Not Your Business

DuoText original

Ana, 24, answers an advert and comes alone to Hollin Bridge, a small market town in the north of England: night baker wanted, no experience needed, room upstairs.

about 500 words · 5–10 min to read.

Part of a series best read in order.

Start with episode 1

Read it

I read with beside it

You read English on the left. German is on the right to help you, and while reading, the eye button blurs or hides it.

Start reading

Free account, no payment, no card. Then download this book for your Kindle, Kobo or as a PDF.

EPUB · PDF · Kindle (AZW3, MOBI) · Kobo

Already have an account? Log in

How it begins

EnglishGerman

Bridge Street is dark and wet. There is a light in Priya’s shop and a light at the bus stop. A cat sits under a car. But there are no people. Nobody is in the street.

Die Bridge Street ist dunkel und nass. In Priyas Laden ist Licht, und an der Bushaltestelle ist Licht. Eine Katze sitzt unter einem Auto. Aber da sind keine Leute. Niemand ist auf der Straße.

Ana comes back in. She closes the door. In the kitchen, Walter has the two pieces of the card in his hands. He puts them in the pocket of his shirt, carefully.

Ana kommt wieder herein. Sie macht die Tür zu. In der Küche hat Walter die zwei Stücke der Karte in den Händen. Er steckt sie vorsichtig in seine Hemdtasche.

“Thank you for the cake,” he says. “Good night, everybody.” And he goes upstairs. The party is over.

„Danke für den Kuchen“, sagt er. „Gute Nacht, alle.“ Und er geht nach oben. Die Feier ist vorbei.

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

Languages

All 17 editions: titles, levels and lengths

Not Your Business · English (original)A1 Easy · 520 words · ~5 min
Nicht deine Sache · GermanA1 Easy · 525 words · ~10 min
Δεν είναι δική σου δουλειά · GreekA1 Easy · 499 words · ~5 min
No es asunto tuyo · SpanishA1 Easy · 501 words · ~5 min
Ce ne sont pas tes affaires · FrenchA1 Easy · 589 words · ~10 min
तुम्हारा काम नहीं · HindiA1 Easy · 556 words · ~10 min
Bukan Urusanmu · IndonesianA1 Easy · 452 words · ~5 min
Non sono affari tuoi · ItalianA1 Easy · 480 words · ~5 min
あなたに関係ありません · JapaneseA1 Easy
당신 일이 아니에요 · KoreanA1 Easy · 372 words · ~5 min
Niet jouw zaak · DutchA1 Easy · 535 words · ~10 min
Nie twoja sprawa · PolishA1 Easy · 409 words · ~5 min
Não É Da Sua Conta · PortugueseA1 Easy · 537 words · ~10 min
Nu e treaba ta · RomanianA1 Easy · 481 words · ~5 min
Seni İlgilendirmez · TurkishA1 Easy · 356 words · ~5 min
Không phải việc của cháu · VietnameseA1 Easy · 574 words · ~10 min
不关你的事 · ChineseA1 Easy

Open it in the reader: all 272 language pairs

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 Not Your Business in?

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

How long is it?

About 520 words: around 5–10 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.