Classic
Miss Brill
Katherine Mansfield
Every Sunday, Miss Brill puts on her fur and goes to the public gardens to sit in her favourite seat, listen to the band and watch the crowd. Today the band sounds gayer than usual, and she feels she has a part in the show. Then two young people sit down beside her.
In English, German, Spanish, French and Italian · about 1,900 words · 10–15 min to read.
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Lees en alemán, a la izquierda. A la derecha tienes el inglés para ayudarte; mientras lees, el botón del ojo lo difumina o lo oculta.
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Fräulein Brill
Miss Brill
Obwohl es so strahlend schön war – der blaue Himmel mit Gold bestäubt und große Lichtflecken wie über die Jardins Publiques verschütteter Weißwein –, war Fräulein Brill froh, dass sie sich für ihren Pelz entschieden hatte.
Although it was so brilliantly fine—the blue sky powdered with gold and great spots of light like white wine splashed over the Jardins Publiques—Miss Brill was glad that she had decided on her fur.
Die Luft war unbewegt, aber wenn man den Mund öffnete, spürte man eine leichte Kühle, wie die Kühle eines Glases mit Eiswasser, bevor man daran nippt, und hin und wieder trieb ein Blatt herab – aus dem Nichts, vom Himmel.
The air was motionless, but when you opened your mouth there was just a faint chill, like a chill from a glass of iced water before you sip, and now and again a leaf came drifting—from nowhere, from the sky.
Languages
- Miss Brill · English (original)1,931 words · ~10 min
- Miss Brill · GermanB2 Intermediate · 1,982 words · ~15 min
- Miss Brill · SpanishB2 Intermediate · 1,965 words · ~15 min
- Miss Brill · FrenchB2 Intermediate · 2,157 words · ~15 min
- Miss Brill · ItalianB2 Intermediate · 1,913 words · ~15 min
Open in the reader: German with English · English with Spanish · Spanish with German · Spanish with English · Spanish with French · Spanish with Italian · French with English · French with Spanish · French with Italian · Italian with German · Italian with English · Italian with Spanish · Italian with French
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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 Miss Brill 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 1,931 words: around 10–15 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 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.