Getting started as a learner

Create a free account, confirm your email, and answer five short questions. Then Stichos writes your first story for you, free, in your language and at your level.

1. Create your account

1. On stichos.com, choose Start reading at the top of the page. The Create your free account box opens.
2. Sign up one of two ways. Either way, check the box “I’m 18 or older and agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.” (it’s just above Create account). Stichos is for adults only.
   • Enter your Email and a Password (at least 8 characters; the eye icon shows what you typed, so there’s nothing to retype). Then choose Create account.
   • Or, under or continue with below the form, choose Google, Apple, or Microsoft, and sign in there.

Sign-up asks you to confirm you’re 18 or older and agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Already have an account?

On a phone or tablet, choose the person icon at the top of the page, next to the menu button. On a larger screen, choose Sign in in the top bar. Either one opens the box on Sign in.

I chose Sign in instead. Where’s sign-up?

The Sign in or sign up box has a line under its title: “New here? Create an account.” Choose Create an account.

2. Confirm your email

With email and password, you can’t sign in until you confirm your address. Some Google, Apple, or Microsoft sign-ups skip this step.

1. Stichos shows Check your inbox and sends an email with a link and a 6-digit code.
2. Either open the link in the same browser, or type the 6-digit Code in the box. It’s checked as soon as you enter all 6 digits.
3. Stichos signs you in and opens setup.

If you open the link on another device or browser, you see “Your email is verified. Sign in to continue.” Choose Sign in, and sign in with your email and password.

No email after a few minutes?

Check your spam folder. To get a new email, close the box and sign in again with your email and password. Typed the wrong address? Choose Use a different email and sign up again.

3. Answer the setup questions

Setup has five steps. Choose Continue after each one, or Back to change an earlier answer. If you stop halfway, Stichos picks up where you left off next time.

1. What should we call you? Type your name, or choose Skip. Under it, tick Email me product news if you’d like about one email a month. It starts unticked. Below that, Share stories I make from Random or the topic list with other learners starts ticked: untick it to keep those stories to yourself. You can change both later in Settings.
2. Which language should Stichos use with you? Menus, translations, and word meanings will be in this language.
3. Which language are you learning? Pick any of the 40 languages, except the one from step 2.
4. How well do you know …? Pick a level from A0 to B2. Not sure? Choose Not sure, start easy, which starts you at A0. You can change your level any time in the Story Studio.
5. Read more, on your own terms. This is the plan step. Choose Start with Free on the Free card, or pick Learner Plus. See Plans and limits.

Not sure of your level? Start easy; you can change it any time.

Example

Ana speaks English and is learning Croatian. She types “Ana”, picks English, then Croatian, and chooses A1 · Beginner. On the plan step she chooses Start with Free.

4. Read your first story

When setup is done, the Story Studio opens and Stichos starts writing your first story right away. It uses the language and level you picked, on a random topic (or the topic you picked from the list in the try-it form on our website, if you started there), and it doesn’t count toward your monthly stories. While it’s being written, the page says so. This happens only once, right after setup. If it doesn’t start then, make your first story yourself with Generate.

1. A welcome card offers a short tour: Let’s read your first story. Choose Start, or Skip tour to read on your own.
2. If you start the tour while the story is still being written, the card says Writing your first story… This takes about half a minute.
3. Don’t want to wait? Choose Show me a ready story instead to tour a story from Discover. Your own story still arrives, in Recent under your Library’s Your stories tab.
4. The tour shows you how to choose a word to see its meaning, change the Layout, and save words and stories.

While your first story is written, you can read a ready story instead.

Tip

Skipped the tour? You can take it any time: open the account menu and choose Show me around, under Support.

What to do next

• Make another story: Make a story.
• Learn the reader: Layout and Look up a word.
• Find stories that are ready to read: Discover.

Related: Plans and limits · Levels A0 to B2 · Your first free story · Getting started as a tutor