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日本語 · English · B1–B2

Intermediate Japanese short stories, side by side with English (B1–B2)

Stories written for readers past the basics: everyday Japanese at a natural pace, with the English beside every paragraph.

5 free intermediate stories in Japanese

Each one opens in your browser with no account, the Japanese and the English side by side, paragraph by paragraph, shortest first. Every story is also a free Japanese–English ebook for Kindle, Kobo or any e-reader: downloading needs a free account, no payment (which file to pick).

The stories at this level come from 日々の物語, original Japanese stories written for the library.

What intermediate Japanese stories are like

These stories are written for B1 readers: longer than beginner stories, with dialogue, the past tenses and the everyday phrases that textbooks leave out, and a plot that carries you to the end.

The vocabulary is wider and the sentences longer than at A2. With the English next to each paragraph, none of that has to stop you.

How to read Japanese at B1–B2

Read in Japanese, check in English

At B1–B2 you can usually follow the Japanese on its own. Keep your eyes on it and look across only when a sentence doesn’t land, rather than reading both sides line by line.

Let the plot pull you

These stories were written to be enjoyed. If you want to know how it ends, you will read faster and remember more, so pick the one whose first page grabs you.

Notice the tenses

Stories are told in the past, and the Japanese past tenses carry meaning the English sometimes flattens. Comparing the two sides is the quickest way to feel the difference.

More on the method in how to read a parallel text.