● Learn a language through stories

Read in a new language — even when the original still feels difficult

Balaka adapts texts and books for comfortable reading, explains unfamiliar words, and saves useful vocabulary.

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Chapter 2

En mis años más jóvenes y vulnerables

mi padre me dio un consejo que desde entonces he dado vueltas en mi cabeza. “Cuando sientas ganas de criticar a alguien”, me dijo, “recuerda que no todas las personas han tenido las ventajasque tú tuviste”.

ventajas

advantages

Conditions or qualities that help someone achieve a better result.

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One text. Two ways to read.

Don't put aside an interesting book or article because the language feels difficult. Choose the mode that works for you now.

AaThe author's words

Original

Read the text as it was written

Keep the author's language and style, with translation and explanations available whenever you need them.

“Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and of having nothing to do: once or twice she had peeped into the book her sister was reading, but it had no pictures or conversations in it, “and what is the use of a book,” thought Alice “without pictures or conversations?””

+Clearer language

Retelling

Follow the same story more easily

Read an adapted retelling with clearer wording and simpler sentences while the central meaning stays intact.

“Alice sat by her sister on the bank, but she was bored. Her sister was reading a book with no pictures or conversations. Alice wondered why anyone would read such a dull book.”

How it works

From a file to the first page in minutes

No courses or artificial dialogues. Learn with a book or text you genuinely want to read.

Choose what to read

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Set the difficulty

Keep the original wording, or create a simpler adaptation.

Tap a word for support:

advirtiówarned — verb, past tense

Read with support

Tap a word to see its translation, form, and explanation in context.

SAVED WORDaliviadarelieved · adjective

Save new words

Build a personal vocabulary from what you read, one word at a time.

Balaka smart webreader

Everything you need stays inside the text

No switching between a dictionary, translator, and notes. Stay on the page and keep reading.

Context-aware translationGet the meaning that fits the sentence, not the first dictionary result.
Word form and explanationSee the base form, part of speech, and a clear explanation.
Progress across devicesContinue exactly where you stopped, on any device.

Chapter 2

En mis años más jóvenes y vulnerables

Choose something to read

Your content

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Upload a file, choose the original or an adaptation, and Balaka will prepare it for comfortable reading.

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Upload your textUp to 2,000,000 characters (more than 500 pages) on the Pro plan

Word lookup inside an uploaded text, showing an on-page translation and Save as a card

Coming soon

Read wherever you find a great text

Balaka is growing beyond the library. These new ways to read are already in progress.

Coming soon

balaka.app

A crisp result vocabulario completes the idea.

vocabulary
noun

Browser extension

Translate words and save vocabulary on any website — from articles and blogs to the news.

CChrome FFirefox

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balaka

Your saved textAvailable offline

Offline ready

Balaka PWA

Install Balaka on your phone, read without extra data, and return to any text in one tap.

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Your pace

Balaka grows with your language

Start with an accessible version and gradually move toward original texts.

GET STARTED

Start with an adaptation

Follow the story in shorter and simpler wording than the original.

KEEP GOING

Move to the original

The narrative stays familiar, so it's easier to read as-is.

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Upload your own texts — .txt, .epub, or .pdf
Simplified retelling of uploaded texts
Up to 2,000,000 characters (more than 500 pages)
Unlimited saved words

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Questions & answers

What to know before your first text

What level is Balaka for? +

Balaka works best for readers who know some basics of the language and want real reading practice — the adaptation mode makes it approachable even earlier.

What is an adapted version? +

An adaptation keeps the story and meaning of the original but uses simpler wording and shorter sentences, so it's easier to follow while you're still building vocabulary.

What can I upload? +

Any .txt, .epub, or .pdf file in the language you're learning — on the Pro plan, up to 2,000,000 characters (more than 500 pages) per file.

Can I continue on another device? +

Yes — your reading progress and saved words follow your account, so you can pick up exactly where you left off on any device.

Your next read

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SAVED WORDcuriosidadcuriosity · noun