Classic
Die Wette
Anton Chekhov
In each language: The Bet · Die Wette · La apuesta · Le Pari · La scommessa
At a dinner party, a banker and a young lawyer argue over which is worse, the death penalty or life in prison, and wager two million on it. The lawyer agrees to spend fifteen years in solitary confinement, and as the final day nears, the banker, whose fortune has shrunk, dreads having to pay.
In English, German, Spanish, French and Italian · about 2,800 words · 15–20 min to read.
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So fängt es an
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Es war eine dunkle Herbstnacht. Der alte Bankier ging in seinem Arbeitszimmer auf und ab und erinnerte sich daran, wie er vor fünfzehn Jahren an einem Herbstabend eine Gesellschaft gegeben hatte. Es waren viele kluge Männer dort gewesen, und es hatte interessante Gespräche gegeben.
It was a dark autumn night. The old banker was walking up and down his study and remembering how, fifteen years before, he had given a party one autumn evening. There had been many clever men there, and there had been interesting conversations.
Unter anderem hatten sie über die Todesstrafe gesprochen. Die Mehrheit der Gäste, unter denen viele Journalisten und Intellektuelle waren, lehnte die Todesstrafe ab.
Among other things they had talked of capital punishment. The majority of the guests, among whom were many journalists and intellectual men, disapproved of the death penalty.
Languages
- The Bet · English (original)2,830 words · ~15 min
- Die Wette · GermanB2 Intermediate · 2,716 words · ~20 min
- La apuesta · SpanishB2 Intermediate · 2,761 words · ~20 min
- Le Pari · FrenchB2 Intermediate · 2,966 words · ~20 min
- La scommessa · ItalianB2 Intermediate · 2,594 words · ~15 min
Open in the reader: German with English · Spanish with English · French with English · Italian with English
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Reading it as a parallel text
A parallel text puts a story next to its translation, paragraph by paragraph. Read in the language you are working on and glance across only when a sentence stops you: the story keeps moving, and the words you look up stay in context. More in how to read with a parallel text.
Questions
- Which languages can I read The Bet in?
- English, German, Spanish, French and Italian. 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?
- In translation, German, Spanish, French and Italian are B2 Intermediate. Levels follow the Common European Framework, from A1 (beginner) to C2.
- How long is it?
- About 2,830 words: around 15–20 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 e-reader files (EPUB, and AZW3 and MOBI for Kindle) need a free account; the PDF doesn't.
- 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.