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Short stories in Russian for beginners — with translation
Russian beginners face two hurdles at once: the Cyrillic alphabet and a grammar where nouns change their endings in six cases. The alphabet takes a week or two; the cases take much longer, and reading is the most painless way to absorb them, because you see the same nouns change shape in sentences you understand.
ReadNative's Russian book is Pushkin's The Captain's Daughter, retold as one graded story in 44 chapters — from the Grinyov household at A1 to the Pugachev rebellion at B1. Tap any word for its meaning and a Latin transliteration. The opening chapters of The Captain's Daughter — in fact the whole book — are free to read in your browser at readnative.org, with tap-to-translate on every word.
44 stories, easiest first
A1 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 1. Дом Гринёвых
Chapter 1. The House of the Grinyovs
Это Россия. Вот степь, а вот село.
This is Russia. Here is the steppe, and here is a village.
A1 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 2. Уроки
Chapter 2. Lessons
Утром в доме тихо. Петруша ещё мальчик.
In the morning the house is quiet. Petrusha is still a boy.
A1 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 3. Решение отца
Chapter 3. The Father's Decision
Вечером отец сидит дома. У отца есть книга.
In the evening the father sits at home. The father has a book.
A1 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 4. Прощание
Chapter 4. The Farewell
Утром у дома кибитка. Вот дорога, вот кибитка.
In the morning a kibitka stands by the house. Here is the road, here is the kibitka.
A1 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 5. Симбирск
Chapter 5. Simbirsk
Кибитка едет в город. Это город Симбирск.
The kibitka rolls into a town. This is the town of Simbirsk.
A1 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 6. Сто рублей
Chapter 6. One Hundred Rubles
Утром небо серое. В трактире тихо.
In the morning the sky is grey. In the inn it is quiet.
A1 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 7. Буран
Chapter 7. The Blizzard
Кибитка едет в степь. Вот степь, вот дорога.
The kibitka rolls into the steppe. Here is the steppe, here is the road.
A1 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 8. Вожатый
Chapter 8. The Guide
Чёрная точка большая. Это не точка.
The black dot is big now. It is not a dot.
A1 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 9. Заячий тулуп
Chapter 9. The Hare-Skin Coat
Вот дом на дороге. Это трактир.
Here is a house on the road. It is an inn.
A1 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 10. Оренбург
Chapter 10. Orenburg
Кибитка едет в город. Это город Оренбург.
The kibitka rolls into a town. This is the town of Orenburg.
A1 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 11. Крепость
Chapter 11. The Fortress
Кибитка едет в крепость. Вот Белогорская крепость.
The kibitka rolls into the fortress. Here is the Belogorsk fortress.
A1 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 12. Мироновы
Chapter 12. The Mironovs
В крепости жили Мироновы. Они приехали давно.
The Mironovs lived in the fortress. They came here long ago.
A1 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 13. Швабрин
Chapter 13. Shvabrin
В крепости служил Швабрин. Швабрин был офицер.
Shvabrin served in the fortress. Shvabrin was an officer.
A1 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 14. Тихая жизнь
Chapter 14. A Quiet Life
Дни шли тихо. В крепости было тихо.
The days went by quietly. The fortress was quiet.
A1 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 15. Стихи
Chapter 15. The Verses
Гринёв любил Машу. Он хотел писать стихи.
Grinyov loved Masha. He wanted to write verses.
A2 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 16. Вызов
Chapter 16. The Challenge
Гринёв был злой. Он вызвал Швабрина на дуэль.
Grinyov was furious. He challenged Shvabrin to a duel.
A2 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 17. Дуэль
Chapter 17. The Duel
Было утро. Гринёв и Швабрин были у реки.
It was morning. Grinyov and Shvabrin were by the river.
A2 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 18. Пять дней
Chapter 18. Five Days
Гринёв лежал пять дней. Он был слабый, как мальчик.
Grinyov lay for five days. He was weak as a boy.
A2 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 19. Ответ отца
Chapter 19. The Father's Answer
Гринёв ждал письмо отца. Он ждал долго.
Grinyov waited for the father's letter. He waited a long time.
A2 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 20. Пугачёв идёт
Chapter 20. Pugachyov Is Coming
Была осень. В крепости было тихо.
It was autumn. In the fortress it was quiet.
A2 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 21. Плохие ночи
Chapter 21. Bad Nights
В крепости были плохие ночи. Все боялись Пугачёва.
In the fortress there were bad nights. Everyone was afraid of Pugachyov.
A2 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 22. Последняя ночь
Chapter 22. The Last Night
Казаки закрыли дорогу в Оренбург. Теперь никто не мог ехать.
The Cossacks blocked the road to Orenburg. Now no one could travel.
A2 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 23. Приступ
Chapter 23. The Assault
Утром начался приступ. Пугачёв пришёл с войском.
In the morning the assault began. Pugachyov came with an army.
A2 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 24. Виселица
Chapter 24. The Gallows
У виселицы стояли казаки. Пугачёв сидел на коне.
By the gallows stood Cossacks. Pugachyov sat on a horse.
A2 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 25. Старый знакомый
Chapter 25. The Old Acquaintance
Гринёв стоял на дворе. Рядом стоял Савельич.
Grinyov stood in the yard. Beside him stood Savelyich.
A2 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 26. Пир
Chapter 26. The Feast
Вечером был пир. Пугачёв сидел за столом.
In the evening there was a feast. Pugachyov sat at the table.
A2 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 27. Разлука
Chapter 27. The Parting
Утром Пугачёв уезжал. Он дал Гринёву коня.
In the morning Pugachyov was leaving. He gave Grinyov a horse.
A2 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 28. Оренбург
Chapter 28. Orenburg
Гринёв приехал в Оренбург. В городе был генерал.
Grinyov arrived in Orenburg. In the town there was a general.
A2 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 29. Письмо
Chapter 29. The Letter
Казаки подъехали к Гринёву. Гринёв узнал одного казака.
The Cossacks rode up to Grinyov. Grinyov recognized one Cossack.
A2 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 30. Бердская слобода
Chapter 30. Berdskaya Settlement
Ночью Гринёв и Савельич уехали. Они ехали одни.
At night Grinyov and Savelyich rode off. They rode alone.
B1 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 31. «Едем!»
Chapter 31. "Let Us Go!"
Гринёв посмотрел Пугачёву в глаза. Он решил сказать правду.
Grinyov looked Pugachyov in the eyes. He decided to tell the truth.
B1 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 32. Сказка об орле
Chapter 32. The Tale of the Eagle
Кибитка ехала по степи. Был холодный день.
The wagon rode across the steppe. It was a cold day.
B1 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 33. Сирота
Chapter 33. The Orphan
Кибитка приехала в крепость. У ворот стоял Швабрин.
The wagon arrived at the fortress. At the gate stood Shvabrin.
B1 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 34. Прощание
Chapter 34. The Parting
Утром Пугачёв был готов ехать дальше. Гринёв вышел с ним на крыльцо.
In the morning Pugachyov was ready to ride on. Grinyov went out with him onto the porch.
B1 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 35. Дом
Chapter 35. Home
Гринёв, Маша и Савельич ехали по дороге. Было холодно, и падал снег.
Grinyov, Masha and Savelyich rode along the road. It was cold, and snow was falling.
B1 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 36. Конец бунта
Chapter 36. The End of the Rebellion
Бунт горел по всей стране. Пугачёв бежал от города к городу.
The rebellion burned across the whole country. Pugachyov fled from town to town.
B1 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 37. Следствие
Chapter 37. The Investigation
Гринёва привезли в Казань. Город был сожжён войной.
Grinyov was brought to Kazan. The city had been burned by war.
B1 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 38. Молчание
Chapter 38. Silence
Гринёв стоял перед комиссией. Написанное слово лежало на столе.
Grinyov stood before the commission. The written charge lay on the table.
B1 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 39. Решение Маши
Chapter 39. Masha's Decision
Маша жила в доме Гринёвых. Она видела боль отца и матери.
Masha was living in the Grinyovs' house. She saw the pain of the father and the mother.
B1 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 40. Царское Село
Chapter 40. Tsarskoye Selo
Было осеннее утро. Маша шла по саду в Царском Селе.
It was an autumn morning. Masha was walking through the garden at Tsarskoye Selo.
B1 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 41. Незнакомка
Chapter 41. The Stranger
Дама слушала Машу до конца. Потом её лицо изменилось.
The lady listened to Masha to the end. Then her face changed.
B1 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 42. Императрица
Chapter 42. The Empress
Машу ввели во дворец. Комната была светлая и тихая.
Masha was led into the palace. The room was bright and quiet.
B1 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 43. Казнь
Chapter 43. The Execution
Гринёв был свободен. Прощение пришло, как свет.
Grinyov was free. Pardon came like light.
B1 · The Captain's Daughter
Глава 44. Береги честь смолоду
Chapter 44. Guard Your Honor from Youth
Свадьба была тихая и светлая. В доме Гринёвых было много радости.
The wedding was quiet and bright. In the Grinyovs' house there was much joy.
How to read these stories
- Do not wait to know all six cases. Read, notice endings like -а, -у, -ом, -е, and let patterns build up.
- Use the transliteration while Cyrillic is still slow, then wean yourself off it.
- Stress is not marked in normal Russian text. Do not let that stop you reading; pronunciation can be learned separately.
- Pay attention to verbs of motion (идти, ехать) — Pushkin's story is a journey, so they come up constantly.
- Read daily. Russian vocabulary has fewer English cognates, so repetition matters more.
Questions
Can I read Russian stories before I know the cases?
Yes. You will understand most of a simple story from word meanings and context, and the cases sink in through repeated exposure.
Is The Captain's Daughter too hard for beginners?
The original is. The ReadNative version is a graded retelling that starts at A1 and only gradually introduces more complex grammar.
Are stress marks shown?
No, the text is written as Russians write it. Tapping a word shows its meaning and transliteration.