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German Reading Practice
Read a short story in German, test what you understood, and learn from every answer. Start here without an account.
- 1Read a complete text
- 2Check your understanding
- 3Save & keep reading
Choose your level. Give it a read.
New to the language? Try A0. Choose a text you can mostly follow; you can change levels anytime.
Der Drache am Rhein, der kein Feuer spuckt
Read the whole story, then answer the questions. You can look back at the text anytime.
Der Drache lebt am Fluss. Er ist groß und grün.
Er hat kein Feuer. Ein Kind kommt zum Fluss. Das Kind heißt Lena.
Lena sieht den Drachen. Der Drache ist traurig. Er zeigt seinen Mund. Es kommt kein Feuer.
Lena hat eine Idee. Sie bringt eine rote Lampe.
Die Lampe leuchtet hell. Der Drache sieht das Licht.
Er lacht. Er ist glücklich. Lena lacht auch.
Jetzt hat der Drache ein Licht. Das Licht ist rot und warm. Lena und der Drache sind Freunde.
Your next story is waiting
Explore the German library for more stories, narration, word translations, and comprehension quizzes.
Der falsche Schlüssel im Erdgeschoss
Leon is trying to enter his apartment on the ground floor, but his key is not working.
Read this story
Die Brezel, die zu früh kam
A young boy named Luca cannot resist the smell of his grandmother's freshly baked pretzel.
Read this story
The Red Apple
A story about Mia and a red apple.
Read this storyGerman reading practice FAQ
Can I try reading practice without an account?
Yes. Choose a level, read a complete practice text, and answer its questions here. You can see your score and review every answer before creating an account.
How do I save my reading progress?
Your answers stay in this browser when storage is available. Create an Inklingo account after finishing to sync completed stories and quiz results. If you already have an account, use Save story and quiz result.
Does my quiz score tell me my language level?
This is a comprehension check for one story, not a placement test. Choose texts you can mostly understand. Try another story at the same level before moving up.
What can I do in the story library?
Find more graded stories with audio, word translations, and quizzes. An account connects your reading with your saved words and learning progress. Start reading without an account. Guest translations are limited to 12 taps per day. A free account saves your progress and includes 5 completed stories; further access requires Pro.
German reading comprehension exercises
Read an opening scene from the existing story library, then answer three questions. Each explanation points to evidence in the passage. Continue the full story for tap-to-translate vocabulary, narration and its complete quiz.
Der Kuchen, der zu spät kam
Source story: A1
Heute ist Annas Geburtstag. Sie wird dreißig Jahre alt. Ihre Schwester Lena backt einen Kuchen. Es ist eine Tradition. Der Kuchen riecht nach Schokolade und Vanille. Aber Lena ist spät dran. Die Party beginnt um fünfzehn Uhr. Um 15:22 Uhr ist der Kuchen noch im Ofen.Whose birthday is it?
Find your study starting point · Explore words from German stories