Read well-loved classics in many different languages with Parallel Books App

Parallel Books have just launched a new app which allows users to read a book in two languages at the same time.

The app currently offers 19 books which can be read in a variety of languages from German, English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian, Korean, Dutch, Swedish, Icelandic and even Esperanto. The app has the greatest variety for those wanting to read German alongside English.

Having tried the app on my iPad, I found it very easy to use and far more helpful than I had envisaged. I was able to read the text in the German and when I was struggling with the vocabulary quickly refer back to the English version. Each paragraph is linked via a highlighted “chewing gum” layer as illustrated below, so you always know what each bit of the text corresponds to.

 

I also found that it was useful for quickly building vocabulary, as I could quickly identify words in context without the need for a dictionary.

The books available are a fun selection, with something to suit everyone’s tastes, although they are mostly classics. On the downside though, there are not many titles on offer for certain languages. I hope that more will be available in the future.

Have you tried any similar apps? We would love to hear your recommendations.