400 German words of level B1
Below is a complete, categorized list of German vocabulary at the B1 level. Learn common verbs, nouns, and adjectives with transcription, articles, and English translations.
What is B1? Intermediate
B1 is the independent-user threshold. You handle most situations while travelling, describe experiences, and give short reasons and explanations.
What you can do at B1
- ✓Deal with most situations likely to arise while travelling
- ✓Describe experiences, events, dreams and ambitions
- ✓Give brief reasons and explanations for opinions and plans
- ✓Understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered
- ✓Produce simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest
Adjectives
/ɡʊt/
good
/ʃleçt/
bad
/ɡʁoːs/
big
/klaɪn/
small
/nɔʏ/
new
/alt/
old
/jʊŋ/
young
/ʃøːn/
beautiful
/ʃnɛl/
fast
/laŋˈzam/
slow
/staʁk/
strong
/ʃvaːx/
weak
/viçtɪç/
important
/ɪntɐsant/
interesting
/laŋvaɪ̯lɪç/
boring
/ˈaɪnfax/
simple
/ˈʃviːʁɪç/
difficult
/ˈmøçɪç/
possible
/ʊnˈmøçɪç/
impossible
/ˈʁɪçtɪç/
correct
/ˈfaʁʃ/
wrong
/vaʁ/
true
/fʁaɪ/
free
/ˈɔfn/
open
/foʁ/
full
/leːɐ̯/
empty
/ʃveʁ/
heavy
/laɪ̯çt/
light
expensive
cheap
/laŋ/
lang
/kʊʁts/
kurz
/hoːx/
hoch
/niːdʁɪç/
niedrig
/vaʁm/
warm
/kaʁt/
kalt
/haɪs/
heiß
/hɛl/
hell
/dʊŋkl/
dunkel
/laʊt/
laut
/laɪzə/
leise
/zaʊbɐ/
sauber
dirty
fresh
tired
/ˈɡlʏçlɪç/
glücklich
/ˈtʁaʊʁɪç/
traurig
/kʁaŋ/
krank
/ɡəˈzʊnt/
gesund
/ʔaʁm/
arm
/ʁaɪç/
reich
/bɛˈkaʊnt/
bekannt
/bɛʁˈʏmt/
berühmt
public
private
official
personal
international
national
modern
/tʁaːdɪʦioˈnɛl/
traditional
/dɪɡɪt̯al/
digital
/vaɪsʁaftliːç/
economic
/zoːzi̯al/
social
/kʊltʊʁɛl/
cultural
/naːˈtʊʁliːç/
natural
/mɛnʃliːç/
human
/noʁmɑl/
normal
/bɛzɔndɐ/
special
/ˈtɪpɪʃ/
typisch
/ˈnøːtɪç/
nötig
/fɛrˈfuːɡbaʁ/
verfügbar
/ˈfɛʁtɪç/
fertig
/ˈbaʁaɪt/
bereit
/ˈziçɐ/
sicher
/ɡəˈfɛʁliç/
gefährlich
/ˈnʏt͡slɪç/
nützlich
valuable
successful
popular
satisfied
excited
/ˈalɡəmiːn/
general
/ˈʃpeːtsɪfɪʃ/
specific
/akˈtuːɛl/
current
/ˈʔeːnlɪç/
similar
/fɐsˈviːdən/
different
/ɡlaɪç/
same
/dɪʁɛkt/
direct
/kɔmplɛks/
complex
/ʔaɪ̯nzaːm/
lonely
/ɡəmaɪ̯nzaːm/
common
/ˈɛʁlɪç/
honest
/ˈhøːflɪç/
polite
/ˈfʁɔndlɪç/
friendly
/klaːʁ/
clear
/tiːf/
deep
/bʁaɪt/
broad
/ʃmal/
narrow
/vaɪç/
soft
/haʁt/
hard
round
flat
tight
valid
ugly
/ˈlʊstɪç/
funny
/ɛʁnst/
serious
Nouns
/ˈʃpɔʁt/
sport
/beˈveːkʊŋ/
movement
/ɛʁˈnaːʁʊŋ/
nutrition
/aləˈʁiː/
allergy
/ziːmptoːm/
symptom
/diːagnɔʒə/
diagnosis
/ɪmpfʊŋ/
vaccination
/apoˈteːkə/
pharmacy
/pfleːɡə/
care
/ɛʁhoːlʊŋ/
recovery
/ˈɛsn̩/
Food
/ˈvasɐ/
Water
/bʁoːt/
Bread
/ˈflaɪ̯ʃ/
Meat
/fɪʃ/
Fish
/ɡeˈmyːzə/
Gemüse
/ɔpst/
Obst
/zaˈlaːt/
Salat
/zuːpə/
Suppe
/nuːdlən/
Nudeln
/raɪs/
Reis
/kaːzə/
Käse
/aɪ/
Ei
/mɪlç/
Milch
/ˈbʊtər/
Butter
/ˈtsuːkɐ/
Sugar
/zalts/
Salt
/œl/
Oil
/kaˈfɛ/
coffee
/teː/
tea
/zaːft/
juice
/biːr/
beer
/vaɪn/
wine
/fʁʏːstʏk/
breakfast
/mɪtaːɡɛsn/
lunch
/abəndɛsn/
dinner
/znaːk/
snack
/ʁɛt͡sɛpt/
recipe
/tsuːtaːtn/
ingredients
/ɡəʃˈmaːk/
taste
/maːltsaɪt/
meal
/kyːlsˈʁaŋk/
fridge
Oven
/hɛɐ̯t/
stove
/tɔpf/
pot
/pfana/
frying pan
/tɑsə/
cup
/pɔɐ̯ʃn/
portion
/mɛny/
menu
/naʊtɐ/
nature
/ʊmvɛlt/
environment
/kliːma/
climate
/vɛtɐ/
weather
/tɛmpɛʁatuʁ/
temperature
/ʁeːɡn̩/
rain
/zɔnə/
sun
/vɪnt/
wind
/ʃnɛ/
snow
/aɪs/
ice
/vɔl.kə/
cloud
/hɪm.əl/
sky
/ɛʁ.ðə/
earth
/lʊft/
air
/ˈfɔʏ.ɐ/
fire
/bɛʁk/
mountain
/taːl/
valley
/flʊs/
river
/zeː/
lake
/maɐ/
sea
/ʃtʁant/
beach
/valt/
forest
/viːzə/
meadow
/fɛlt/
field
/bloːmə/
flower
/baʊm/
tree
/ɡʁas/
grass
/ˈplant͡sə/
plant
/tiːɐ̯/
animal
/hʊnt/
dog
/kaʦə/
cat
/foːɡl/
bird
/fɛʁt/
horse
/kuː/
cow
/ɪŋzɛkt/
insect
/lant͡shaft/
landscape
/kɔntɪnɛnt/
continent
/oːzeːan/
ocean
/ɪnzəl/
island
coast
/ɡəˈbiːʁɡə/
mountains
/ˈvuːstə/
desert
/fuˈlkaːn/
volcano
/ˈplaːnɛt/
planet
/atmoːsfɛʁə/
atmosphere
/ʁɛsɔʁs/
resource
/naːχhaltɪçkaɪt/
sustainability
/ˈapfal/
waste
/boːdn/
soil
/vɛlə/
wave
/tɛknɪk/
technology
Technology
Internet
Website
/ap/
application
/soːfˈtʷɛʁ/
Software
/proˈɡram/
Program
/ziːstɛm/
System
/daːtən/
Data
/nɛt͡sˈvɛʁk/
Network
/pasˈvɔʁt/
Password
/koŋto/
Account
/proːfɪl/
Profile
/doʊnˈloʊd/
Download
/ʌpˈloʊd/
Upload
/ˈbɪlt͡ʃɛʁm/
screen
/tasˈtaʊ̯ɐ/
keyboard
/maʊ̯s/
mouse
/ˈdʁukɐ/
printer
/ˈmuːzɪk/
music
/fɪlm/
film
/zeːriː/
series
/kaˈnal/
channel
/naχˈʁɪçtn̩/
news
/vɛʁbʊŋ/
advertising
/platˈfɔʁm/
platform
/baɪˈtʁaːk/
contribution
/kɔmɛntaːr/
comment
/ʃtɪːmɪŋ/
streaming
/alɡɔʁˈiːtʊs/
algorithm
/ˈdaːtn̩bɑŋk/
database
/ˈzeːʁvɐ/
server
/kloʊʊd/
cloud
Video
Podcast
/bloːk/
Blog
/foʁum/
Forum
/tʃat/
Chat
/ˈsmɑːtˌfɔn/
Smartphone
/ˈlæptɔp/
Laptop
/ˈtæblɛt/
Tablet
/tʃɪp/
Chip
/dɪɡɪt̪aˈliːzɪçʊʁ/
Digitalisierung
/ˈʃtɑːpʊp/
Startup
Innovation
Automation
Data protection
/ˈʁoːbɔtɐ/
Robot
/ˈkʏnstliçə ɪntɛliɡəntʃs/
Artificial Intelligence
/t͡syːbɐsɪçəʁaɪt/
Cybersecurity
Numerals
Other Words
Verbs
/kartoˈfɛln/
Kartoffeln
/ˈhɛːʊfɪç/
häufig
/ˈzɛltən/
selten
/ʊbɐˈal/
everywhere
/nɪʁˈɡɛndvo/
nowhere
/oːbən/
above
/ʊtən/
below
/foʁnə/
forward
/hɪntn/
behind
soon
always
/niː/
no
/manˈçmal/
sometimes
/ɔft/
often
/maɪ̯stn̩s/
usually
/nɔʁmaːlɐˈvaɪ̯sə/
usually
/pløːt͡slɪç/
suddenly
/ˈlaɪ̯dɐ/
unfortunately
/ɡlʏçɪçəˈvaɪ̯sə/
luckily
/fiːˈmaɪ̯ç/
maybe
/vaːʃnaɪ̯çlɪç/
probably
actually
really
finally
/tsyːɐ̯st/
first
/daːnax/
then
/ʃliːɐ̯ntliː/
finally
/bəsɔndɐ/
especially
/ʊŋɡəfaːʁ/
about
/ɡənaʊ/
exactly
/faːst/
almost
/kaʊm/
almost
/tsuːzamən/
together
/alˈaɪ̯n/
alone
by the way
initially
meanwhile
simultaneously
overall
/ɛʁstə/
first
/ˈletsə/
last
/ˈaɪŋə/
some
/ˈmaɪʁə/
several
/fɛrˈbɪndn̩/
verbinden
/tʁɛnən/
trennen
/ɛʁˈzɛtsn̩/
ersetzen
/bəˈhɛltən/
behalten
/fɛrˈlɛsn̩/
verlassen
achieve
prevent
enable
confirm
reject
/aktsəpiːʁən/
accept
/bəmɛʁkn̩/
notice
/zoːbaxtn̩/
observe
/ʊntɐzusn̩/
investigate
/anaˈliːzi̯ən/
analyze
/aɪnstɛln̩/
set
/kʏndɪɡən/
to cancel
/bətsaːlən/
to pay
/aʊsɡeːbən/
to give out
/aɪnspaːʁən/
to save
/ɪnvestiːʁən/
to invest
/fɪnaʦiːʁən/
to finance
/miːtən/
to rent
/fɛʁmiːtən/
to sublet
/liːɐ̯fən/
to deliver
/pʁʊdʦiːʁən/
to produce
/hɛʁʃtɛln/
to create
/ʁeːpaʁiːʁn̩/
repair
/ɪnstalɪˈʁiːrn̩/
install
/hɛʁʊntɐˈlaːdn̩/
download
/ʃpaɪçərn̩/
save
/lœʃn̩/
delete
to edit
to log in
to register
to cancel
/tsamˈmɛnfaːsn/
sum up
/pʁɛzɛnˈtiːʁn/
present
/ˈʔyːbɐsɛtsn/
translate
/ɪntɐʁˌpʁɛtsiˈʁɛn/
interpret
/bəˈvɛʁtn/
evaluate
/kʁɪtiˈziːʁn/
criticize
/lɔːbn/
praise
/vɑʁnən/
warn
/ɪnfoʁmiːʁn/
inform
/aɪ̯nˈlaːdn/
invite
/bəɡryːsən/
greet
thank
apologize
celebrate
/moˈtiːviɐn/
motivieren
/ɪnspiˈʁiːɐn/
inspirieren
/ʊbɐˈʁaɪ̯çən/
überzeugen
/baɪ̯nˈflʊsən/
beeinflussen
/fɛʁˈtraʊ̯ən/
vertrauen
/tsvaɪ̯flən/
zweifeln
/naχˈdɛŋkən/
nachdenken
/ˈʃʏtsən/
schützen
nurture
heal
to save
to quarrel
to reconcile
to calm
to relax
/ɛŋɡaˈɡiːʁn/
to engage
/fɛɐ̯ˈhantən/
to negotiate
/apˈʃliːsən/
to conclude
/fɛʁˈlɛŋɐn/
to extend
/ˈbuːxən/
to book
/ʁəzɛʁviːʁən/
to reserve
/tsuːstɪmən/
to agree
/vɪdɐˈspʁeːçən/
to disagree
/ʊmˈzɛtsən/
to implement
to introduce
to expand
to optimize
to automate
to digitize
to modernize
/kvaˈliːfɪtsiːʁn/
to qualify
/ˈaʊsbɪldn̩/
to train
/baʊ̯ˈfʁaːɡn̩/
to commission
/fɛʁpˈflɪçtn̩/
to obligate
/tʁansfɔʁmiːʁn̩/
to transform
How to learn B1 vocabulary
- 1.Move from isolated words to collocations and full phrases.
- 2.Read and listen to graded content daily to meet words in context.
- 3.Start thinking in the language for simple everyday topics.
- 4.Keep a simple daily journal in the target language to practice active sentence building.
Frequently asked questions
How many words at B1?+
Roughly 2,000–2,500 active words support independent B1 communication.
Is B1 fluent?+
B1 is 'independent user' — you communicate on familiar topics, but not yet fluently on complex ones.
Is B1 enough for work or study abroad?+
B1 is often the minimum for basic work; many universities require B2 or higher.
How can I transition from B1 to B2?+
Start consuming native materials (news, videos, podcasts) and actively write longer texts while correcting errors.