Beginner Vocabulary (A1 · 285 lessons)

Beginner vocabulary covers first steps: basic sentences, everyday words and simple present tenses. Open any lesson below for the explanation, examples and practice points.

happy (adj.)

feeling pleasure or joy

big (adj.)

large in size

friend (n.)

a person you like and know well

family (n.)

parents, children and relatives

eat (v.)

to put food in your mouth and swallow

drink (v.)

to take liquid into your mouth

house (n.)

a building where people live

school (n.)

a place where children learn

work (v.)

to do a job or activity

water (n.)

clear liquid essential for life

food (n.)

what people and animals eat

beautiful (adj.)

very pleasing to look at

buy (v.)

to get something by paying money

sell (v.)

to give something for money

easy (adj.)

not difficult

difficult (adj.)

hard to do or understand

new (adj.)

recently made or bought

old (adj.)

having existed a long time

help (v.)

to make something easier for someone

learn (v.)

to gain knowledge or skill

red (adj.)

the colour of blood

blue (adj.)

the colour of the sky

green (adj.)

the colour of grass

dog (n.)

a common pet that barks

cat (n.)

a small pet that purrs

bread (n.)

baked food made from flour

milk (n.)

a white drink from cows

apple (n.)

a round red or green fruit

car (n.)

a vehicle with four wheels

book (n.)

pages with writing, bound together

teacher (n.)

a person who teaches

doctor (n.)

a person who treats sick people

walk (v.)

to move on foot

run (v.)

to move fast on foot

sleep (v.)

to rest with your eyes closed

open (v.)

to move something so it is not closed

close (v.)

to shut

cold (adj.)

having a low temperature

hot (adj.)

having a high temperature

small (adj.)

not big

fast (adj.)

moving quickly

slow (adj.)

not fast

morning (n.)

the early part of the day

night (n.)

the dark part of the day

brother (n.)

a boy with the same parents

sister (n.)

a girl with the same parents

money (n.)

coins and notes used to buy things

shop (n.)

a place where things are sold

city (n.)

a large town

ask (v.)

to put a question to someone

airport (n.)

a place where planes take off and land

flight (n.)

a journey by plane

train (n.)

a vehicle that runs on rails

bus (n.)

a large road vehicle for many people

taxi (n.)

a car with a driver you pay

hotel (n.)

a building where travellers stay

map (n.)

a drawing of an area

tourist (n.)

a person visiting a place for fun

bag (n.)

a container for carrying things

beach (n.)

sandy land beside the sea

nurse (n.)

a person who cares for the sick

hospital (n.)

a building for treating the ill

pain (n.)

an unpleasant feeling in the body

cough (n.)

a sudden noise from the throat

fever (n.)

a high body temperature

headache (n.)

pain in the head

tooth (n.)

a hard white part in your mouth

sick (adj.)

not well

heart (n.)

the organ that pumps blood

computer (n.)

an electronic machine

phone (n.)

a device for calls

internet (n.)

a global network

website (n.)

a page on the internet

email (n.)

electronic mail

screen (n.)

the display of a device

camera (n.)

a device for photos

game (n.)

an activity for fun

video (n.)

moving pictures

password (n.)

a secret word to log in

job (n.)

work done for pay

boss (n.)

the person in charge

office (n.)

a place of work

meeting (n.)

a gathering to discuss

salary (n.)

money paid for work

worker (n.)

a person who works

shop assistant (n.)

a person who serves in a shop

farmer (n.)

a person who grows food

driver (n.)

a person who drives

engineer (n.)

a person who designs machines or buildings

bank (n.)

a place that keeps money

price (n.)

the cost of something

cheap (adj.)

low in cost

pay (v.)

to give money for something

cost (v.)

to have a price

coin (n.)

a small round piece of metal money

cash (n.)

physical money

card (n.)

a plastic payment item

rich (adj.)

having a lot of money

poor (adj.)

having little money

tree (n.)

a tall plant with a trunk

flower (n.)

the colourful part of a plant

river (n.)

a large stream of water

mountain (n.)

a very high hill

sea (n.)

a large body of salt water

sun (n.)

the star that gives light

moon (n.)

the body that orbits Earth

rain (n.)

water falling from clouds

snow (n.)

frozen white flakes

wind (n.)

moving air

rice (n.)

small white grains eaten cooked

egg (n.)

an oval food from hens

meat (n.)

animal flesh as food

fish (n.)

a water animal eaten as food

soup (n.)

a hot liquid dish

cheese (n.)

a food made from milk

sugar (n.)

a sweet substance

salt (n.)

a white seasoning

coffee (n.)

a hot brown drink

tea (n.)

a hot drink made from leaves

banana (n.)

a long yellow fruit

potato (n.)

a starchy vegetable

chicken (n.)

a bird eaten as meat

cake (n.)

a sweet baked food

lunch (n.)

the midday meal

room (n.)

a space inside a building

kitchen (n.)

a room for cooking

bedroom (n.)

a room for sleeping

bathroom (n.)

a room for washing

door (n.)

an entrance you open and close

window (n.)

a glass opening in a wall

table (n.)

a flat piece of furniture

chair (n.)

a seat for one

bed (n.)

a place to sleep

garden (n.)

an area with plants

floor (n.)

the surface you walk on

wall (n.)

a vertical side of a room

student (n.)

a person who studies

class (n.)

a group of students

lesson (n.)

a period of teaching

homework (n.)

school work done at home

pencil (n.)

a writing tool

pen (n.)

an ink writing tool

exam (n.)

a formal test

read (v.)

to look at and understand words

write (v.)

to put words on paper

sad (adj.)

feeling unhappy

afraid (adj.)

feeling fear

love (n.)

deep affection

laugh (v.)

to make sounds showing joy

cry (v.)

to shed tears

smile (v.)

to show pleasure with the mouth

mother (n.)

a female parent

father (n.)

a male parent

son (n.)

a male child

daughter (n.)

a female child

grandmother (n.)

mother of a parent

uncle (n.)

brother of a parent

aunt (n.)

sister of a parent

cousin (n.)

child of an uncle or aunt

baby (n.)

a very young child

husband (n.)

a married man

wife (n.)

a married woman

shirt (n.)

clothing for the upper body

dress (n.)

a woman's one-piece garment

shoes (n.)

footwear

hat (n.)

a head covering

coat (n.)

a warm outer garment

trousers (n.)

clothing for the legs

socks (n.)

foot coverings

size (n.)

how big something is

football (n.)

a ball game with two teams

tennis (n.)

a racket sport

swim (v.)

to move through water

team (n.)

a group playing together

ball (n.)

a round object for games

player (n.)

a person who plays

race (n.)

a speed competition

jump (v.)

to leave the ground

music (n.)

organised sound

song (n.)

a piece of music with words

film (n.)

a movie

dance (v.)

to move to music

paint (v.)

to put colour on something

actor (n.)

a person who performs in films

singer (n.)

a person who sings

story (n.)

an account of events

police (n.)

officers who enforce the law

law (n.)

a rule made by government

vote (v.)

to choose in an election

country (n.)

a nation

king (n.)

a male monarch

queen (n.)

a female monarch

war (n.)

armed conflict

peace (n.)

absence of war

animal (n.)

a living creature

bird (n.)

a flying animal

horse (n.)

a large animal for riding

cow (n.)

a farm animal giving milk

lion (n.)

a big wild cat

elephant (n.)

a huge animal with a trunk

monkey (n.)

a climbing animal

rabbit (n.)

a small animal with long ears

head (n.)

top part of the body

hand (n.)

body part at the end of your arm

foot (n.)

body part you stand on

eye (n.)

the organ for seeing

ear (n.)

the organ for hearing

nose (n.)

the organ for smelling

mouth (n.)

opening for eating

arm (n.)

body part from shoulder to hand

leg (n.)

body part for walking

hair (n.)

growth on the head

face (n.)

front of the head

plant (n.)

a living thing that grows in soil

metal (n.)

a hard shiny material

energy (n.)

power to do work

light (n.)

brightness that lets you see

street (n.)

a road in a town

road (n.)

a path for vehicles

bridge (n.)

a structure over water

park (n.)

a public green area

market (n.)

a place to buy goods

church (n.)

a Christian place of worship

bike (n.)

a two-wheeled vehicle

corner (n.)

where two streets meet

day (n.)

24 hours

week (n.)

seven days

month (n.)

about four weeks

year (n.)

twelve months

hour (n.)

60 minutes

minute (n.)

60 seconds

today (adv.)

this day

tomorrow (adv.)

the day after today

yesterday (adv.)

the day before today

always (adv.)

at all times

never (adv.)

at no time

company (n.)

a business organisation

product (n.)

something made for sale

order (n.)

a request for goods

talk (v.)

to speak

say (v.)

to speak words

call (v.)

to telephone or shout

listen (v.)

to pay attention to sound

word (n.)

a unit of language

answer (v.)

to reply

question (n.)

something asked

kind (adj.)

friendly and caring

funny (adj.)

amusing

clever (adj.)

intelligent

lazy (adj.)

not wanting to work

brave (adj.)

not afraid

tall (adj.)

high in stature

short (adj.)

not tall or long

young (adj.)

not old

sunny (adj.)

full of sunlight

cloudy (adj.)

covered with clouds

windy (adj.)

with a lot of wind

foggy (adj.)

full of fog

season (n.)

a part of the year

go (v.)

to move to a place

come (v.)

to move toward

take (v.)

to carry or grab

make (v.)

to create

give (v.)

to hand over

see (v.)

to notice with eyes

know (v.)

to have knowledge

think (v.)

to use your mind

want (v.)

to desire

need (v.)

to require

one (n.)

the number 1

two (n.)

the number 2

ten (n.)

the number 10

hundred (n.)

100

first (adj.)

number one in order

half (n.)

one of two equal parts

garden (v.)

to grow plants

cook (v.)

to prepare food

sing (v.)

to make music with your voice

draw (n.)

a game ending equal

thief (n.)

a person who steals

safe (adj.)

not in danger

danger (n.)

possible harm

lock (v.)

to fasten with a key

party (n.)

a social gathering

gift (n.)

a present

Other levels for Vocabulary: Elementary · Intermediate · Upper-Intermediate · Advanced