Learning Italian can be a fun and rewarding experience, especially when you immerse yourself in authentic Italian stories. Reading Italian graded readers or simple Italian stories is one of the best ways to improve your vocabulary, comprehension, and overall language skills. In this article, we present a selection of carefully chosen Italian short stories for beginners and intermediate learners. These stories are engaging, easy to follow, and perfect for anyone looking to practice Italian through meaningful and enjoyable content.
Why read Italian short stories? Unlike textbooks and grammar exercises, Italian reading practice with engaging stories helps you learn naturally by exposing you to real-life contexts. You’ll encounter commonly used phrases, cultural references, and everyday conversations, making your language practice both practical and entertaining. Short stories are especially useful because they are manageable even for busy learners. You can complete a story in one sitting, gaining a sense of accomplishment while building your language proficiency.
We’ve selected ten compelling Italian short stories for intermediate learners and Italian books for beginners, each offering a unique glimpse into Italian culture, traditions, and daily life. Some are original creations, while others are adaptations of famous Italian tales. Whether you’re a complete beginner or an intermediate student, you’ll find stories suited to your level, with simple language and accessible narratives.
Whether you are looking for easy Italian books or Italian books with English translation, these carefully adapted stories will make your Italian reading practice enjoyable and effective.
Ready to immerse yourself in Italian short stories and enhance your Italian reading practice? Start your journey with these captivating tales and see how fun learning Italian through stories can be!
Gli amici
A story by Dino Buzzati, simplified for foreign students. – On a quiet evening at home, the lives of Amedeo Torti and his wife are disrupted by the unexpected arrival of their old friend Toni Appacher, who died twenty days earlier. But he is not just a memory or a hallucination: Appacher appears at their door with the uncertain appearance of a ghost still bound to the physical world. He explains that he must wait several days before entering the afterlife because there is no room for him yet. In the meantime, having nowhere else to go, he asks if he can stay with them for a short time.
Amid astonishment and discomfort, a surreal nocturnal wandering begins. Appacher seeks shelter from old friends, a conductor, a kind-hearted prostitute, and even a priest, but only encounters fear, embarrassment, or indifference. Each meeting reflects the harsh truths of human frailty: selfishness, hypocrisy, and fear of the unknown. This story blends melancholy and irony, illustrating how difficult it can be to find a place, even in the afterlife, when existence itself seems to reject those suspended between two worlds.
Linguistic level: Intermediate (B1-B2)
Available: Audio, PDF
Un uomo noioso
A free interpretation inspired by a story by Cris Rose. This is an original and ironic tale following the life of Lorenzo Moretti, a man avoided by everyone because he is unbearably boring. Despite his good intentions and attempts to be interesting, Lorenzo seems destined to live alone. Yet, when he least expects it, he has a brilliant idea that turns his flaw into an incredible superpower.
With a light and humorous style, the story explores how even a seemingly negative trait can lead to unexpected outcomes. Through comical situations and quirky characters, the tale offers a subtle and entertaining reflection on embracing one’s peculiarities.
Perfect for those seeking a witty read full of humor and plot twists.
Linguistic level: Intermediate (A2-B1)
Available: Audio, PDF
Rosso Malpelo
A short story from the collection Vita dei campi by Giovanni Verga, depicting the harsh and merciless life of an outcast boy marked by poverty and prejudice. Malpelo, nicknamed for his red hair, is considered evil by nature by those around him. Condemned to work in a sand quarry, he faces daily toil, abuse, and injustice with an almost inhuman resilience.
Through this story, Verga realistically and profoundly explores themes of loneliness, relentless fate, and the struggle for survival. The tale offers a poignant reflection on the human condition in a world where hope and compassion seem to have no place.
Giovanni Verga (1840-1922) is one of Italy’s greatest writers and the leading figure of Verismo. His works vividly portray the hardships and daily struggles of the lower classes.
Linguistic Level: Intermediate (B1-B2)
Available: Audio, PDF
Ser Ciappelletto
This story is taken from a simplified version of The Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio, adapted for intermediate Italian learners (B1-B2). The novella tells the tale of a deeply corrupt man who, through a hypocritical and cunning confession, manages to deceive even the most devout monk, ultimately being regarded as a saint.
With his ironic and brilliant style, Boccaccio explores themes of deceit, appearances, and human credulity, offering a timeless reflection on human nature and the manipulation of truth.
Linguistic Level: Intermediate (B1-B2)
Available: PDF
La Robodev Corp
The Robodev Corp. is a free interpretation of a story by Chris Rose, simplified for beginner Italian learners (A2-B1). In a grotesque and ironic future, Arturo Martinelli visits the Robodev Corp., a company specializing in selling artificial organs and refurbished body parts. Every aesthetic and functional desire can be fulfilled through advanced technologies and bizarre replacement processes.
Amid eccentric choices and surreal situations, the story sarcastically explores themes of consumerism, the quest for perfection, and personal identity. A tale that makes you smile while reflecting on our society and the future we might imagine.
Linguistic Level: (A2-B1).
Available: Audio, PDF, comprehension exercises.
Marcovaldo al supermarket
This ironic tale comes from the collection Marcovaldo ovvero le stagioni in città by Italo Calvino, published in 1963. In this surreal story, Marcovaldo, a modest family man always struggling financially, enters a large supermarket with his wife and children. Attracted by the shiny goods and the opportunity to explore the store freely, they are swept away by a hilarious hunger for consumerism, turning a simple stroll into a comical and surreal adventure.
The story offers a clever satire on consumer society and the human condition, playing with the temptations and illusions of material wealth.
Linguistic Level: Intermediate (B1-B2)
Available: PDF
I tre fratelli scemi
The Three Foolish Brothers is a popular Italian folktale, likely of Sicilian origin, adapted into a simplified version for beginner learners (A2-B1). The story narrates the hilarious misadventures of three brothers who, after arguing over a simple “good morning,” find themselves caught in increasingly absurd and grotesque situations.
With an ironic and lively style, the story explores the theme of naivety and common sense… which sometimes seems to be entirely absent! A fun tale that provides a glimpse into Italian oral tradition, perfect for those wanting to learn Italian with a smile.
Linguistic Level: Beginner (A2-B1)
Available: Audio, PDF, comprehension exercises.
Salvestro e la medicina per sua moglie
A story from the collection of novellas Le cene by Anton Francesco Grazzini, also known as “Il Lasca” (1505-1584).
In 16th-century Florence, the aging and ill doctor Maestro Mingo receives an unexpected visit from his old friend Salvestro Bisdomini, desperate for his wife’s health. Salvestro explains that his wife suffers from a mysterious ailment that no doctor has been able to cure. Despite his frailty, Maestro Mingo decides to help using unconventional and bizarre methods.
Amid misunderstandings and hilarious “medical” remedies, the story humorously explores the beliefs and superstitions of the era. Each situation becomes more absurd, culminating in an unexpected yet effective cure that surprises everyone.
A tale blending irony and grotesque situations, offering an amusing reflection on Renaissance medical practices and human ingenuity during challenging times.
I topi
A story based on a work by Dino Buzzati. In an isolated country villa, strange presences manifest within its walls. The regular guest of the Corio family begins to suspect that behind the increasingly bizarre behavior and unsettling silences of the household lies a terrible secret. Every summer, he used to spend pleasant weeks with the Corios, but this year the invitation never came. A hurried letter mentioned “family difficulties,” but nothing was clearly explained.
As the years go by, small, inexplicable events accumulate: metallic noises at night, invisible presences moving in the attic, and two cats—once strong and athletic—reduced to skeletal creatures overwhelmed by fear. The rats are no longer mere rodents; they have become a silent, omnipresent, and terrifying threat. Buzzati masterfully blends mystery and drama in a story that explores humanity’s deepest fears and dark truths buried within the soul.
Linguistic Level: Intermediate (B1-B2)
Available: PDF file
La minestra di pietre
Sentimental Folktale. December 1918. The Great War has ended. Antonio Ricci, a tired and hungry soldier, is returning home after two days of walking through the mountains. He arrives in a poor and desolate village where the war-stricken inhabitants have almost nothing left. With cleverness and a kind heart, Antonio invents the “stone soup” to feed everyone.
With great conviction, Antonio begins preparing a mysterious “stone soup.” He describes the recipe in a way that sparks the villagers’ curiosity. One by one, they spontaneously bring whatever little they have: a potato, some vegetables, a pinch of salt. Without even realizing it, they all collaborate, and the soup becomes warm, flavorful, and abundant. The dinner turns into a shared celebration filled with songs, stories, and a renewed warmth that touches everyone’s hearts.
This story teaches that solidarity can work miracles even in the toughest times, warming not just bodies but also hearts.
Linguistic Level: Intermediate (B1-B2)
Available: Audio, PDF, comprehension exercises
Conclusion
Learning Italian through short stories is an enjoyable and effective way to build your language skills. The stories we’ve shared offer a mix of humor, mystery, and cultural insights while using accessible Italian. Whether you’re a beginner or an intermediate learner, these tales will inspire and entertain you on your language journey. Start reading today and experience how fun and rewarding learning Italian can be!