control lleno de estudiantes
A young man stops a runaway school bus full of students
News · A1 · 1 min
Una comunidad de Somerset hace un plan para salvar su río
A Somerset community makes a plan to save its river
News · A1 · 1 min
Viejas habilidades y nuevas herramientas paran los incendios en Perú
Old skills and new tools stop fires in Peru
Travel
Travel in Spanish, at A1.
Travel · A1 · 2 min
Las siete calles viejas de Bilbao
The seven old streets of Bilbao
Travel · A1 · 2 min
La pequeña Venecia en Bamberg
Little Venice in Bamberg
Travel · A1 · 2 min
El pastelito oscuro de Burdeos
The small dark cake of Bordeaux
Travel · A1 · 1 min
Cagliari, del castillo a la playa
Cagliari, from the castle to the beach
Travel · A1 · 2 min
Un tren dentro de la cueva de Postojna
A train inside Postojna Cave
Travel · A1 · 2 min
De compras en las viejas calles de comida de Bolonia
Shopping in Bologna's old food lanes
Travel · A1 · 2 min
Una iglesia de vidrio de colores en León
A church of coloured glass in León
Travel · A1 · 2 min
Un bollo grande y blando en Bath
A big soft bun in Bath
Education
Education in Spanish, at A1.
Education · A1 · 1 min
Ciao antes significaba "soy tu esclavo"
Ciao once meant "I am your slave"
Education · A1 · 2 min
El banjo y su historia africana
The banjo and its African story
Education · A1 · 2 min
La cápsula que subió a 33 mineros
The capsule that brought 33 miners up
Education · A1 · 2 min
El niño y la primera insulina
The boy and the first insulin
Education · A1 · 2 min
Cómo la reina del ajedrez se hizo fuerte
How the chess queen became strong
Education · A1 · 2 min
Por qué el queso suizo tiene agujeros
Why Swiss cheese has holes
Education · A1 · 2 min
La flor que predijo una mariposa nocturna
The flower that predicted a moth
Education · A1 · 1 min
De una tienda alemana al tango
From a German shop to the tango
A1 or B1?
The same story, at your level.
El ganador del maratón se detuvo dos veces a tomar un espresso.
The marathon winner stopped twice for an espresso.
A1
Just starting outA1 stories use the present and the pretérito indefinido of common verbs (fue, llegó, comimos), in short sentences. No subjunctive, no perfecto compuesto.
El ganador del maratón del domingo en Florencia se detuvo en dos cafés a lo largo del recorrido, pidió un espresso en cada uno y aun así cruzó la meta en primer lugar.
B1
Comfortable with everyday topicsB1 adds the future and the conditional, the se pasiva, and the presente de subjuntivo after everyday triggers like quiero que and para que. The imperfect subjunctive waits for a later level.
Reading Spanish.
Spanish is one of the quickest languages to start reading: regular spelling, familiar vocabulary, and a story starts making sense within a few sentences. The challenge is the verbs — two past tenses and a subjunctive that natives use all the time.
A tip: Read the A1 first, then the B1 of the same story: you will see the same events with the second past tense and the subjunctive added, which is the step most learners find hardest.
Grammar on tap.
PROAsk about any sentence and get a short, plain answer about the grammar in it.
Why la mano, not el mano?
Mano is feminine, even though it ends in -o.
Three steps. Five minutes a day.
Pick Spanish
At A1 or B1 — you can switch level on any story.
Read today’s stories
Fresh news, satire, fiction, travel and history every day.
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Translations, word breakdowns and grammar, right where you need them.
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Do I need to know any Spanish first?
No. A1 is written for beginners, and the English is one tap away on every sentence. If A1 feels easy, switch the story to B1.
Can I listen as well?
Yes. Every sentence has natural narration you can slow down. Listening is part of LeftLingo Pro, which is free when you sign up during our soft launch.
Is there an app?
An iPhone and iPad app is on its way. Until then, LeftLingo works in any browser, on your phone too.