The Swiss Family Robinson
Der Schweizerische Robinson
The whole of the famous castaway adventure, retold in easy English. A storm wrecks a ship far from home, and a Swiss father, his wife and their four sons are left alone on a wild shore. With tools, animals and seeds from the wreck, and a lot of clever ideas, the family builds a house in a giant tree, makes friends with the animals and learns to live on the island. But the sea has more surprises, and one day they are not the only people there.
A211 h 15 min
How it begins
The Storm
Der Sturm
The storm lasted six days. On the seventh day it was even worse. Our ship was far from its road, and nobody on board knew where we were. I was a pastor from Switzerland. A war took all our money. So my wife, our four sons and I left our country. We wanted a new life far away. Now we were all very tired and very afraid.
Der Sturm hat sechs Tage gedauert. Am siebten Tag war er noch schlimmer. Unser Schiff ist weit vom Kurs abgekommen, und niemand an Bord hat gewusst, wo wir waren. Ich war Pfarrer in der Schweiz. Ein Krieg hat uns unser ganzes Geld genommen. Darum haben meine Frau, unsere vier Söhne und ich unser Land verlassen. Wir haben ein neues Leben in der Ferne gesucht. Jetzt waren wir alle sehr müde und hatten große Angst.
The ship leaked in many places. The sailors stopped shouting and began to pray. Every man thought only of his own life.
Das Schiff war an vielen Stellen undicht. Die Matrosen haben aufgehört zu schreien und haben angefangen zu beten. Jeder Mann hat nur an sein eigenes Leben gedacht.
Languages
- The Swiss Family Robinson · English (original)A2 Easy · 60,638 words · ~11 h 15 min
- Der Schweizerische Robinson · GermanA2 Easy · 64,176 words · ~12 h
- La familia Robinson suiza · SpanishA2 Easy · 57,563 words · ~10 h 45 min
- La Famille Robinson suisse · FrenchA2 Easy · 68,260 words · ~12 h 45 min
German with English · English with German · English with Spanish · English with French · Spanish with English · French with English · German with Spanish · German with French · Spanish with German · Spanish with French · French with German · French with Spanish
Questions
Which languages can I read The Swiss Family Robinson 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 60,638 words in 58 chapters: around 12 h 45 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.