A2 · Українська
Ukrainian short stories for A2 learners
Classic stories, retold for your level
These are classics originally written in Ukrainian, retold for A1–A2 learners. A retelling keeps the whole plot of the original — every scene, every turn — in language pitched at your level. Every sentence has a translation into your language, and the first sentences of any story are free to type, no account needed.
Меланхолійний вальс
Valse mélancolique · Olha Kobylianska, 1898
Я не можу слухати сумної музики.
I cannot listen to sad music.
A1–A21,336 words~40 min to typeTranslation: EN ES FR DE IT PT KO
Камінний хрест
The Stone Cross · Vasyl Stefanyk, 1900
Іван Дідух був бідний ґазда.
Ivan Didukh was a poor householder.
A1–A21,415 words~43 min to typeTranslation: EN ES FR DE IT PT KO
Морозенко
Morozenko · Panas Myrny, 1885
Був холодний зимовий вечір, і Катря сиділа на печі.
It was a cold winter evening, and Katrya sat on top of the stove.
A1–A21,474 words~45 min to typeTranslation: EN ES FR DE IT PT KO
Мужицька арихметика
Peasant Arithmetic · Stepan Vasylchenko, 1910
Антін був хурщик.
Antin was a carter.
A1–A21,502 words~46 min to typeTranslation: EN ES FR DE IT PT KO
Грицева шкільна наука
Hryts's Schooling · Ivan Franko, 1883
Гуси нічого не знали.
The geese knew nothing.
A1–A21,696 words~51 min to typeTranslation: EN ES FR DE IT PT KO
Кіт у чоботях
Puss in Boots · Mykola Khvylovy, 1921
Її звали Гапка, але це сумне і глухе слово.
Her name was Hapka, but that is a sad and dull word.
A1–A21,745 words~53 min to typeTranslation: EN ES FR DE IT PT KO
Федько-халамидник
Fedko the Troublemaker · Volodymyr Vynnychenko, 1912
Федько був хуліган, і він завжди щось чіпляв або ламав.
Fedko was a troublemaker, and he was always picking fights or breaking things.
A1–A21,768 words~54 min to typeTranslation: EN ES FR DE IT PT KO
Intermezzo
Mykhailo Kotsiubynsky, 1908
Лишилось тільки спакувати речі.
There was only the packing left to do.
A1–A21,847 words~56 min to typeTranslation: EN ES FR DE IT PT KO
Школяр
The Schoolboy · Arkhyp Teslenko, 1906
Миколка був син Прокопа, і був він гарний школярик.
Mykolka was the son of Prokip, and he was a fine little schoolboy.
A1–A21,888 words~57 min to typeTranslation: EN ES FR DE IT PT KO
Дзвоник
The Little Bell · Borys Hrinchenko, 1897
Її звали Наталя, і вона була маленька дівчинка.
Her name was Natalia, and she was a little girl.
A1–A22,049 words~62 min to typeTranslation: EN ES FR DE IT PT KO
Кармелюк
Karmeliuk · Marko Vovchok, 1865
Це сталося давно, і в одному селі на Україні жили прості люди.
It happened long ago, and in a village in Ukraine there lived simple people.
A1–A24,267 words~129 min to typeTranslation: EN ES FR DE IT PT KO
Над морем
By the Sea · Lesia Ukrainka, 1898
Мені подобалося ле жати на березі й дивитися на воду.
I liked to lie on the shore and watch the water.
A1–A25,218 words~158 min to typeTranslation: EN ES FR DE IT PT KO
A2 in other languages
Questions
How were these retellings made?
Each retelling starts as an AI draft written to its level. A second pass critiques and revises it: does it fit the level, is the whole plot still there? A mechanical check makes sure no long passages are copied from the original. English and Ukrainian retellings are also read by a person before they go live.
Are these official CEFR levels?
No. A1–A2, B1–B2 and C1 are the targets each retelling is written to, on the CEFR scale (the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) you know from courses and exams. No one certifies the level of a story, ours included, so treat it as a guide: if a page feels too easy or too hard, move one level over.
Can I switch levels in the middle of a story?
Yes. The three levels are separate retellings of the same story, and each keeps its own progress — switch to an easier or a harder one whenever you like, and come back to where you left off.
Is it free?
The first sentences of every retelling are free to type, no account needed, and the free daily practice draws sentences from the whole library. Whole stories, at all three levels, come with Krapka Pro — $5 a month or $45 a year.