diff --git a/doc/grammar.bnf b/doc/grammar.bnf
index 138f3e4..cf5950d 100644
--- a/doc/grammar.bnf
+++ b/doc/grammar.bnf
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ EXPR ::=
 | int
 | ident
 | float
+| string
 | VARDECL
 | FUNDECL
 | FUNCALL
diff --git a/examples/string.gri b/examples/string.gri
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b9a49d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/string.gri
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+(assert= 'hello' 'hello')
+(assert (not (eq? 'bim' 'bam')))
+
+(assert= false (empty? 'coucou'))
+(assert= true (empty? ''))
+
+(assert= 'e' (ref 'hello' 1))
+(assert= 5 (len 'hello'))
+
+(assert= 'aaa' (dup 'a' 3))
+(assert= 'abcdefg' (cat 'abc' 'def' 'g'))
diff --git a/lib/core.cpp b/lib/core.cpp
index 08368e4..907deee 100644
--- a/lib/core.cpp
+++ b/lib/core.cpp
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
 GRINO_ERROR(assertion_error);
 
-extern "C" void lib_array(grino::Loader& loader)
+extern "C" void lib_collection(grino::Loader& loader)
 {
   loader.add_native("ref", [&loader](auto args){
     std::vector<size_t> idxs;
@@ -14,6 +14,12 @@ extern "C" void lib_array(grino::Loader& loader)
         idxs.push_back(args[i]->as_int());
       }
 
+    if (args[0]->type() == grino::TYPE_STRING)
+      {
+        auto char_val = std::string(1, args[0]->as_string()[args[1]->as_int()]);
+        return grino::Value::make_string(args[0]->loc(), char_val);
+      }
+
     std::function<std::shared_ptr<grino::Value>
                   (std::shared_ptr<grino::Value>, std::vector<size_t>)>
       f = [&](std::shared_ptr<grino::Value> val, std::vector<size_t> indexes){
@@ -37,14 +43,38 @@ extern "C" void lib_array(grino::Loader& loader)
   });
 
   loader.add_native("empty?", [&loader](auto args){
-    auto ref_val = args[0];
-    size_t ref = ref_val->as_ref();
+    auto val = args[0];
+    if (val->type() == grino::TYPE_STRING)
+      {
+        std::string str = val->as_string();
+        return grino::Value::make_bool(val->loc(), str.empty());
+      }
+
+    size_t ref = val->as_ref();
     auto array_val = loader.vm().heap(ref);
     auto& array = array_val->as_array();
 
     return grino::Value::make_bool(array_val->loc(), array.empty());
   });
 
+  loader.add_native("len", [&loader](auto args){
+    auto val = args[0];
+
+    if (val->type() == grino::TYPE_STRING)
+      {
+        return grino::Value::make_int(val->loc(), val->as_string().size());
+      }
+
+    size_t ref = val->as_ref();
+    auto array_val = loader.vm().heap(ref);
+    auto& array = array_val->as_array();
+
+    return grino::Value::make_int(array_val->loc(), array.size());
+  });
+}
+
+extern "C" void lib_array(grino::Loader& loader)
+{
   loader.add_native("head", [&loader](auto args){
     auto ref_val = args[0];
     size_t ref = ref_val->as_ref();
@@ -87,15 +117,6 @@ extern "C" void lib_array(grino::Loader& loader)
 
     return grino::Value::make_ref(array_val->loc(), addr);
   });
-
-  loader.add_native("len", [&loader](auto args){
-    auto ref_val = args[0];
-    size_t ref = ref_val->as_ref();
-    auto array_val = loader.vm().heap(ref);
-    auto& array = array_val->as_array();
-
-    return grino::Value::make_int(array_val->loc(), array.size());
-  });
 }
 
 extern "C" void lib_flow_control(grino::Loader& loader)
@@ -611,6 +632,33 @@ extern "C" void lib_assert(grino::Loader& loader)
   });
 }
 
+extern "C" void lib_string(grino::Loader& loader)
+{
+  loader.add_native("dup", [](auto args) {
+    std::string value = args[0]->as_string();
+    size_t count = args[1]->as_int();
+    std::string result;
+
+    for (size_t i=0; i<count; i++)
+      {
+        result += value;
+      }
+
+    return grino::Value::make_string(args[0]->loc(), result);
+  });
+
+  loader.add_native("cat", [](auto args) {
+    std::string result;
+
+    for (auto arg: args)
+      {
+        result += arg->as_string();
+      }
+
+    return grino::Value::make_string(args[0]->loc(), result);
+  });
+}
+
 extern "C" void lib(grino::Loader& loader)
 {
   lib_assert(loader);
@@ -619,7 +667,9 @@ extern "C" void lib(grino::Loader& loader)
   lib_cmp(loader);
   lib_bool(loader);
   lib_flow_control(loader);
+  lib_collection(loader);
   lib_array(loader);
+  lib_string(loader);
 
   loader.add_native("dump", [](auto args){
     std::string sep;
diff --git a/src/Compiler.cpp b/src/Compiler.cpp
index f6ab0e4..efe71ed 100644
--- a/src/Compiler.cpp
+++ b/src/Compiler.cpp
@@ -154,6 +154,16 @@ namespace grino
                            program.push_constant(value));
       } break;
 
+      case NODE_STRING: {
+        std::string repr = node->repr();
+        std::string val = repr.substr(1, repr.size() - 2);
+
+        auto value = Value::make_string(node->loc(), val);
+
+        program.push_instr(OPCODE_LOAD_CONST,
+                           program.push_constant(value));
+      } break;
+
       case NODE_VARDECL: {
         std::string ident = node->child(0).lock()->repr();
         auto expr = node->child(1).lock();
diff --git a/src/Lexer.cpp b/src/Lexer.cpp
index 428be8b..9c9d34f 100644
--- a/src/Lexer.cpp
+++ b/src/Lexer.cpp
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ namespace grino
 
     m_scanners.push_back(std::bind(&Lexer::scan_float, this));
     m_scanners.push_back(std::bind(&Lexer::scan_int, this));
+    m_scanners.push_back(std::bind(&Lexer::scan_string, this));
     m_scanners.push_back(std::bind(&Lexer::scan_ident, this));
   }
 
@@ -150,6 +151,50 @@ namespace grino
                                    text, has_value));
   }
 
+  std::optional<ScanInfo> Lexer::scan_string()
+  {
+    size_t cursor = m_cursor;
+    std::string repr = "'";
+
+    auto has_delim = [&](size_t idx){
+      if (idx >= m_source.size()) { return false; }
+      bool is_escaped = idx > 0 && m_source[idx - 1] == '\\';
+      return m_source[idx] == '\'' && !is_escaped;
+    };
+
+    if (!has_delim(cursor))
+      {
+        return std::nullopt;
+      }
+
+    cursor++;
+
+    while (has_more(cursor)
+           && !has_delim(cursor))
+      {
+        if (at(cursor) != '\\')
+          {
+            repr += at(cursor);
+          }
+
+        cursor++;
+      }
+
+    if (has_delim(cursor))
+      {
+        repr += "'";
+        cursor++;
+
+        return ScanInfo {
+          cursor,
+          NODE_STRING,
+          repr
+        };
+      }
+
+    return std::nullopt;
+  }
+
   std::optional<ScanInfo> Lexer::scan_text(NodeType type,
                                            std::string const& text,
                                            bool has_value)
diff --git a/src/Lexer.hpp b/src/Lexer.hpp
index cf02857..4cb59bb 100644
--- a/src/Lexer.hpp
+++ b/src/Lexer.hpp
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ namespace grino
                      std::string const& text,
                      bool has_value = false);
 
+    std::optional<ScanInfo> scan_string();
     std::optional<ScanInfo> scan_text(NodeType type,
                                       std::string const& text,
                                       bool has_value);
diff --git a/src/Node.hpp b/src/Node.hpp
index e3d2e85..5657e17 100644
--- a/src/Node.hpp
+++ b/src/Node.hpp
@@ -22,7 +22,8 @@
     G(NODE_CSQUARE),                            \
     G(NODE_BLOCK),                              \
     G(NODE_ARRAY),                              \
-    G(NODE_FLOAT)
+    G(NODE_FLOAT),                              \
+    G(NODE_STRING)
 
 namespace grino
 {
diff --git a/src/Parser.cpp b/src/Parser.cpp
index cc9839b..aeb796e 100644
--- a/src/Parser.cpp
+++ b/src/Parser.cpp
@@ -151,7 +151,8 @@ namespace grino
     if (type_is(NODE_IDENT)
         || type_is(NODE_BOOL)
         || type_is(NODE_INT)
-        || type_is(NODE_FLOAT))
+        || type_is(NODE_FLOAT)
+        || type_is(NODE_STRING))
       {
         return consume();
       }
diff --git a/src/Value.cpp b/src/Value.cpp
index b9c8a78..523bfaa 100644
--- a/src/Value.cpp
+++ b/src/Value.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include "Value.hpp"
 #include "Program.hpp"
+#include "src/types.hpp"
 
 namespace grino
 {
@@ -104,6 +105,16 @@ namespace grino
     return value;
   }
 
+  /*static*/
+  std::shared_ptr<Value> Value::make_string(Loc const& loc,
+                                            std::string const& val)
+  {
+    auto value = std::make_shared<Value>(loc);
+    value->m_type = TYPE_STRING;
+    value->m_string_val = val;
+    return value;
+  }
+
   std::shared_ptr<Program> Value::as_program() const
   {
     return m_program_val;
@@ -114,6 +125,7 @@ namespace grino
     switch (m_type)
       {
       case TYPE_NIL: return "<nil>";
+      case TYPE_STRING: return *m_string_val;
       case TYPE_INT: return std::to_string(*m_int_val);
       case TYPE_FLOAT: return std::to_string(*m_float_val);
       case TYPE_BOOL: return *m_bool_val ? "true" : "false";
@@ -149,6 +161,7 @@ namespace grino
       case TYPE_NIL: return true;
       case TYPE_BOOL: return *m_bool_val == *other.m_bool_val;
       case TYPE_INT: return *m_int_val == *other.m_int_val;
+      case TYPE_STRING: return *m_string_val == *other.m_string_val;
       case TYPE_FLOAT:
         return std::fabs(*m_float_val - *other.m_float_val) < FLOAT_APPROX;
       case TYPE_REF: return *m_ref_val == *other.m_ref_val;
diff --git a/src/Value.hpp b/src/Value.hpp
index b013901..88ef268 100644
--- a/src/Value.hpp
+++ b/src/Value.hpp
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ namespace grino
     static std::shared_ptr<Value> make_array(Loc const& loc,
                                              val_array_t val);
 
+    static std::shared_ptr<Value> make_string(Loc const& loc,
+                                              std::string const& val);
+
     explicit Value(Loc const& loc);
     virtual ~Value() = default;
 
@@ -50,6 +53,7 @@ namespace grino
     std::shared_ptr<Program> as_program() const;
     val_array_t& as_array() { return *m_array_val; }
     val_array_t const& as_array() const { return *m_array_val; }
+    std::string const& as_string() const { return *m_string_val; }
 
     std::string string() const;
     bool equals(Value const& other) const;
@@ -64,6 +68,7 @@ namespace grino
     std::shared_ptr<Program> m_program_val;
     std::optional<size_t> m_ref_val;
     std::optional<val_array_t> m_array_val;
+    std::optional<std::string> m_string_val;
   };
 }
 
diff --git a/src/types.hpp b/src/types.hpp
index de637cf..ebf44d9 100644
--- a/src/types.hpp
+++ b/src/types.hpp
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@
     G(TYPE_REF),                                \
     G(TYPE_PROGRAM),                            \
     G(TYPE_FLOAT),                              \
-    G(TYPE_ARRAY)
+    G(TYPE_ARRAY),                              \
+    G(TYPE_STRING)
 
 
 namespace grino
diff --git a/tests/Lexer.cpp b/tests/Lexer.cpp
index 5f9d7ee..82f5665 100644
--- a/tests/Lexer.cpp
+++ b/tests/Lexer.cpp
@@ -119,3 +119,13 @@ TEST_CASE_METHOD(LexerTest, "Lexer_float")
   test_next(lexer, "FLOAT[1.0]");
   test_end(lexer);
 }
+
+TEST_CASE_METHOD(LexerTest, "Lexer_strings")
+{
+  grino::Lexer lexer {m_logger, "tests/lexer"};
+
+  lexer.scan(" ' hello ' '\\'bim\\'' ");
+  test_next(lexer, "STRING[' hello ']");
+  test_next(lexer, "STRING[''bim'']");
+  test_end(lexer);
+}
diff --git a/tests/Parser.cpp b/tests/Parser.cpp
index 8cca787..e12b127 100644
--- a/tests/Parser.cpp
+++ b/tests/Parser.cpp
@@ -99,3 +99,9 @@ TEST_CASE_METHOD(ParserTest, "Parser_float")
   test_parse("MODULE(BLOCK(ARRAY(INT[1],FLOAT[28.5],IDENT[salut])))",
              "(: [1 28.5 salut] )");
 }
+
+TEST_CASE_METHOD(ParserTest, "Parser_string")
+{
+  test_parse("MODULE(BLOCK(ARRAY(STRING['bim !'],FLOAT[28.5],IDENT[salut])))",
+             "(: ['bim !' 28.5 salut] )");
+}