Language through Literature

Kannitverstan — Kannitverstan


Johann Peter Hebel, 1811 · 847 words in German · part of the library.

How long «Kannitverstan» is, and how hard

Length in German 844 running words · 32 sentences · about 3 printed pages
Time to read about 8 minutes at a learner's pace, with the glosses to hand
Different words 321 dictionary words, averaging 26.4 words a sentence
Words glossed 321 of 321 — every one that appears in the tale
Words that appear once 198 — 62%. A word met once is a word you will not learn from this text alone
Where it stands 3 of 8 by length in the German room

279 of this tale's own 321 words, most frequent first, carry 95% of it; 153 carry 80%.

How it begins

Der Mensch hat wohl täglich Gelegenheit, in Emmendingen und Gundelfingen, so gut als in Amsterdam Betrachtungen über den Unbestand aller irdischen Dinge anzustellen, wenn er will, und zufrieden zu werden mit seinem Schicksal, wenn auch nicht viel gebratene Tauben für ihn in der Luft herum fliegen.

A man has occasion enough, every day, in Emmendingen and Gundelfingen just as well as in Amsterdam, to reflect on the impermanence of all earthly things, if he cares to, and to grow content with his own lot, even if not many roast pigeons come flying through the air for him.

That first sentence is the free sample, and the only one: «Kannitverstan» is part of the library — the eight German tales and the fifteen Russian books, every word glossed, sentence-by-sentence English — for €5 a month or €39 a year, cancel whenever you like, one subscription for both shelves. What the library costs. «Der süße Brei» is free, entire, if you would rather taste the room first.

Shorter and longer in the same room

Der süße Brei — 222 words, freeDie Sterntaler — 298 words Rumpelstilzchen — 1003 wordsDie Bremer Stadtmusikanten — 1189 words

All eight German tales · the fifteen Russian ones