20 Short Stories and Easy Readers To Take Your Italian To The Next Level (for Beginners and Intermediate Learners)
1. Due Amiche e Un Album di Fotografie
for beginners to lower-intermediate Italian learners (A1-A2)
Dive into the world of Italian with our engaging short story ebook. Each unit, taking no longer than 10-20 minutes, makes language learning a breeze for beginners. Set in the picturesque South Tyrol region, the story follows Costanza and Anna’s summer adventure in the Dolomites, in Northern Italy.The 16 units are packed with useful vocabulary and explanations in English, as well as an audio book narrated by the author. This series is the perfect way to not only improve your Italian language skills but also gain a deeper understanding of Italian culture, food, and lifestyle Get the book in either paperback or Kindle format on Amazon, or in PDF format here.
2. Le Avventure di Paul a Roma
for advanced beginners to intermediate Italian learners (A1-A2-B1)
Discover the diverse neighborhoods of Rome through the adventures of Paul and improve your Italian skills with simple dialogues and stories. Designed for advanced beginners and pre-intermediate Italian learners, this book offers an immersive look into the Eternal City and its rich history. Each chapter is easy to read and concludes with a bilingual word list (English-Italian). A free audio recording narrated in slow Italian of the story is also included with the book. Get the book in either paperback or Kindle format on Amazon, or in PDF format here.
3. Amore e Cappuccino
for beginners (A0-A1)
If you have studied Italian for a month or two, Amore and Cappuccino is the ideal first short story to read. This Italian short storybook is designed for beginners at the A0-A1 level. The book features short dialogues between two main characters: a German girl visiting Rome and her date, Claudio, who has a few secrets. Set in the famous city of Rome, each chapter teaches you about the city’s iconic areas and elements of Roman art and culture. Amore and Cappuccino is a great introductory guide to Rome, perfect if you’re planning to visit someday. You can find it on Amazon.
4. Incontri in Sicilia
for lower-intermediate to intermediate Italian learners (A2-B1)

5. Le città impossibili
for beginners to lower-intermediate Italian learners (A1-A2)
The book includes 12 chapters, each focused on a different city, from Palermo to Turin. Each chapter is no longer than two pages and follows the journey of a first-time visitor to the city. At the end of the book, you will find helpful vocabulary, exercises, and cultural insights about each city. This resource is ideal for advanced beginners and focuses more on vocabulary, including lots of adjectives and vocabulary related to cities, than grammar. Available on Amazon.
6. Storie per i giorni di festa
for beginners to lower-intermediate Italian learners (A1-A2)
Are you familiar with Carnevale or Ferragosto? Or have you wondered how Italians spend their Saturday nights? This Italian short storybook for advanced beginners is focused on culture. Each chapter shares a story about a significant Italian holiday and the accompanying traditions and habits. It is an excellent book if you want to broaden your Italian vocabulary and reinforce your beginner grammar skills. As with all Alma Italian Short Stories books, you’ll find grammar and vocabulary exercises and additional cultural insights.” Available on Amazon.
7. Dolomiti
for beginners to lower-intermediate Italian learners (A1)
I love this short story because it takes you to one of my favorite places in Northern Italy—the Dolomites! This storybook is written in the present tense and centers around Emanuela, a young woman living in the picturesque mountain village of Dobbiaco in the Dolomites. She is not satisfied with her life until she finds a way to change it. The story uses a wealth of useful Italian vocabulary related to work, transportation, and the mountains. At the end of the book, you will find a cultural section where you can read about the culture, language, and cuisine of Aldo Adige, the region where the Dolomites are located, in simple Italian. This book is suitable for Italian learners who have studied the language for 3-4 months and are familiar with basic Italian grammar and everyday vocabulary”. Available on Amazon.
8. Come hai detto che ti chiami?
for beginners to lower-intermediate Italian learners (A1-A2)
“Suitable for those with a foundation in basic Italian grammar and vocabulary, this story takes place in the city of Como, Northern Italy. A young German woman and Italian man meet online for a language exchange and form a friendship based on a misunderstanding. This book reinforces basic Italian grammar while internalizing vocabulary through reading context, and provides insights into the city of Como. Available on Amazon.
9. Pasta per due
for beginners (A1)
What happens when we are in a foreign country and we don’t understand the language well? Many misunderstandings, of course. Like those that occur to Minni, an Asian girl, when arriving in Italy for the first time to meet her Italian friend Libero in Rome. A fun story that not only reinforces your beginner grammar but also teaches you frequent Italian popular expressions, especially those involving the verb fare.
10. Francesca: un giorno a Milano
for beginners (A1)
Perfect for beginners and those starting their Italian language journey, this book is designed for adult foreign students who want to learn Italian in an easy and enjoyable way. Divided into 10 chapters with accompanying exercises and a comprehensive glossary, the story follows Francesca, a university student in Milan, throughout her day from breakfast to dinner. Experience her daily routine, including time at the university, the gym, and a night out with friends.”
11. Adriano una giornata qualunque
for lower-intermediate learners (A2)
Adriano is a great resource for adult foreign students looking to learn Italian in a fun and engaging way. The book is split into 10 chapters, each accompanied by learning exercises and a comprehensive glossary. Adriano is a small restaurant owner in the bustling neighborhood of Trastevere in Rome. His days are uneventful and peaceful, but at night he transforms into a romantic hero and embarks on thrilling adventures. Ideal for beginner Italian learners. Available on Amazon.
12. Chef per un giorno
for advanced beginners and lower-intermediate learners (A2)
A delightful Italian language book that is perfect for advanced beginners or lower-intermediate students. The book follows the story of a young American student who is passionate about cooking and is eager to learn all about traditional Italian cuisine. This passion, will bring her to Verona, in Italy. The author has skillfully crafted the story in a way that incorporates the use of grammar and vocabulary that is appropriate for an A2 level. This means that the book is accessible to students who have been learning Italian for a few months and have developed a basic understanding of the language’s grammar and vocabulary. Available on Amazon.
13. Modelle, pistole e mozzarelle
for lower-intermediate to intermediate Italian learners (A2-B1)
14. Il Gatto scomparso
for lower-intermediate to intermediate learners (A2-B1)
The book “Il Gatto Scomparso” is marketed as an A1 level text, but it’s more suitable for A2-B1 Italian learners. The grammar used is of a lower-intermediate level, but the vocabulary is advanced and requires more than beginner knowledge. The story is a fun and humorous tale about a missing cat named “Gippi” and the antics of his family as they search for him. The book is available in both a digital format with free audio and a paperback edition. Available on Amazon
15. Le favole di Esopo
for advanced beginners to lower-intermediate Italian learners (A2)
This Italian short story book contains fourteen of Aesop’s fables translated and adapted for a beginner level: the first seven are in the present tense, the last seven in the past tense.Each chapter (fable) comes with a vocabulary list of the story’s essential words and some simple exercises. You will also have the option to listen to the audio tracks by downloading the audiobook for free by following the last page’s instructions. The fables are profound and straightforward, with a final moral to discover. This short story series in Italian is ideal for those learning Italian at A1 or A2 level.
16. Storie di italiani famosi
for lower-intermediate to intermediate Italian learners (A2-B1)
This is a delightful Italian short storybook for beginners about nine great Italian historical and cultural personalities: Leonardo da Vinci and Federico Fellini, Michelangelo, and Gianni Versace. All the stories recount a real or imaginary episode in the protagonists’ lives, while also highlighting their world and their time. As icing on the cake, every chapter comes with vocabulary and grammar activities and short texts about cultural aspects. In a nutshell, one of the best short story books available on the market is not just about Italian, but about Italian history and Italian culture.
17. La vicina di casa
for intermediate Italian learners (B1)
This is a short story aimed at intermediate students. The story takes place in Piedmont, a mountainous region of Italy bordering France and Switzerland. This ebook is available on Amazon and tells the story of a young Italian writer who relocates to a picturesque village in the heart of Piedmont for a change of scenery. There, she experiences a different pace of life, makes new friends, and learns about different cultures and traditions of the territory.
18. Mafia, amore e polizia
for lower-intermediate to intermediate Italian learners (A2-B1)
A short mystery novel that combines love and crime for lower-intermediate Italian students. An insight into the Italian mafia (written in simplified Italian) stands out, especially at the end of the book. This ebook, which includes audio, uses the present simple, imperfect, and past tense. This is a fantastic story for Italian students at the lower intermediate level.
19. In other words – Jhumpa Lahiri
for Intermediate Italian learners (B1)
In other words, this is an unusual book about the author’s fascination with the Italian language and the tenacity with which she pursued her goal for more than two decades, to the point where she wrote an Italian book about how and a little less about why she made this life choice. This version of the book is especially useful for English-native speakers because it includes a page-by-page English translation. The book is aimed at advanced or upper-intermediate Italian students.
20. Piccole storie d’amore
for intermediate Italian learners (B1)
This is a short story for intermediate Italian learners. The book is made up of nine different love stories. Each story is unique and contains new and exciting vocabulary. Several different verb tenses, pronouns, and prepositions are discussed in the book. It is necessary to have a solid grasp of intermediate grammar. The audiobook is included.
4 smart tips to learn Italian better with stories
- Writing is speaking in slow motion. Be proactive! don’t limit yourself to reading the stories. Use them with your Italian teacher or language exchange partner. A good exercises to summarize the chapters in a few written sentences. Writing will help you consolidate the new vocabulary and grammar patterns , while also improve your ability to construct Italian sentences.
- Talk about it: tired of talking about the weather or the latest news? Talk about the stories with your tutors, teachers or language partners. You won’t learn really something, unless you don’t use it. Using in conversation the vocabulary and grammar patterns will go a long way in helping expanding your vocabulary and cementing your grammar.
- Don’t underestimate reading at any level. Why? When you read, you naturally absorb things like the correct order of the different parts of speech, the correct conjugations, or the use of prepositions.
- Re-read your story, two or three times. When you are done with one of these short story books in Italian, don’t put them away for ever. Set them aside for a couple of months and go back to re-read them a second or third time; that’s how you will learn efficiently (retain) your vocabulary.
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