Best Short Stories in Spanish for Beginners and Intermediate Students

Are you studying Spanish? Has someone told you that reading in Spanish is great for your learning process? Well, if they have, they are right. When studying a foreign language, reading in that language will improve your language skills by expanding your vocabulary and exposing you to new and more complex grammatical structures. It will force you to pay close attention to your reading and to look things up in the dictionary. Also, it will immerse you in the language and help you connect with the culture, which is great for absorbing a new language.

However, you might feel discouraged by the length of a novel (imagine trying to read Don Quixote, the most famous novel in the history of Spanish literature!). Luckily for you, there are many short stories in Spanish that are way shorter and easier if you are not an advanced reader.

Here is a list of the top 10 books of short stories in Spanish for beginners and intermediate students.

Top Ten Books of Short Stories in Spanish

Let’s delve into this list of 10 books, some with short stories by Spanish authors, others with translations, but all equally adequate for beginners and intermediate students.

1. Children’s Short Stories: Spanish Versions

Since short stories for children tend to have basic language, they are a great way to kick off your foreign language reading. Cuentos Completos de los Hermanos Grimm is a complete collection of the 200 most famous short stories and fairy tales by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm translated into Spanish.

2. Hans Christian Andersen’s Short Stories: Spanish Translations

In Cuentos Completos de Andersen, you will find the Spanish versions of some of his most famous short stories, like “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” “The Princess and the Pea,” and “The Little Mermaid”. It’s ideal for beginners.

3. Short Stories in Spanish with English Translations

If you are looking for short Spanish stories with English translation, Spanish Stories/Cuentos Españoles (A Dual-Language Book) is what you need. This volume offers 13 great Spanish short stories (ranging from classic Cervantes to contemporary Borges), presented both in the original language and in English. Ideal for intermediate students, who can follow the Spanish reading and consult with the English translation.

4. Bilingual Short Stories: Spanish and English

If you are only just beginning to study the language, maybe the previous book feels a bit too much. Don’t worry, there are many short stories in Spanish that come in a bilingual edition. Since it’s well-known and quite short, El Principito/The Little Prince Spanish/English Bilingual Edition it’s a great place to start reading in Spanish, with the English version to guide you.

5. Short Stories in Spanish by Olly Richards

One name comes up if we are talking about short stories in Spanish for beginners: Olly Richards. His book Short Stories in Spanish for Beginners (Teach Yourself) is perfect for beginners and intermediate students, because it comes with a glossary, a bilingual word list and a plot summary for its eight short stories.

6. Learn Verb Tenses through Short Stories in Spanish

Spanish Short Stories – Volume 1: Ten short stories to learn Spanish verb tenses is a great way to focus on one of the Spanish language’s most difficult grammar issues: verbs. Inside this book, you will find 10 short stories to help you with 10 Spanish verb tenses. Besides, you get highlighted verbs, a summary, comprehension questions, a grammar section, a list of regular and irregular conjugations, and a list of the key nouns that appear in each story. This book has everything you need to learn while having fun!

Download the PDF of this story for free!

If you want to read short stories in Spanish for free before buying a book, you can download the first chapter of Spanish Short Stories – Volume 1: Ten short stories to learn Spanish verb tenses for free! 👇

7. Short Stories to Learn About Spanish Dialects

The Libros Blancos collection is designed for more advanced students. It’s ideal for those who want to capture the differences in the language dialects through reading and listening to short stories in Spanish since this book also comes with the audiobook in a CD. Each book focuses on one accent: Spaniard, Mexican, Argentinian and Caribbean. It’s a great way to read some of the most famous Spanish authors while practicing with exercises.

8. Short stories in Spanish with Translations

Another great way to learn a language is to read stories you already know. That’s why we recommend Cuentos Completos, by Edgar Allan Poe. You’ve probably already read many of this American writer’s short stories, like “The Fall of the House of Usher” and “The Tell-Tale Heart.” Now read their Spanish translations and see if you get the same spooky feeling!

9. Classic Spanish Short Stories

And if you enjoy horror stories, Cuentos de amor, de locura y de muerte, by Horacio Quiroga, is definitely the right choice. This collection of 18 short stories by one of the greatest exponents of Latin American modernism is more suitable for intermediate or advanced students, or for anyone who enjoys a challenge!

10. Spanish Short Stories for Advanced Learners

This recommendation is for more advanced students. Short Stories in Spanish: New Penguin Parallel Texts offers a collection of 8 contemporary Spanish short stories in their original language along with their English translation. Immerse yourself in the Spanish and Latin American cultures through reading pieces of fiction by Javier Marías, Isabel Allende, Laura Freixas and Julio Cortazar, among others.