The Simple English Wikipedia [ 2 ] is a Simple English language or Learning English version of Wikipedia , an online encyclopedia , written in a language that is easy to understand, but still is natural and correct. [ 2 ]
The articles in the Simple English Wikipedia use shorter sentences and easier words and grammar than the regular English Wikipedia . [ 3 ] This makes articles easier to understand and change.
When Simple English Wikipedia started making pages and allowing changes in 2003, the English Wikipedia already had 150,000 articles. Seven other Wikipedia in other languages also had over 15,000 articles.
Articles in Simple English Wikipedia are simpler versions of articles from the English Wikipedias. Right now, the Simple English Wikipedia has 285,196 articles. [ 4 ] The Simple English Wikipedia started on September 18, 2001, [ 5 ] and is the 43rd-largest Wikipedia, as of January 2026. [ 6 ] It has 1,854,882 registered users, 3,268 active in the last month. [ 4 ]
The Simple English Wikipedia is intended to be used by: [ 7 ]