Zimmer 13

Room 13

Every night at 2:13, the phone at the reception of a small Berlin hotel rings, and the display says: Room 13. The problem is that the hotel has no room 13.

B120 minAudio

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How it begins

GermanEnglish

In der ersten Nacht habe ich gedacht, dass es ein Fehler ist. In der zweiten Nacht habe ich gedacht, dass jemand einen Witz macht. In der dritten Nacht habe ich angefangen, Angst zu haben.

On the first night I thought it was a mistake. On the second night I thought someone was playing a joke. On the third night I started to be afraid.

Aber ich erzähle besser von Anfang an. Ich heiße Jonas, ich bin neunundzwanzig Jahre alt, und im Oktober habe ich einen Job als Nachtportier im Hotel Linde bekommen. Das Hotel Linde ist klein: vier Etagen, zweiundzwanzig Zimmer, ein altes Haus in einer ruhigen Straße in Kreuzberg. Die Gäste sind meistens Touristen, die nicht viel Geld ausgeben möchten, oder Geschäftsleute, die am nächsten Morgen früh zum Flughafen müssen.

But I'd better tell it from the beginning. My name is Jonas, I'm twenty-nine years old, and in October I got a job as night porter at the Hotel Linde. The Hotel Linde is small: four floors, twenty-two rooms, an old building on a quiet street in Kreuzberg. The guests are mostly tourists who don't want to spend much money, or business people who have to get to the airport early the next morning.

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

Languages

Zimmer 13 · German (original)B1 Intermediate · 2,199 words · ~20 min · Audio
Δωμάτιο 13 · GreekB1 Intermediate · 2,013 words · ~15 min · Audio
Room 13 · EnglishB1 Intermediate · 2,171 words · ~20 min · Audio
Habitación 13 · SpanishB1 Intermediate · 2,077 words · ~15 min · Audio
Chambre 13 · FrenchB1 Intermediate · 2,397 words · ~20 min · Audio
कमरा नंबर १३ · HindiB1 Intermediate · 2,440 words · ~20 min · Audio
Kamar 13 · IndonesianB1 Intermediate · 2,050 words · ~15 min · Audio
Stanza 13 · ItalianB1 Intermediate · 2,123 words · ~20 min · Audio
13号室 · JapaneseB1 Intermediate · Audio
13호실 · KoreanB1 Intermediate · 1,467 words · ~10 min · Audio
Kamer 13 · DutchB1 Intermediate · 2,123 words · ~20 min · Audio
Pokój 13 · PolishB1 Intermediate · 1,756 words · ~15 min · Audio
Quarto 13 · PortugueseB1 Intermediate · 2,054 words · ~15 min · Audio
Camera 13 · RomanianB1 Intermediate · 2,069 words · ~15 min · Audio
Oda 13 · TurkishB1 Intermediate · 1,545 words · ~15 min · Audio
Phòng 13 · VietnameseB1 Intermediate · 2,833 words · ~25 min
13号房间 · ChineseB1 Intermediate · Audio

Questions

Which languages can I read Zimmer 13 in?

German, Greek, English, 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 German is B1 Intermediate. In translation, Greek, English, Spanish, French, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Turkish, Vietnamese and Chinese are B1 Intermediate. Levels follow the Common European Framework, from Pre-A1 (starter) to C2.

How long is it?

About 2,199 words in 7 chapters: around 5–25 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.

Zimmer 13

How it begins

Languages

Questions

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