German reference

The 250 most common German words

Ranked by how often they actually appear. Together these 250 words account for about 77% of everything said and written in German — which is why the order you learn vocabulary in matters more than the number of words you know.

250words
77%of everyday speech
4.8%the single commonest word
#WordEnglishSay itShareRunning total
1seinto bezeyen4.839%4.8%
2ichIihkh4.249%9.1%
3sieshe/theyzee2.746%11.8%
4habento haveHAH-buhn2.492%14.3%
5einaeyen2.312%16.6%
6dasthe (n)/thatdahs2.252%18.9%
7duyoudoo2.126%21.0%
8nichtnotnihkht1.988%23.0%
9diethe (f/pl)dee1.792%24.8%
10esitehs1.661%26.5%
11undanduunt1.652%28.1%
12derthe (m)dehr1.245%29.4%
13wirweveer1.242%30.6%
14waswhatvahs1.223%31.8%
15werdento becomeVEHR-duhn1.059%32.9%
16zutotsoo1.028%33.9%
17erheehr0.975%34.9%
18könnento be able toKUH-nuhn0.811%35.7%
19jayesyah0.760%36.5%
20mirto memeer0.735%37.2%
21mitwithmiht0.732%37.9%
22wiehowvee0.670%38.6%
23denthe (m/pl)dayn0.664%39.3%
24dassthatdahs0.647%39.9%
25michmemihkh0.644%40.5%
26aufonowf0.636%41.2%
27aberbutAH-ber0.616%41.8%
28sosozoh0.587%42.4%
29wissento knowVIH-suhn0.586%43.0%
30hierhereheer0.544%43.5%
31sagento sayZAH-guhn0.542%44.1%
32fürforfewr0.530%44.6%
33gehento goGAY-uhn0.518%45.1%
34meinmy (m/n)meyen0.511%45.6%
35vonfromfawn0.510%46.1%
36kommento comeKAW-muhn0.502%46.6%
37wennif/whenvehn0.501%47.1%
38dichyoudihkh0.497%47.6%
39machento make/doMAH-khuhn0.494%48.1%
40keinno/nonekeyen0.482%48.6%
41müssento have toMEW-suhn0.477%49.1%
42ihrher/you alleer0.473%49.5%
43neinnoneyen0.463%50.0%
44anat/onahn0.453%50.5%
45sehento seeZAY-uhn0.440%50.9%
46nochstill/yetnawkh0.413%51.3%
47nuronlynoor0.407%51.7%
48datheredah0.407%52.1%
49dirto youdeer0.400%52.5%
50wollento wantvaw-luhn0.391%52.9%
51tunto dotoon0.385%53.3%
52sichoneselfzihkh0.385%53.7%
53deinyourdeyen0.379%54.1%
54unsusuuns0.378%54.5%
55sollenshouldZAW-luhn0.358%54.8%
56meinemy (f/pl)MEYE-nuh0.347%55.2%
57demthe (m/n)daym0.335%55.5%
58gutgoodgoot0.327%55.8%
59auchalsoowkh0.324%56.1%
60schonalreadyshohn0.319%56.5%
61alsas/thanahls0.318%56.8%
62malonce/timesmahl0.314%57.1%
63jetztnowyehtst0.314%57.4%
64ihnhimeen0.314%57.7%
65dannthendahn0.310%58.0%
66ausout ofows0.307%58.3%
67gebento giveGAY-buhn0.303%58.6%
68umaround/atuum0.301%58.9%
69imin theihm0.291%59.2%
70dochyet/thoughdawkh0.275%59.5%
71alleseverythingAH-luhs0.264%59.8%
72lassento letLAH-suhn0.258%60.0%
73oderorOH-der0.246%60.3%
74hörento hearHUH-ruhn0.244%60.5%
75nachafter/tonahkh0.235%60.8%
76nichtsnothingnihkhts0.223%61.0%
77manone/peoplemahn0.217%61.2%
78ihnento themEE-nuhn0.211%61.4%
79denkento thinkDEHNG-kuhn0.211%61.6%
80wowherevoh0.208%61.8%
81etwassomethingEH-tvahs0.207%62.0%
82dankento thankDAHNG-kuhn0.206%62.2%
83ohohoh0.205%62.4%
84bittento ask/requestBIH-tuhn0.205%62.6%
85mehrmoremayr0.203%62.9%
86beiat/nearbeye0.200%63.1%
87alsoso/thusAHL-zoh0.200%63.2%
88immeralwaysIH-mer0.188%63.4%
89warumwhyvah-RUUM0.181%63.6%
90vorbefore/in front offawr0.179%63.8%
91glaubento believeGLOW-buhn0.175%64.0%
92wiederagainVEE-der0.173%64.1%
93sehrveryzayr0.163%64.3%
94alleallAH-luh0.162%64.5%
95dennbecausedehn0.162%64.6%
96Mannmanmahn0.161%64.8%
97ihmto himeem0.157%65.0%
98zumto thetsuum0.156%65.1%
99lebento liveLAY-buhn0.156%65.3%
100vielleichtmaybefih-LEYEKHT0.153%65.4%
101werwhovayr0.152%65.6%
102ihreher/their (f/pl)EE-ruh0.151%65.7%
103diesethis/these (f/pl)DEE-zuh0.150%65.9%
104euchyou allAW-uhkh0.149%66.0%
105mögento likeMUH-guhn0.149%66.2%
106überover/aboutEW-ber0.142%66.3%
107okayokayOH-keh-ih0.142%66.5%
108brauchento needBROW-khuhn0.141%66.6%
109nehmento takeNAY-muhn0.141%66.7%
110nienevernee0.134%66.9%
111wirklichreallyVIHR-klihkh0.134%67.0%
112heyheyheye0.133%67.1%
113findento findFIHN-duhn0.131%67.3%
114vielmuchfeel0.128%67.4%
115wegawayvehk0.126%67.5%
116amat theahm0.123%67.6%
117desof the (m/n)dehs0.122%67.8%
118einfachsimple/simplyEYEN-fahkh0.122%67.9%
119redento talkRAY-duhn0.118%68.0%
120wartento waitVAHR-tuhn0.117%68.1%
121liebento loveLEE-buhn0.116%68.2%
122Zeittimetseyet0.116%68.4%
123weilbecauseveyel0.115%68.5%
124verstehento understandfehr-SHTAY-uhn0.114%68.6%
125schönbeautifulshuhn0.112%68.7%
126bringento bringBRIH-nguhn0.112%68.8%
127heutetodayHAW-uh-tuh0.111%68.9%
128TagedaysTAH-guh0.109%69.0%
129damitso thatdah-MIHT0.109%69.1%
130ganzwhole/quitegahnts0.108%69.2%
131bleibento stayBLEYE-buhn0.106%69.3%
132okokoh-KAY0.106%69.5%
133sichersureZIH-kher0.105%69.6%
134HausehomeHOW-zuh0.104%69.7%
135Frauwomanfrow0.104%69.8%
136nunnownoon0.103%69.9%
137kennento know (a person)KEH-nuhn0.103%70.0%
138bisuntilbihs0.102%70.1%
139helfento helpHEHL-fuhn0.102%70.2%
140Leidsorry (es tut mir leid)leyet0.101%70.3%
141nawellnah0.101%70.4%
142stehento standSHTAY-uhn0.097%70.5%
143dieserthis (m)DEE-zer0.097%70.6%
144kleinsmallkleyen0.096%70.7%
145zurückbacktsoo-REWK0.096%70.8%
146hallohelloHAH-loh0.093%70.9%
147GottGodgawt0.092%71.0%
148fragento askFRAH-guhn0.090%71.0%
149haltento holdHAHL-tuhn0.090%71.1%
150zweitwotsveye0.088%71.2%
151genauexactlyguh-NOW0.085%71.3%
152sprechento speakSHPREH-khuhn0.083%71.4%
153zurto thetsoor0.083%71.5%
154klarclearklahr0.082%71.6%
155morgentomorrowMAWR-guhn0.081%71.6%
156dürfento be allowed toDEWR-fuhn0.080%71.7%
157LeutepeopleLAW-uh-tuh0.079%71.8%
158VaterfatherFAH-ter0.079%71.9%
159spielento playSHPEE-luhn0.078%72.0%
160abfrom/offahp0.076%72.0%
161geraderight now/straightguh-RAH-duh0.075%72.1%
162wohlprobablyvohl0.072%72.2%
163unsereour (f/pl)UUNZ-ruh0.071%72.2%
164jemandsomeoneYAY-mahnt0.071%72.3%
165Geldmoneygehlt0.071%72.4%
166fahrento driveFAH-ruhn0.071%72.5%
167durchthroughDUU-erkh0.070%72.5%
168obwhetherawp0.070%72.6%
169MuttermotherMUU-ter0.069%72.7%
170rausoutrows0.069%72.7%
171Paarcouple/pairpahr0.068%72.8%
172passierthappenspah-SEERT0.067%72.9%
173besserbetterBEH-ser0.067%72.9%
174wiesowhyVEE-zoh0.067%73.0%
175suchento searchZOO-khuhn0.066%73.1%
176kriegento getKREE-guhn0.066%73.1%
177tötento killTUH-tuhn0.066%73.2%
178heißento be calledHEYE-suhn0.066%73.3%
179sterbento dieSHTEHR-buhn0.066%73.3%
180diesesthis (n)DEE-zuhs0.066%73.4%
181selbstself/evenzehlpst0.065%73.5%
182ohnewithoutOH-nuh0.064%73.5%
183bekommento getbuh-KAW-muhn0.063%73.6%
184stimmento be right/to voteSHTIH-muhn0.063%73.7%
185herhere (toward speaker)hayr0.063%73.7%
186laufento run/walkLOW-fuhn0.063%73.8%
187anderenotherAHN-duh-ruhn0.062%73.8%
188Nachtnightnahkht0.061%73.9%
189holento fetchHOH-luhn0.061%74.0%
190diesenthis (m/pl)DEE-zuhn0.060%74.0%
191gutegoodGOO-tuh0.060%74.1%
192Scheißeshit (vulgar)SHEYE-suh0.060%74.2%
193langelong (time)LAH-nguh0.060%74.2%
194natürlichnaturallynah-TEWR-lihkh0.060%74.3%
195essento eatEH-suhn0.059%74.3%
196achohahkh0.059%74.4%
197garat allgahr0.059%74.4%
198versuchento tryfehr-ZOO-khuhn0.059%74.5%
199stellento placeSHTEH-luhn0.059%74.6%
200treffento meetTREH-fuhn0.058%74.6%
201insinto theihns0.058%74.7%
202rufento call outROO-fuhn0.058%74.7%
203dorttheredawrt0.058%74.8%
204weiterfurtherVEYE-ter0.057%74.9%
205seitsincezeyet0.057%74.9%
206fallento fallFAH-luhn0.056%75.0%
207gleichsame/right awaygleyekh0.056%75.0%
208rechtrightrehkht0.056%75.1%
209arbeitento workAHR-beye-tuhn0.056%75.1%
210ihrenher/their (m/pl)EE-ruhn0.055%75.2%
211richtigcorrectRIHKH-tihkh0.055%75.2%
212OrdnungorderAWRD-nuung0.055%75.3%
213vomfrom thefawm0.055%75.4%
214vergessento forgetfehr-GEH-suhn0.055%75.4%
215davonof itdah-FAWN0.055%75.5%
216dafürfor itdah-FEWR0.054%75.5%
217diesemthis (m/n)DEE-zuhm0.053%75.6%
218wegenbecause ofVAY-guhn0.053%75.6%
219zeigento showTSEYE-guhn0.053%75.7%
220DingenthingsDIH-nguhn0.053%75.7%
221MädchengirlMEHD-khuhn0.052%75.8%
222hinthere (away from speaker)hihn0.052%75.8%
223AbendeveningAH-buhnt0.051%75.9%
224vielemanyFEE-luh0.051%75.9%
225dreithreedreye0.050%76.0%
226FreundfriendFRAW-uhnt0.050%76.0%
227SorgenworriesZAWR-guhn0.050%76.1%
228gutengoodGOO-tuhn0.050%76.1%
229unserour (m/n)UUN-zer0.050%76.2%
230MenschenpeopleMEHN-shuhn0.049%76.2%
231Angstfearahngst0.049%76.3%
232reinin/purereyen0.048%76.3%
233zusammentogethertsoo-ZAH-muhn0.048%76.4%
234Weltworldvehlt0.048%76.4%
235unterunderUUN-ter0.048%76.5%
236schnellfastshnehl0.048%76.5%
237andereotherAHN-duh-ruh0.047%76.6%
238schaffento manage/createSHAH-fuhn0.047%76.6%
239totdeadtoht0.047%76.7%
240schlafento sleepSHLAH-fuhn0.047%76.7%
241fühlento feelFEW-luhn0.047%76.8%
242erstonly/firstayrst0.046%76.8%
243KinderchildrenKIHN-der0.046%76.9%
244liegento lie (down)LEE-guhn0.045%76.9%
245ganzewholeGAHN-tsuh0.045%76.9%
246genugenoughguh-NOOK0.045%77.0%
247ziehento pullTSEE-uhn0.045%77.0%
248gegenagainstGAY-guhn0.044%77.1%
249Momentmomentmoh-MEHNT0.044%77.1%
250JungeboyYUU-nguh0.044%77.2%

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