205 Spanish words of level B2
Below is a complete, categorized list of Spanish vocabulary at the B2 level. Learn common verbs, nouns, and adjectives with transcription, articles, and English translations.
What is B2? Upper-Intermediate
B2 means confident, independent use. You interact with native speakers fairly fluently and understand the main ideas of complex texts.
What you can do at B2
- ✓Interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity with native speakers
- ✓Understand the main ideas of complex text on concrete and abstract topics
- ✓Produce clear, detailed text and explain a viewpoint on an issue
- ✓Follow complex lines of argument in spoken language and lectures
- ✓Understand news programs, current affairs, and most films in standard dialect
Adjectives
/koɾˈjente/
current
/re.no.ˈβa.βle/
renewable
/pau.la.ˈti.no/
gradual / slow
/kon.tun.ˈden.te/
forceful / overwhelming / conclusive
/bi.ˈxen.te/
current / in force / valid
/e.ˈfi.me.ɾo/
ephemeral / short-lived
/i.ne.ˈɾen.te/
inherent / intrinsic
/i.ne.lu.ˈði.βle/
inescapable / unavoidable
/a.rai.ˈɣa.ðo/
deep-rooted / entrenched
/i.ˈðo.ne.o/
suitable / ideal / fit
/ro.ˈtun.do/
emphatic / categorical / absolute
/no.ˈto.ɾjo/
well-known / notorious / evident
/fak.ˈti.βle/
feasible / viable
/des.ko.mu.ˈnal/
enormous / colossal
/pɾe.ˈka.ɾjo/
precarious / unstable
/re.ti.ˈθen.te/
reluctant / reticent
/a.pɾe.ˈmjan.te/
urgent / pressing
Nouns
/poˈeta/
poet
/ˈpeθo/
weight, pound
/meðiˈθina/
medicine
/ɣaˈnaŋθja/
profit
/inˈveɾsjon/
investment
/eksperimento/
experiment
/teoˈɾia/
theory
/in.tje.ˈlen.t͡ʃeɾ.ɛ̃a/ /in.te.ˈlje.ɾe.ɲa/
intelligence
/e.neɾˈxi.a/
energy
/na.tu.rale.sa/
nature
/orˈɣiljo/
pride
/θeˈlox/
jealousy
/kasˈtiɣo/
punishment
/xwes/
judge
/aβoˈɣaðo/
lawyer
/reˈtɾaso/
delay
/loɣro/
achievement
/fɾaˈkaso/
failure
/peˈliɣɾo/
danger
/liβeɾˈtað/
freedom
/iɣwaɫˈðaɱ/
equality
/deˈɾexos/
rights
/o.βli.ɣa.ˈθjon/
obligation
/o.pu.ɾti.ðaːd̪/
opportunity
/eˈfektjo/
effect
/moˈtiβo/
reason
/plan/
plan
/es.tre.ge.ˈni.a/
strategy
/fa.se/
phase
/ˈɡɾaðo/
degree
/ˈθi.fɾa/
figure
/es.tad.is.ti.kah/ /es.tad.is.ti.ka/ /es.tad.is.ti.ka/
statistics
/poɾse.tʃeɱ.tʃe/
percentage
/komaɾasjon/
comparison
/kons.tɾaste/
contrast
/semehiˈansa/
resemblance
/oɾ.ɣa.ni.sa.si.ón/
organization
/inistiˈtusjon/
institution
/in.dusˈtɾja/
industry
/ko.me.ˈɾ.θjo/
trade
/fi.nan.tas/
finances
/inˈveɾsoɾ/
investor
/askjonista/la
shareholder
/anunˈθjo/
announcement
/dok.u.men.to/
document
/iŋxeɲeˈɾi.a/
engineering
/i.no.va.ˈθjo.n/
innovation
/fiˈzika/
physics
/bi.oloˈxja/
biology
/tra.tah.mien.to/
treatment
/di.aɣ.noˈstiko/
diagnosis
/ˈvɪɾus/
virus
/infeˈkθjon/
infection
/baˈkuna/
vaccine
/θiɾuˈxi.a/
surgery
/rekuperasjón/
recovery
/bejnes.tar/
well-being
/meˈðjo aˈmbeɲte/
environment
/kalentaˈmjento/
warming
/inun.daˈθjon/
flood
/kon.ti.nen.te/
continent
/mi.ner.al/
mineral
/pe.tro.le.o/
oil
/karbón/
coal
/kulˈtiβo/
cultivation
/li.te.ri.tu.ˈra/
literature
/poˈesia/
poetry
/mi.to/
myth
/a.u.toɾ/
author
/kriˈtika/
criticism
/parlamˈtento/
parliament
/disˈkurso/
speech
/triˈbjuːnal/ /triˈbɪnal/
court
/xuˈiθjo/
judgment
/senˈtenθja/
sentence
/a.ku.sa.sjoŋ/
accusation
/in.flu.ˈen.θja/
influence
/ak.ti.ˈtuð/
attitude
/peɾs.pek.ˈti.βa/
perspective / viewpoint
/kɾi.ˈte.ɾjo/
criterion / judgment
/i.ˈpo.te.sis/
hypothesis
/fe.ˈno.me.no/
phenomenon
/pa.ɾa.ˈðo.xa/
paradox
/di.ˈle.ma/
dilemma
/ˈam.bi.to/
scope / field / domain
/ˈin.di.θe/
index / rate / indicator
/ma.ˈtiθ/
nuance / shade
/ˈau.xe/
boom / peak / heyday
/kon.ˈsen.so/
consensus / agreement
/de.sa.ˈfi.o/
challenge
/im.ˈpak.to/
impact
/en.ˈfo.ke/
approach / focus
/θju.ða.ða.ˈni.a/
citizenship
/de.mo.ˈkɾa.θja/
democracy
/so.βe.ɾa.ˈni.a/
sovereignty
/le.xis.la.ˈθjon/
legislation
/ko.rup.ˈθjon/
corruption
/de.si.ɣwal.ˈðað/
inequality
/mi.ɣɾa.ˈθjon/
migration
/dis.kɾi.mi.na.ˈθjon/
discrimination
/bu.ɾo.ˈkɾa.θja/
bureaucracy
/i.ðe.o.lo.ˈxi.a/
ideology
/pa.tɾi.ˈmo.njo/
heritage / patrimony
/pɾe.ˈxwi.θjo/
prejudice / bias
/po.ˈβɾe.θa/
poverty
/ren.ta.βi.li.ˈðað/
profitability
/pɾo.ðuk.ti.βi.ˈðað/
productivity
/em.pɾen.di.ˈmjen.to/
entrepreneurship / venture
/in.fɾa.es.tɾuk.ˈtu.ɾa/
infrastructure
/sos.te.ni.βi.li.ˈðað/
sustainability
/a.βas.te.θi.ˈmjen.to/
supply / provisioning
/ko.ti.θa.ˈθjon/
quotation / market price
/bjo.ði.βeɾ.si.ˈðað/
biodiversity
/a.ˈʎaθ.ɣo/
finding / discovery
/xe.ˈne.ti.ka/
genetics
/e.ko.sis.ˈte.ma/
ecosystem
/aŋ.ˈɡus.tja/
anguish / distress / anxiety
/nos.ˈtal.xja/
nostalgia / longing
/re.si.ˈljen.θja/
resilience
/em.pa.ˈti.a/
empathy
/au.to.es.ˈti.ma/
self-esteem
/in.θeɾ.ti.ˈðum.bɾe/
uncertainty
/fɾus.tɾa.ˈθjon/
frustration
/al.fa.βe.ti.θa.ˈθjon/
literacy
/ku.ˈri.ku.lo/
curriculum
/baŋ.ˈɡwaɾ.ðja/
avant-garde / forefront
/ˈtɾa.mi.te/
procedure / formality / paperwork
/ren.di.ˈmjen.to/
performance / yield / output
/plan.te.a.ˈmjen.to/
approach / formulation / proposal
/kon.ˈxe.tu.ɾa/
conjecture / guess
/al.ˈkan.θe/
scope / reach / range
/pɾe.ˈmi.sa/
premise / assumption
/ˈpau.tas/
guidelines / patterns
/ko.ʝun.ˈtu.ɾa/
situation / conjuncture / juncture
/ˈbɾe.tʃa/
gap / breach / divide
/e.ki.ˈðað/
equity / fairness
/e.pi.ˈðe.mja/
epidemic
/re.a.βi.li.ta.ˈθjon/
rehabilitation
/tɾas.ˈtoɾ.no/
disorder / disruption
/ba.ku.na.ˈθjon/
vaccination
/xu.ɾis.pɾu.ˈðen.θja/
jurisprudence / case law
/in.dem.ni.θa.ˈθjon/
compensation / indemnity
/aɾ.βi.ˈtɾa.xe/
arbitration
/po.tes.ˈtað/
authority / power / jurisdiction
/al.ɣo.ˈɾit.mo/
algorithm
/θi.βeɾ.se.ɣu.ɾi.ˈðað/
cybersecurity
/in.te.ɾo.pe.ɾa.βi.li.ˈðað/
interoperability
/bja.βi.li.ˈðað/
viability / feasibility
/pa.ɾa.ˈðiɣ.ma/
paradigm
/ˈku.mu.lo/
accumulation / heap / cluster
/pɾo.pen.ˈsjon/
propensity / tendency
/dis.ʝun.ˈti.βa/
dilemma / alternative / choice
/kon.tɾa.paɾ.ˈti.ða/
counterpart / compensation
/de.tɾi.ˈmen.to/
detriment / harm / damage
/me.nos.ˈka.βo/
impairment / detriment / undermining
Other Words
Verbs
/a.βoɾ.ˈðaɾ/
to address / to tackle / to board
/a.βaɾ.ˈkaɾ/
to encompass / to cover
/a.tɾi.ˈβwiɾ/
to attribute / to ascribe
/ka.ɾe.ˈθeɾ/
to lack / to be without
/de.sem.pe.ˈɲaɾ/
to perform / to carry out / to play (a role)
/fo.men.ˈtaɾ/
to promote / to foster / to encourage
/im.pul.ˈsaɾ/
to drive / to boost / to propel
/plan.te.ˈaɾ/
to raise (a question) / to propose
/pɾes.θin.ˈdiɾ/
to do without / to dispense with
/pɾe.βa.le.ˈθeɾ/
to prevail / to dominate
/pɾo.pi.ˈθjaɾ/
to foster / to bring about / to facilitate
/pɾo.mul.ˈɣaɾ/
to enact / to promulgate
/res.tɾin.ˈxiɾ/
to restrict / to limit
/sos.te.ˈneɾ/
to sustain / to maintain / to hold
/suɾ.ˈxiɾ/
to arise / to emerge / to appear
/tɾas.θen.ˈdeɾ/
to transcend / to go beyond
/bul.ne.ˈɾaɾ/
to violate / to infringe / to harm
/in.θen.ti.ˈβaɾ/
to incentivize / to encourage
/re.i.βin.di.ˈkaɾ/
to claim / to demand / to vindicate
/pos.teɾ.ˈɣaɾ/
to postpone / to defer
/a.len.ˈtaɾ/
to encourage / to inspire
/o.toɾ.ˈɣaɾ/
to grant / to award / to bestow
/peɾ.θi.ˈβiɾ/
to perceive / to notice / to receive
/pɾe.βe.ˈniɾ/
to prevent / to warn
/pɾo.poɾ.θjo.ˈnaɾ/
to provide / to supply / to furnish
/pɾo.mo.ˈβeɾ/
to promote / to foster
/es.ti.pu.ˈlaɾ/
to stipulate / to specify
/e.ra.ði.ˈkaɾ/
to eradicate / to eliminate
/a.ka.ˈtaɾ/
to comply with / to abide by
/al.βeɾ.ˈɣaɾ/
to house / to harbor / to shelter
How to learn B2 vocabulary
- 1.Focus on nuance: synonyms, register and connotation.
- 2.Consume native content (news, podcasts, shows) without simplification.
- 3.Actively use new vocabulary in writing and speaking, not just recognition.
- 4.Engage in longer discussions and force yourself to explain abstract ideas in detail.
Frequently asked questions
How many words at B2?+
Around 4,000 words give you the range needed for confident B2 communication.
Is B2 enough for university?+
Yes — B2 is the common entry requirement for study and skilled work in many countries.
How long from B1 to B2?+
Typically several hundred hours of study plus regular real-language exposure.
What is the key difference between B1 and B2?+
B1 is about expressing personal views on familiar topics; B2 is about discussing complex issues and understanding abstract discussions.