Hans Christian Andersen

The Little Match Girl

Das kleine Mädchen mit den Schwefelhölzern

On the last evening of the old year, a poor barefoot girl wanders the snowy streets. She has sold not a single match all day and dares not go home, afraid of her father. Huddled in a corner, she strikes a match to warm her fingers.

B110 minAudio

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How it begins

EnglishGerman

It was terribly cold and almost dark on the last evening of the old year, and the snow was falling fast. In the cold and the darkness, a poor little girl with a bare head and bare feet wandered through the streets.

Es war schrecklich kalt und fast dunkel am letzten Abend des alten Jahres, und der Schnee fiel schnell. In der Kälte und der Dunkelheit wanderte ein armes kleines Mädchen mit bloßem Kopf und nackten Füßen durch die Straßen.

It's true that she had been wearing slippers when she left home, but they hadn't been much use.

Es stimmte zwar, dass sie Pantoffeln getragen hatte, als sie von zu Hause wegging, aber sie hatten nicht viel genützt.

They were very big, so big that they had belonged to her mother, and the poor little thing had lost them while running across the street to get away from two carriages that were rolling along at a terrible speed.

Sie waren sehr groß, so groß, dass sie ihrer Mutter gehört hatten, und das arme kleine Ding hatte sie verloren, als sie über die Straße rannte, um zwei Kutschen auszuweichen, die mit schrecklicher Geschwindigkeit heranrollten.

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Languages

The Little Match Girl · English (original)B1 Intermediate · 984 words · ~10 min · Audio
Das kleine Mädchen mit den Schwefelhölzern · GermanB1 Intermediate · 937 words · ~10 min · Audio
Το κοριτσάκι με τα σπίρτα · GreekB1 Intermediate · 944 words · ~10 min
La pequeña cerillera · SpanishB1 Intermediate · 948 words · ~10 min · Audio
La Petite Fille aux allumettes · FrenchB1 Intermediate · 1,047 words · ~10 min · Audio
नन्हीं माचिस वाली · HindiB1 Intermediate · 1,092 words · ~10 min
Gadis Korek Api · IndonesianB1 Intermediate · 902 words · ~10 min
La piccola fiammiferaia · ItalianB1 Intermediate · 977 words · ~10 min
マッチ売りの少女 · JapaneseB1 Intermediate
성냥팔이 소녀 · KoreanB1 Intermediate · 652 words · ~5 min
Het meisje met de zwavelstokjes · DutchB1 Intermediate · 981 words · ~10 min
Dziewczynka z zapałkami · PolishB1 Intermediate · 786 words · ~5 min
A Pequena Vendedora de Fósforos · PortugueseB1 Intermediate · 943 words · ~10 min
Fetița cu chibrituri · RomanianB1 Intermediate · 937 words · ~10 min
Kibritçi Kız · TurkishB1 Intermediate · 703 words · ~5 min
Cô bé bán diêm · VietnameseB1 Intermediate · 1,146 words · ~10 min
卖火柴的小女孩 · ChineseB1 Intermediate

Questions

Which languages can I read The Little Match Girl 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 B1 Intermediate. In translation, German, Greek, 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 984 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.

The Little Match Girl

How it begins

Languages

Questions

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