The Time Machine

Die Zeitmaschine

The whole of H. G. Wells's famous story, retold in easy English. A clever inventor tells his dinner guests that he can travel through time. A week later he comes back late, dirty and hungry, and tells them where he has been: in the year 802,701. There he met the gentle Eloi, who live in beautiful gardens, and the Morlocks, who live under the ground and come out at night. Then his machine disappeared.

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How it begins

EnglishGerman

The Fourth Dimension

Die vierte Dimension

I am going to call him the Time Traveller. That is the easiest name for him. He was a scientist, and he lived in a big house in Richmond, near London. Every Thursday a few of us had dinner at his house.

Ich nenne ihn den Zeitreisenden. Das ist der einfachste Name für ihn. Er war Wissenschaftler, und er hat in einem großen Haus in Richmond gewohnt, in der Nähe von London. Jeden Donnerstag haben ein paar von uns bei ihm zu Abend gegessen.

That Thursday we were sitting by the fire after dinner. The Time Traveller made his chairs himself, and they were very comfortable. It was the lazy hour after a good meal, when ideas come easily.

An diesem Donnerstag haben wir nach dem Essen am Feuer gesessen. Der Zeitreisende hat seine Stühle selbst gemacht, und sie waren sehr bequem. Es war die faule Stunde nach einem guten Essen, wenn die Ideen leicht kommen.

The opening paragraphs, as the reader shows them. Read on

Languages

The Time Machine · English (original)A2 Easy · 21,908 words · ~4 h · Audio
Die Zeitmaschine · GermanA2 Easy · 22,653 words · ~4 h 15 min · Audio
Η Μηχανή του Χρόνου · GreekA2 Easy · 20,204 words · ~3 h 45 min
La máquina del tiempo · SpanishA2 Easy · 20,711 words · ~3 h 45 min · Audio
La Machine à Voyager dans le Temps · FrenchA2 Easy · 24,315 words · ~4 h 30 min · Audio
द टाइम मशीन · HindiA2 Easy · 24,326 words · ~4 h 30 min
Mesin Waktu · IndonesianA2 Easy · 20,016 words · ~3 h 45 min
La Macchina del Tempo · ItalianA2 Easy · 21,307 words · ~4 h
タイムマシン · JapaneseA2 Easy
타임머신 · KoreanA2 Easy · 14,751 words · ~2 h 45 min
De tijdmachine · DutchA2 Easy · 21,863 words · ~4 h
Wehikuł czasu · PolishA2 Easy · 17,719 words · ~3 h 15 min
A Máquina do Tempo · PortugueseA2 Easy · 20,851 words · ~3 h 45 min
Mașina Timpului · RomanianA2 Easy · 20,641 words · ~3 h 45 min
เครื่องเวลา · ThaiA2 Easy
Zaman Makinesi · TurkishA2 Easy · 15,022 words · ~2 h 45 min
Cỗ Máy Thời Gian · VietnameseA2 Easy · 28,422 words · ~5 h 15 min
时间机器 · ChineseA2 Easy

Questions

Which languages can I read The Time Machine in?

English, German, Greek, Spanish, French, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Thai, Turkish, Vietnamese and Chinese. Pick the language you want to read and the one to keep beside it: every paragraph sits next to its translation, so you can check a sentence without losing your place.

What level is it?

The original English is A2 Easy. In translation, German, Greek, Spanish, French, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Thai, Turkish, Vietnamese and Chinese are A2 Easy. Levels follow the Common European Framework, from Pre-A1 (starter) to C2.

How long is it?

About 21,908 words in 17 chapters: around 5 min – 5 h 15 min of reading, with the translation beside it. The time depends on the edition's level: an easier edition is read more slowly.

Is it free?

Yes. Read it online with no account. The downloads (PDF, EPUB, and AZW3 and MOBI for Kindle) need a free account.

Can I read it on a Kindle or Kobo?

Yes. Download the EPUB for Kobo, Apple Books and most e-readers, or the AZW3 or MOBI for a Kindle, with each paragraph followed by its translation. There is also a side-by-side PDF to print, and each language on its own.

The Time Machine

How it begins

Languages

Questions

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