Now in beta, for language learners

Personalised short stories that make reading joyful

Reading in another language used to be hard. Not any more. You just read short stories personalised to your exact level and the language just sinks in.

Stories that adapt to your reading level, so you understand from the first page
Words you save magically return in later stories, so you learn from natural repetition
Tap any word or phrase for an instant translation or to see the verb conjugation

Reading that finally feels like reading, not studying.

You're on the list. We'll send sneak peeks as we build up to launch, and tell you the moment your invitation is ready.

No spam. Just the occasional update as we get closer to opening.

Loved by our first beta readers

Paper-cut illustration of a detective noir story rising out of an open book, with a saved word card and an adaptive level meter alongside it.

2M+

books sold, in 20+ languages

15 mins

a day is all it takes

5★

from our first beta readers

Illustration of a level slider running from Newcomer to Mastery, showing how stories move up with your reading level.

Stories that adapt to your reading level

We learn your level as you read, and adapt to it. Every new story fits you a little better, never too hard, never too long to finish. Most readers are surprised by how much they understand.

"The stories seem to be getting better."Beta reader, in-app feedback

Illustration of a reader tapping a line in a story and an instant translation appearing beside it.

Understand any word without leaving the story

Tap a word or a whole phrase and the meaning is right there, along with the verb conjugation when you need it. No dictionary, no switching apps. You just keep reading.

"I love having the translation of words immediately to hand."Beta reader, in-app feedback

Illustration of a phone showing a story with saved words highlighted in the text, and cards naming two words from your vocabulary.

Words you save come back in future stories

Save a word while you read and it returns in your next stories until you just know it. No flashcards, no memorising. The reading does the work.

"Being able to look up words and then save them for new stories is a great idea. I found it easy to do."Beta reader, in-app feedback

Strict Mode

For when you want to read, not look things up

Turn Strict Mode on and the lookups step aside. No tapping, no translations, just you and the story. It is the fastest way to build real reading stamina, and to find out how much you already understand without a safety net.

Lookups and translations are switched off while you read
You read further in one sitting, and stay inside the story
Build the habit of reading for pleasure

Languages

Eight languages, ready to read today

English

Spanish

Latin American Spanish

French

Italian

German

Dutch

Portuguese

With more on the way.

In their words

Fifteen minutes turns into an hour

Unedited messages from people reading with the app today.

"I planned to read for 15 minutes but found myself reading for so much longer. I'm delighted with how tailored the French is to my level. I know enough to follow the story and enjoy it but also learn new words and phrases along the way."

Beverly J, reading in French

"Wow = I can finally read a chapter all the way thru while understanding most of it. I could never find reading materials at my level before and I was SO frustrated. This will work!"

Beta reader

"I'm surprised at how much I can understand. Many years ago I studied Spanish for a little over a year. I now want to get back to it and this app is an excellent way to do it."

Caroline T, reading in Spanish

"I was excited to recognize and to know grammar from Level 1. The story is interesting with new words. I appreciate the ease with which I can use the Translation and Save features. It is just right for me, challenging without being frustrating."

Dorothy K

"It is a great beta app and I would totally recommend it."

Mark K

"I am so happy with the interactive nature of this app! I am much more engaged than when I am reading your Spanish beginners books even though they are great, this makes the learning process feel more doable."

Lynne S, reading in Spanish

"I reread the first three chapters outside today in a quiet place with much more focus than before. I understand the story much more after revisiting it and am loving it so much! Just wanted to express my gratitude and excitement."

Deanna W

"It's amazing how much time passes as I'm reading. It just seems to fly by, making learning Spanish fun rather than a chore."

Phil, reading in Spanish

"To be honest I am very impressed so far. I realise that this is chapter one so early days, but I am enjoying the story. I think I have the gist of it and looking forward to chapter 2."

Phillip B

"I really think you guys are doing fantastic!! I love going to the reading site and reading daily. I'm already on my last story."

Marisa F

"Love this! The story, the way the app works, everything so far. ¡Gracias!"

Caron D, reading in Spanish

Messages sent to us by beta readers, shared with their permission.

Olly RichardsFounder, StoryLearning

If you only do one thing, read

Ask anyone who has genuinely learned a language as an adult and you'll hear the same thing. At some point they started reading, and everything sped up.

There's a reason for that. Reading is the one activity that gives you everything at once: vocabulary, grammar, style, and the quiet confidence that comes from understanding. You're not studying the language, you're living it.

That's why I've built my whole method around it, and why StoryLearning books have sold over two million copies.

The problem was never whether reading works. It was finding stories you could actually read, at your level, that were genuinely fun and interesting. That's what this app finally makes possible. The stories adapt to your level, so you understand from page one. And the words you save come back in the stories that follow, so you meet them again in context until you just know them.

Everyone learning a language should be reading. Now, at last, everyone can.

Questions

Am I really just supposed to read?

Yes, and that's the point. Reading is the one activity that works on everything at once. You pick up vocabulary in context rather than off a list, you absorb grammar by seeing it used properly hundreds of times, and you get a feel for how the language actually sounds and flows. It builds your reading speed, so sentences stop being puzzles you decode and start being sentences you simply understand. Best of all, it builds confidence, because every chapter you finish is proof you can follow real writing in another language. No tests, no memorising, no being put on the spot. You read a story you're enjoying, tap any words you don't know, and fifteen minutes a day is plenty.

How does the app know my level, and will it get harder as I improve?

It learns from you. When you finish a story, a couple of taps tell us whether it felt too easy, too hard or just right, and we tune the next ones to match. Say a story was easy and the next ones step up. Say it's just right and we keep you there. You answer honestly, and the level looks after itself.

Can I translate a whole phrase, not just single words?

Yes. Sometimes you know every word and still can't quite catch what a sentence means. Press and drag across a phrase or a full sentence, the same way you would on a Kindle, and you'll get the whole thing translated in context.

Can I listen to the stories, not just read them?

Yes, partly today, with more coming. Tap any word and you'll hear it spoken by a native voice, so you can check how it should sound as you read. Full narration of whole stories, so you can listen and read along, is something we're building now and will add before long.

Which languages can I learn?

You can read in English, Spanish, Latin American Spanish, French, Italian, German, Dutch and Portuguese today, with more on the way. If your language isn't here yet, join the list anyway and we'll tell you the moment it lands.

Do I need to download an app?

No, there's nothing to install. StoryLearning runs in your web browser, so you sign in at app.storylearning.com on your phone, tablet or computer, and your reading, saved words and progress follow you across all of them.

Will this work at my age?

Many of our readers are in their fifties, sixties and seventies. The method was built for lifelong learning, with no drills, no exams and no pressure, and you start with a real story you can enjoy from day one.

Can I make the text bigger?

Yes. Change the text size from the Aa button inside any story, or in your reading settings, and pick whatever's most comfortable. We built this for readers of every age, so easy-on-the-eyes reading matters to us.

How is this different from a Kindle?

A Kindle gives you a book and wishes you luck. This is built for language learners, by language learners, so every part of it works on your comprehension. The story arrives at your level, a translation or a conjugation is one tap away, and the words you save come back until they stick. Far fewer blank stares at a page you can't follow.

What if I don't know any of the language yet?

Honestly, this one isn't built for complete beginners. To enjoy the stories and learn from them, you'll want at least an elementary (A2) foundation in the language first.

Is there a limit on how many stories I can read?

There's a generous monthly reading allowance, subject to fair usage. Every story is written fresh for you, at your level and in the genres you like, and creating them has a real cost for us, so the allowance keeps that sustainable. For fifteen minutes of reading a day, you'll have plenty.

How strict is the fifteen minutes a day?

It's a suggestion from us about the minimum amount of time required to really see results in your language ability. You can change the daily target in settings too.

Can I cancel whenever I want?

Yes. You can cancel anytime, with no lock-in and no hoops to jump through. We'd rather earn your subscription each month than tie you into it.

Join the waiting list

We're opening invitations in phases, starting small, so the stories stay good and we can listen to the first readers. Earlier signups get earlier access, and we'll send behind-the-scenes updates and sneak peeks along the way.

You're on the list. We'll send sneak peeks as we build up to launch, and tell you the moment your invitation is ready.

No spam. Just updates as we count down to launch.