Reading simple stories in Spanish and English is an easy way for Spanish beginners and kids to learn the language without effort. Simply read the short story and absorb the new Spanish vocabulary. To reinforce the words you picked up and keep improving your Spanish, read a short bilingual story each day.
Jack and the Beanstalk / Jack y la Habichuela Mágica
Jack lived with his poor mother.
Jack vivía con su madre pobre.
They had no money left.
No les quedaba dinero.
Their cow gave no more milk.
Su vaca ya no daba leche.
Jack’s mother said, “Take the cow to market.”
La madre de Jack dijo: “Lleva la vaca al mercado.”
“Sell her for a good price.”
“Véndela por un buen precio.”
Jack walked with the cow down the road.
Jack caminó con la vaca por el camino.
Soon he met a strange old man.
Pronto encontró a un anciano extraño.
“I will give you five magic beans for your cow,” the man said.
“Te daré cinco frijoles mágicos por tu vaca,” dijo el hombre.
“Magic beans?” Jack asked.
“¿Frijoles mágicos?” preguntó Jack.
“Yes! Very powerful!”
“¡Sí! ¡Muy poderosos!”
Jack traded the cow for the beans.
Jack cambió la vaca por los frijoles.
He ran home happily.
Corrió a casa feliz.
But his mother was not happy.
Pero su madre no estaba feliz.
“Beans?! You sold our cow for BEANS?!”
“¿¡Frijoles!? ¿¡Vendiste nuestra vaca por FRijoles!?”
She threw the beans out the window.
Ella lanzó los frijoles por la ventana.
That night, Jack went to bed sad.
Esa noche, Jack se acostó triste.
In the morning, he saw something huge outside.
Por la mañana, vio algo enorme afuera.
A giant beanstalk reached up into the sky!
¡Una habichuela gigante subía hasta el cielo!
Jack climbed the beanstalk.
Jack trepó por la habichuela.
Up… up… up he went.
Subió… subió… subió.
At the top, he found a giant’s castle.
En la cima, encontró el castillo de un gigante.
The doors were as tall as trees.
Las puertas eran tan altas como árboles.
Jack slipped inside quietly.
Jack entró sigilosamente.
A giant woman was cooking soup.
Una mujer gigante estaba cocinando sopa.
She looked down and gasped.
Miró hacia abajo y jadeó.
“A boy! Quick, hide!”
“¡Un niño! ¡Rápido, escóndete!”
“Fee-fi-fo-fum!” thundered the giant.
“¡Fi-fa-fo-fum!” tronó el gigante.
“I smell a human!”
“¡Huelo a un humano!”
Jack hid in a pot.
Jack se escondió en una olla.
The giant ate, yawned, and fell asleep.
El gigante comió, bostezó y se quedó dormido.
Jack saw a golden harp on the table.
Jack vio un arpa dorada sobre la mesa.
He saw a hen that laid golden eggs.
Vio una gallina que ponía huevos de oro.
“This could save us!” Jack whispered.
“¡Esto podría salvarnos!” susurró Jack.
He grabbed the hen and the harp.
Agarró la gallina y el arpa.
The harp cried, “Help me!”
El arpa gritó: “¡Ayúdame!”
The giant woke up.
El gigante se despertó.
He ran after Jack.
Corrió detrás de Jack.
Jack dashed to the beanstalk.
Jack corrió hacia la habichuela.
He climbed down as fast as he could.
Bajó tan rápido como pudo.
The giant followed, shaking the leaves.
El gigante lo siguió, sacudiendo las hojas.
“Mother! Bring the axe!” Jack shouted.
“¡Madre! ¡Trae el hacha!” gritó Jack.
His mother handed it to him.
Su madre se la dio.
Jack chopped the beanstalk.
Jack cortó la habichuela.
CHOP!
¡CRAC!
CHOP!
¡CRAC!
The beanstalk snapped and fell.
La habichuela se rompió y cayó.
The giant tumbled down with a roar.
El gigante cayó con un rugido.
Jack and his mother were safe.
Jack y su madre estaban a salvo.
The hen laid golden eggs for them.
La gallina puso huevos de oro para ellos.
And the magic harp played sweet music every night.
Y el arpa mágica tocaba música dulce cada noche.
Jack and his mother lived happily ever after.
Jack y su madre vivieron felices para siempre.
Looking for more stories, complex plots, original stories, or longer books?
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We offer short stories as well as full-length fiction books in English and Spanish to help you learn a new language.
Check out our full library of bilingual stories here.
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