Free German reading, level B1-B2
Read Kafka in German, from the very first sentence
One of the most famous opening sentences in German literature, and one of the hardest to get through unassisted.
Learn German with this book for freeThe Metamorphosis opens with one of the most famous sentences in German literature, and also one of the hardest for a learner to get through unassisted: a single long sentence, a rare word right in the middle of it, no dictionary in sight. Lira lets you tap that word without leaving the page, see it translated in context, and keep reading. The short length of the novella makes it a realistic first full text to finish in German, not just a page or two.
Key vocabulary from Die Verwandlung
A preview of the words you'll run into early on, with pronunciation. Every one of them, and every other word you tap while reading, gets saved to your review deck automatically.
Ungeziefer
vermin
erwachen
to wake up
das Bett
bed
verwandeln
to transform
die Decke
blanket / ceiling
der Panzer
armored shell
What actually happens while you read
One tap to translate
Click any unfamiliar word for its contextual translation, right inside the page. No dictionary tab, no losing your place in the story.
Every word saved with its sentence
The word you looked up keeps the exact sentence you found it in, not an isolated flashcard, so the meaning stays anchored to real context.
FSRS brings it back before you forget
Spaced repetition schedules each word's next review right before you'd naturally lose it, so vocabulary from this book actually stays with you.
Als Gregor Samsa eines Morgens aus Träumen , fand er sich in seinem Bett zu einem ungeheuren verwandelt.
TRANSLATION
vermin
CONTEXT
Als Gregor Samsa eines Morgens aus unruhigen Träumen erwachte, fand er sich in seinem Bett zu einem ungeheuren Ungeziefer verwandelt.
Start reading free →The science
Recognizing a word isn't the same as remembering it
According to Stephen Krashen's comprehensible input hypothesis, a language is acquired durably through exposure to content you mostly already understand, not through isolated word lists. Reading a real book supplies exactly that kind of exposure. Spaced repetition on top of it is what turns a word you translated once into one you actually remember weeks later.
Learning approach
Retention with Lira
Start learning German with Die Verwandlung today
Free, no credit card. Every word you tap gets saved and reviewed automatically so it actually sticks.
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