"Forty children?" said Hamid. "In my shop?"
How it begins
"Forty children?" said Hamid. "In my shop?"
„Vierzig Kinder?", hat Hamid gesagt. „In meinem Laden?"
"Every day at four. Until Christmas Eve. Only for half an hour." I held my list tight. "The hall is closed to the play. The church is too cold in the week. I have nowhere else, Hamid."
„Jeden Tag um vier. Bis Heiligabend. Nur eine halbe Stunde." Ich habe meine Liste fest gehalten. „Das Gemeindehaus ist für das Spiel geschlossen. Die Kirche ist in der Woche zu kalt. Ich habe sonst keinen Platz, Hamid."
Hamid has been on St Nicholas Square for twenty-five years, in the late shop on the corner. He looked round it slowly: the rice, the tins, the newspapers, the fridges full of milk.
Hamid ist seit fünfundzwanzig Jahren auf dem St Nicholas Square, mit seinem Laden an der Ecke. Er ist abends lange offen. Hamid hat langsam durch den Laden geschaut: der Reis, die Dosen, die Zeitungen, die Kühlschränke voll Milch.
Languages
- Between the Shelves · English (original)A2 Easy · 880 words · ~10 min · Audio
- Zwischen den Regalen · GermanA2 Easy · 912 words · ~10 min · Audio
- Entre los estantes · SpanishA2 Easy · 866 words · ~10 min · Audio
- Entre les rayons · FrenchA2 Easy · 1,015 words · ~10 min · Audio
German with English · Spanish with English · French with English · English with German · English with Spanish · English with French · German with Spanish · German with French · Spanish with German · Spanish with French · French with German · French with Spanish
Questions
Which languages can I read Between the Shelves in?
English, German, Spanish and French. 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, Spanish and French are A2 Easy. Levels follow the Common European Framework, from Pre-A1 (starter) to C2.
How long is it?
About 880 words: around 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.