Romanian · English · B1–B2

Intermediate Romanian short stories, side by side with English (B1–B2)

Real literature at a reachable level: O. Henry, Saki, Oscar Wilde, Chekhov and Maupassant in Romanian, with the English original beside every paragraph.

192 intermediate stories in Romanian, 189 of them free

Each one opens in your browser with no account, the Romanian and the English side by side, paragraph by paragraph, shortest first. Every free story is also a free Romanian–English ebook for Kindle, Kobo or any e-reader: downloading needs a free account, no payment (which file to pick).

Besides the classics, this level has stories from Povești simple, original Romanian stories written for the library.

Besides the classics, this level has stories from Filozofii Antichității, original Romanian stories written for the library.

Besides the classics, this level has stories from Scrisori către Sfântul Nicolae, original Romanian stories written for the library.

Besides the classics, this level has stories from Brutăria de noapte, original Romanian stories written for the library.

Besides the classics, this level has stories from Târgul din piață, original Romanian stories written for the library.

Open the intermediate Romanian–English stories in the library, where you can search them and switch to another level or pair.

To listen as you read, see the Romanian stories with audio.

What intermediate Romanian stories are like

Intermediate stories are where reading gets rewarding. They are written for adults, with twists and irony (The Gift of the Magi, The Necklace, The Open Window), but short enough to finish in twenty minutes to half an hour.

The vocabulary is wider and the sentences longer than in a fable, and dialogue brings in everyday phrases that textbooks leave out. With the English next to each paragraph, none of that has to stop you.

How to read Romanian at B1–B2

Read in Romanian, check in English

At B1–B2 you can usually follow the Romanian on its own. Keep your eyes on it and look across only when a sentence doesn’t land, rather than reading both sides line by line.

Let the plot pull you

These stories were written to be enjoyed. If you want to know how it ends, you will read faster and remember more, so pick the one whose first page grabs you.

Notice the tenses

Stories are told in the past, and the Romanian past tenses carry meaning the English sometimes flattens. Comparing the two sides is the quickest way to feel the difference.

More on the method in how to read a parallel text.