ReadNative

Guides

Learn languages by reading

How reading builds fluency, what to read at every level, and a step-by-step plan for each of our 20 languages.

Language guides

🇸🇦 Arabic How to Learn Arabic by Reading: A Step-by-Step Guide Learn Arabic by reading, from the alphabet to real texts. A level-by-level ladder of graded readers, a 30-day plan, and how to read without vowel marks. 9 min read 🇦🇲 Armenian How to Learn Armenian by Reading: A Step-by-Step Guide Learn Armenian by reading: master the 38-letter alphabet, choose Eastern or Western, and climb a graded reading ladder from A1 to B2 with a 30-day plan. 10 min read 🇦🇿 Azerbaijani How to Learn Azerbaijani by Reading: A Step-by-Step Guide Learn Azerbaijani by reading: master the Latin alphabet and suffixes, avoid Turkish mix-ups, and follow an A1–B2 reading ladder and 30-day plan. 9 min read 🇨🇳 Mandarin Chinese How to Learn Chinese by Reading: A Step-by-Step Guide Learn Chinese by reading: pinyin and tones first, characters in context, an HSK1–HSK5 reading ladder with real graded readers, and a 30-day plan. 8 min read 🇫🇷 French How to Learn French by Reading: A Step-by-Step Guide Learn French by reading: a level-by-level ladder from A1 to B2, real graded readers and books, a 30-day plan, and how to handle the passé simple. 7 min read 🇬🇪 Georgian How to Learn Georgian by Reading: A Step-by-Step Guide Learn Georgian by reading, from your first letters of the Mkhedruli script to real novels. A level-by-level ladder, a 30-day plan and honest tips. 10 min read 🇩🇪 German How to Learn German by Reading: A Step-by-Step Guide Learn German by reading: tame cases, separable verbs and long compounds with an A1–B2 reading ladder, real resources and a practical 30-day plan. 7 min read 🇬🇷 Greek How to Learn Greek by Reading: A Step-by-Step Guide Learn Greek by reading, from your first letters to real novels: a level-by-level ladder, a 30-day plan, and how to handle accents and digraphs. 10 min read 🇮🇱 Hebrew How to Learn Hebrew by Reading: A Step-by-Step Guide Learn Hebrew by reading, even without vowel points: a guide to the script, roots, a level-by-level reading ladder and a practical 30-day plan. 10 min read 🇮🇹 Italian How to Learn Italian by Reading: A Step-by-Step Guide Learn Italian by reading, from Pinocchio to Calvino. An A1–B2 reading ladder, real graded readers, a 30-day plan and tips for passato remoto. 7 min read 🇯🇵 Japanese How to Learn Japanese by Reading: A Step-by-Step Guide Learn Japanese by reading: kana first, kanji with furigana, a JLPT N5–N2 reading ladder with real graded readers and manga, and a practical 30-day plan. 8 min read 🇰🇷 Korean How to Learn Korean by Reading: A Step-by-Step Guide Learn Korean by reading: master Hangul fast, decode particles and verb endings, and climb a TOPIK 1–4 reading ladder with real resources and a 30-day plan. 7 min read 🇮🇷 Persian How to Learn Persian by Reading: A Step-by-Step Guide Learn Persian by reading: master the script, the hidden ezafe and written vs spoken Farsi, with a graded reading ladder and a practical 30-day plan. 9 min read 🇧🇷 Brazilian Portuguese How to Learn Portuguese by Reading: A Step-by-Step Guide Learn Portuguese by reading, Brazilian style: an A1–B2 ladder from Turma da Mônica to Machado de Assis, tips on tricky grammar and a 30-day plan. 7 min read 🇷🇺 Russian How to Learn Russian by Reading: A Step-by-Step Guide Learn Russian by reading: master Cyrillic, handle stress, cases and aspect, and climb an A1–B2 reading ladder with real resources and a 30-day plan. 7 min read 🇷🇸 Serbian How to Learn Serbian by Reading: A Step-by-Step Guide Learn Serbian by reading: handle both Cyrillic and Latin scripts, climb a reading ladder from A1 to B2, and follow a practical 30-day plan. 8 min read 🇪🇸 Spanish How to Learn Spanish by Reading: A Step-by-Step Guide Learn Spanish by reading with a clear A1-to-B2 ladder, real graded readers and books, a 30-day plan, and tips for subjunctive, ser/estar and more. 7 min read 🇹🇭 Thai How to Learn Thai by Reading: A Step-by-Step Guide Learn Thai by reading: crack the script, handle text without spaces and tones, and climb a level-by-level reading ladder from A1 to B2 with a 30-day plan. 10 min read 🇺🇦 Ukrainian How to Learn Ukrainian by Reading: A Step-by-Step Guide Learn Ukrainian by reading: master the Cyrillic letters, climb a reading ladder from A1 to B2, follow a 30-day plan and stop Russian from creeping in. 9 min read 🇻🇳 Vietnamese How to Learn Vietnamese by Reading: A Step-by-Step Guide Learn Vietnamese by reading: master tones and diacritics, decode Sino-Vietnamese words, and follow a reading ladder from A1 to B2 with a practical 30-day plan. 9 min read 🇨🇳 Mandarin Chinese Journey to the West for Chinese Learners — Characters, Story and Key Vocabulary A study guide to 西游记 for Mandarin learners — the main characters, the big story arcs, and the vocabulary with pinyin you'll meet again and again. 8 min read 🇨🇳 Mandarin Chinese The Best Chinese Graded Readers (Books and Apps) for Every Level An honest guide to Chinese graded readers, from HSK1 stories to HSK5 classics, in print and in apps, and how to pick the right level for you. 9 min read

How reading works

How reading works Comprehensible Input Explained (and How to Actually Use It) A clear, honest guide to comprehensible input — what Krashen actually proposed, what the critics say, and how to put it to work with reading. 9 min read How reading works Extensive Reading in a Foreign Language — A Practical Guide What extensive reading is, why it works, and how to build a daily habit of easy, enjoyable reading in the language you are learning. 9 min read How reading works Graded Readers vs Native Books: Which Should You Read, and When? Graded readers and native books each have a job. Here is how to decide which one to read at your level, and how to move from one to the other. 9 min read How reading works How Many Words Do You Need to Read a Book in a Foreign Language? What lexical coverage research says about the vocabulary you need to read novels, why 98% matters, and how to read real stories long before you get there. 8 min read How reading works How to Learn a Language With a Non-Latin Script A practical guide to learning a new writing system, from Georgian and Cyrillic to Arabic, Thai and Japanese, with romanization as training wheels. 9 min read How reading works How to Read in a Foreign Language Without a Dictionary Techniques for reading in a new language without stopping at every word: choosing the right level, guessing from context, and knowing what to skip. 8 min read How reading works How to Use Tap-to-Translate Without Getting Dependent on It Tap-to-translate makes reading a new language easier, but it can become a crutch. How to use instant glosses so they build skill, not dependence. 8 min read How reading works What Are Graded Readers? A Learner's Guide Graded readers are books for language learners at controlled levels. Here is how they work, how to pick a level, and how to get the most from them. 7 min read

Comparisons

Comparisons ReadNative vs Beelinguapp — Parallel Texts or Graded Stories? Beelinguapp shows a translation side by side with audio; ReadNative grades the text to your level. A fair comparison of two ways to learn by reading. 7 min read 🇨🇳 Mandarin Chinese ReadNative vs Du Chinese — Which Is Better for Reading Chinese? Du Chinese offers a big library of short HSK-levelled lessons; ReadNative offers long graded classics like Journey to the West. An honest comparison. 7 min read Comparisons ReadNative vs LingQ — Which Reading App Fits How You Learn? An honest comparison of ReadNative and LingQ for learning by reading — content, levels, word tracking, imports, and who each app suits best. 9 min read Comparisons ReadNative vs Readlang — Graded Books or Read-Anything Extension? ReadNative vs Readlang compared honestly — graded stories with a built-in path, or a browser tool that lets you read any web page you like. 8 min read Comparisons The Best Apps for Learning Languages by Reading (An Honest Roundup) An honest look at reading apps for language learners: LingQ, Readlang, Beelinguapp, Du Chinese, The Chairman's Bao, Satori Reader, ReadNative and Kindle. 10 min read

Exams

🇬🇪 Georgian The Georgian Language Exam for Citizenship — How to Prepare Your Reading Georgian naturalisation includes a state language test. Here's how to build the reading skills you need, and where to check the current official rules. 8 min read