Story-Speak
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Stories that teach languages

Follow a story.Learn a language.

Story-Speak is a platform of animated story series for learning languages. Every episode comes with its script, translation, voice, speaking practice, images and PDF. Hundreds of stories and new episodes every week are on the way.

  • English
  • German
  • Spanish
  • Farsi
  • + many more coming
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First 5 episodes of every series free. No card needed.

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See how it works

Pick a language to watch a quick demo of Story-Speak. It doesn’t change the website’s language.

+ more coming
Select a language to see how it worksThis is only for the demo. We’ll choose one for you in 10 seconds.
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Animated demo of Story-Speak’s features. The sample sentence and story posters are illustrations.

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Start with what’s live today.

3 episodes, 25 minutes of story, levels A2 and B1. More series in more languages are on the way, with hundreds of new episodes coming every week.

B1Free to watchSpace odyssey · Atmospheric, tense, tender and ultimately hopefulLoonaBeyond Asaka2 episodes · 19 min · English with Farsi Start with “The Last Starlight of Orya”A2Free to watchComing of age · Tender, HopefulHappy Tedi1 episode · 6 min · English with Farsi Start with “The Big Red Backpack”

Speak & Shadow

Say every line out loud.See right away if it was correct.

Shadowing means repeating a sentence out loud, just as you heard or read it. It trains you to speak, not only to understand. Story-Speak listens through your microphone and checks each line for you.

  1. Hear or read the line
  2. Say it out loud
  3. Correct words turn green, missed words turn red
  4. Move on, try again or skip

Choose how much help you get

Three levels, from easy to hard. These are real recordings from the app.

  1. Level 1: easy

    Listen & repeat

    The app plays the line, then you say it. If it's correct, the next line starts. If not, try again or skip.

    Trains: pronunciation and rhythm, by copying the voice you just heard.

  2. Level 2: medium

    Read aloud

    You see the line with its translation and read it yourself. The app plays it only if you ask. If it's correct, you move on. If not, try again or skip.

    Trains: reading aloud on your own, with no voice to copy first.

  3. Level 3: hard

    Word puzzle

    You see only the shuffled words and the translation. Work out the sentence in your head and say it. If you're stuck, the app solves it and reads it to you.

    Trains: building sentences yourself, the skill you need in real conversation.

Works in your browser with your microphone. Your voice stays on your device. Speech checking is available for English stories today.

Your first chapter is on us

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The first 5 episodes of every series are free. Create an account in under a minute to save your words and your progress.

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  • No card needed
  • Every series included
  • Translation beside every line

Why it works

A story gives every word a reason to stay.

Every episode takes you through the same four steps, so you move from hearing a language to using it.

  1. Read and listenFollow the words as they are spoken, with the translation below each line.
  2. Watch the storySee the full animated episode and enjoy it like any series.
  3. Learn and reviewStudy its vocabulary, grammar and expressions, then save the words you want to keep.
  4. Practise and testAnswer questions on the episode and say the lines out loud.
Stories stick. A phrase you met in a tense scene is easier to remember than one from a list, so every word comes with the line it was heard in.
2story series
3animated episodes
25minutes of story
65lines with translation
28words and phrases explained
15comprehension questions

About 8 minutes an episode.Fits between here and there.

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Good to know

Before you press play.

Which languages can I learn?

Story-Speak supports English, German, Spanish and Farsi today, and more languages are coming. Each story shows the language it is told in and the translations it includes.

What do I get with a free account?

The first 5 episodes of every series, with no card and no account needed to start. Create a free account to save your progress, your words and your quiz results, and to continue with later episodes.

Is it right for my level?

Every story shows its level, so you can start where you are comfortable and move up as you improve.

How does the translation work?

Follow the story in the language you are learning, with the translation under each line. Show it always, only when you tap, or not at all.

How often are new stories added?

New episodes are in production now, with hundreds coming every week as the library grows.

Can I study without a connection?

Episodes stream inside Story-Speak on your phone or computer. Each one also has a script as a PDF, with its words, grammar and questions, to study offline.

Every story is a conversation. Join in.

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