Simple or easy language? The ultimate guide to barrier-free communication

There are around 6.2 million adults living in Germany who cannot read well enough to understand a simple newspaper text. In addition, there are people with learning difficulties, cognitive impairments, dementia or little knowledge of German. For these target groups, complicated texts are a massive barrier - on government websites as well as in e-commerce, healthcare or insurance.

The solution is two linguistic concepts that are often confused: Simple Language and Easy Language. Both reduce barriers to comprehension, both are considered a means of barrier-free communication - but they follow different rules, are aimed at different target groups and have different legal status.

This article explains what constitutes both variants, where the differences lie, which laws and standards apply and which variant is the right one for which purpose.

What is plain language?

Easy language is a highly simplified, rule-based form of the German language. It was originally developed for people with learning difficulties and follows a fixed set of rules documented by the Netzwerk Leichte Sprache, the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (BMAS) and now DIN SPEC 33429.

Easy-to-read language is not just a simplification - it is an independent linguistic system with clear guidelines:

• One thought per sentence, usually no longer than eight to ten words
• Only main clauses, no subordinate clauses
• Long words are structured, such as "Bundes-Tag" or "Bundes-tag"
• Subjunctive, passive and genitive are largely avoided
• Foreign words and technical terms are replaced or explained in the glossary
• Negations are avoided because they make comprehension more difficult

Texts in plain language are also typographically clear: large font, short lines, lots of white space, often accompanied by pictograms or icons. Every text in plain language must be reviewed by people from the target group before publication - the so-called review group is a mandatory part of the creation process.

In terms of language level, plain language is roughly at level A1 to A2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

What is plain language?

Plain language is also a simplified form of German, but is much less strictly regulated than easy language. It aims to make texts understandable for the general public without reducing them to the maximum. In terms of language level, Plain Language is roughly at B1 level.

There is no standardized, binding set of rules for plain language as there is for easy language. Various organizations, such as the Clear Text Initiative, the Federal Office of Administration and language research institutes, have published recommendations that are similar in their basic features but differ in detail.

Typical characteristics of plain language:

• Sentences generally no longer than 15 to 20 words, subordinate clauses are permitted
• Technical terms are avoided or explained, but are not generally prohibited
• Active constructions are preferred, passive voice is permitted
• Foreign words are Germanized or explained
• Clear structure with meaningful headings, short paragraphs and clear lists

Simple language dispenses with special typographical forms such as hyphens in compound words and does not require mandatory checking by a target group. It can be used more flexibly, can be produced more quickly and is suitable for many editorial contexts - from official texts and press releases to product descriptions in e-commerce.

The most important differences in a direct comparison

Simple and plain language are often confused because both produce simplified texts at first glance. On closer inspection, however, they differ in almost every respect:

• Target group: plain language is primarily aimed at people with learning difficulties, cognitive impairments, dementia or very little knowledge of German. Plain language is aimed at the general public - people with functional illiteracy, low reading skills, German as a second language or the desire for easy-to-understand information.
• Set of rules: Plain language follows a binding, documented set of rules (Plain Language Network, BMAS guidelines, DIN SPEC 33429). Plain language does not have uniform rules, but various recommendations with a similar basic orientation.
• Language level: Plain language is at A1 to A2 level. Plain language corresponds to about B1.
• Sentence length: In plain language, a sentence ideally contains one thought and no more than eight to ten words. In Plain Language, 15 to 20 words per sentence are acceptable.
• Sentence structure: Easy Language only allows main clauses. Simple language allows simple subordinate clauses.
• Typography: Plain language requires large type, short lines and structured compound words (hyphen or mediapoint). Plain language has no typographical requirements.
• Images and pictograms: Easy Language recommends accompanying pictograms. Images are optional in Plain Language.
• Review: Texts in plain language must be reviewed by people from the target group before they are published. Plain language has no mandatory review.
• Cost: Producing texts in plain language takes considerably longer and costs more because translation, checking and layout are more complex. Plain language can be produced more quickly.

Legal situation in Germany

The legal status of plain and simple language differs considerably - and is a blind spot for many companies and authorities.

Disability Equality Act (BGG): For federal public bodies, plain language has been explicitly enshrined in Section 11 BGG since 2018. Public authorities must provide information in plain language if this is necessary to enable people with intellectual disabilities or mental impairments to access administration and information. The BITV 2.0 (Barrier-free Information Technology Ordinance) specifies this obligation: public authority websites must provide explanations in plain language - at least on the content and function of the website as well as references to further information in plain language.

Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz (BFSG): The BFSG, which has been mandatory for many private companies since June 28, 2025, does not explicitly require either plain or simple language. It refers to WCAG 2.2 conformance level AA as the technical standard. However: WCAG requirement 3.1.5 (reading level) at AAA level requires a supplementary simpler version if a text requires a higher level than the lower level. AAA is not mandatory by law, but is sometimes required by the EU for content from public authorities.

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Under international law, Articles 9 and 21 of the UNCRPD call for access to information in an accessible form. Easy-to-read language is seen as a means of implementing this right.

DIN SPEC 33429: DIN SPEC 33429 has been a technical specification for plain language since 2024. It is not a binding standard, but an important reference framework for quality assurance.

Practical consequence: Public bodies are clearly obliged to offer plain language. Private companies under BFSG do not necessarily have to offer plain language - but anyone who wants to make content accessible to a broad target group should at least use plain language, especially in areas such as general terms and conditions, data protection declarations, product descriptions or help pages. Comprehensible language is an important argument for compliance in the event of imminent warnings under the BFSG.

Practical examples for both variants

The difference becomes particularly clear with a specific example. Three typical sentences and their translations.

Original sentence (standard):

"If you wish to withdraw from the contract within the statutory withdrawal period of fourteen days from receipt of the goods, please send us your declaration of withdrawal in text form."

Simple language (B1):

"You can withdraw from the contract within 14 days. To do so, send us a message by e-mail or letter."

Plain language (A1/A2):

"You can return the goods. You have 14 days to do so. Please send us a message. An e-mail is sufficient."

A second example from the government context:

Original: "To apply for housing benefit, you must provide suitable evidence of your total household income."

Simple: "If you want to apply for housing benefit, you must provide proof of your income. This applies to all persons living with you."

Easy: "You want to get housing benefit? Then you have to show your income. This also applies to the other people. The other people live with you."

The examples show: Simple language remains recognizably flowing text, easy language is much more structured and reduced.

Which version is right for my website?

The choice between plain and simple language depends on three factors: Target group, legal requirement and resources.

Choose plain language if:

• You are a public body and must comply with § 11 BGG
• Your target group explicitly includes people with learning difficulties, cognitive impairments or dementia
• You operate inclusive educational, social or health services
• you offer products or services whose understanding is critical to the success of vulnerable target groups (assistive devices, medication information, emergency services)
• you are aiming for WCAG 2.2 AAA compliance for certain content areas

Choose plain language if:

• You are a private company and are targeting the general public
• You want to make content more accessible without investing in the full plain language framework
• you want to make terms and conditions, privacy policies, FAQ sections or product descriptions easier to understand
• your target group includes people with German as a second language
• you want to scale quickly and flexibly without setting up test groups

Combine both if you have a diverse target group. In practice, a three-stage approach often works well:

1. Standard text for the main target group
2. Simple language for people with lower reading skills
3. Plain language for particularly critical content

Federal government websites demonstrate this and mark the respective versions with clear buttons or tabs.

Frequent errors during implementation

In practice, typical errors occur with both variants, which reduce or completely negate the benefits for the target group.

With plain language:

• Texts are published without a review group and do not reach the target group
• The rules are only partially applied (short sentences, but no hyphens in compound words)
• Content is reduced to such an extent that essential information is lost
• The texts are not labeled as plain language, which means that the target group cannot find them at all

With plain language:

• The simplification remains superficial - short sentences alone do not make a text easier to understand if the terms remain abstract
• Technical terms are explained, but in hidden places
• The structure of the original is retained instead of being rethought for the new target group
• Simple language is confused with plain language - with the result that neither the one nor the other target group is optimally served

With both variants: Texts are created once and not updated when original content changes. This leads to inconsistent information. The link between the standard text and the simplified version is missing or not intuitive. There is no responsible editorial team to ensure quality in the long term.

How SiteCockpit supports simplified language

As part of the accessibility analysis, SiteCockpit checks whether content is offered on a website in plain or simplified language and how it is structurally integrated. The easyMonitoring module detects missing language markups, checks the findability of the simplified versions and documents the WCAG requirements relating to reading level (criterion 3.1.5).

easyTranslate can also be used to automatically generate translations into other languages - an important building block for multilingual target groups that are to be addressed in addition to simplified language. The legal documentation of the language offerings is automatically included in the accessibility statement via easyStatement.

Important: SiteCockpit does not replace the editorial translation into plain or simple language - this is and remains a linguistic and technical task which, in the case of plain language, must be carried out with a review group. But SiteCockpit ensures that the technical implementation is WCAG-compliant and that the simplified content remains findable for the target group.

So what is plain or simple language?

The question "Simple or plain language?" cannot be answered in general terms - it depends on the target group, legal obligation and resources. If you need a clear answer, there are three guidelines to follow:

• Public bodies are obliged to use plain language under BGG and BITV 2.0 - at least for explanations of the website and for content relevant to vulnerable target groups.
• Private companies under the BFSG do not have to offer plain language, but benefit from plain language: better comprehensibility, higher conversion and reduced legal risk - especially in terms and conditions, data protection and revocation instructions.
• Whoever can offer both wins. A website with standard text, a plain language version and plain language explanations for particularly critical content not only fulfills formal requirements, but also makes inclusion a lived practice.

The most important insight is that plain and simple language are not competitors, but complementary tools. Those who understand the difference use them in a targeted manner - and make digital content truly accessible for everyone.