B1 English vocabulary

The 200 most common English words at CEFR B1 — with translation, IPA, and an example each. The right foundation for your level.

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These are the B1-level words you meet most in real English, in frequency order. Learning by level gives you a clear path: master B1, move up. Save the top 50 free and start today. — Joao

001
sirn. /sɜːr/
002
godn. /ɡɒd/
003
coursen. /kɔːrs/

a series of lessons on a subject He is taking a course in photography.
004
mightaux. /maɪt/

Expressing possibility. It might rain later today.
005
killv. /kɪl/

to cause death He didn't mean to kill the insect.
006
mindn. /maɪnd/

part of the brain for thinking Keep an open mind about new ideas.
007
hellinterj. /hɛl/

(interjection) expression of frustration Hell, I forgot my keys again!
008
actuallyadv. /ˈækʧuəli/

in fact or really I actually enjoyed the movie last night.
009
suchdet. /sʌtʃ/

of the kind previously mentioned I’ve never seen such a beautiful sunset.
010
havenaux. /ˈhævən/
011
yetadv. /jɛt/

up to now; still I haven't finished my homework yet.
012
sinceprep. /sɪns/

from a specific time in the past I have lived here since 2010.
013
mattern. /ˈmætər/

a subject or situation It doesn’t matter what others think.
014
wannav. /ˈwɒnə/

want to I wanna go to the movies later.
015
aloneadj. /əˈloʊn/

without anyone else She prefers to be alone sometimes.
016
sayingv. /ˈseɪɪŋ/

expressing something in words She is saying goodbye to her friends.
017
couldnaux. /kʊd n/

could not; inability in the past
018
gottav. /ˈɡɒtə/

have to; must I gotta finish my homework tonight.
019
killedv. /kɪld/

caused death; ended life The storm killed many trees last night.
020
excusen. /ɪkˈskjuːs/

a reason for being excused I need an excuse for missing class.
021
businessn. /ˈbɪznəs/

an organization for commercial activities She runs a successful online business.
022
casen. /keɪs/

a container or situation He put his glasses in the case.
023
diev. /daɪ/

to cease living or functioning Plants die without enough water.
024
worryv. /ˈwɜri/

to feel anxious or concerned Don't worry about the small details.
025
probablyadv. /ˈprɒbəbli/

likely to happen or be true It will probably rain tomorrow afternoon.
026
thinkingv. /ˈθɪŋkɪŋ/

the process of considering or reasoning I was thinking about our upcoming trip.
027
exactlyadv. /ɪɡˈzæktli/

precisely or accurately That's exactly what I was thinking.
028
deathn. /dɛθ/

the end of life He was deeply affected by her death.
029
crazyadj. /ˈkreɪzi/

mentally unstable or wild That idea sounds a bit crazy to me.
030
whateverdet. /wɒtˈɛvər/

anything or everything You can choose whatever you like for dinner.
031
dealn. /diːl/

an agreement or arrangement We made a deal to share the profits.
032
pointn. /pɔɪnt/

a specific location or position She pointed to the map's starting point.
033
afraidadj. /əˈfreɪd/

feeling fear or anxiety She is afraid of the dark at night.
034
chancen. /ʧæns/

a possibility or opportunity There’s a chance it will rain today.
035
dearadj. /dɪər/

beloved or cherished She wrote a letter to her dear friend.
036
anywayadv. /ˈɛniweɪ/

in any case; regardless I didn’t like it, but I went anyway.
037
againstprep. /əˈɡɛnst/

in opposition to something She leaned against the wall for support.
038
importantadj. /ɪmˈpɔːrtənt/

having great significance or value It's important to finish your homework.
039
setv. /sɛt/

to place or put something down Please set the table for dinner.
040
wishv. /wɪʃ/

to desire something to happen I wish I could travel more often.
041
thoughconj. /ðoʊ/

used to introduce a contrast I like coffee, though I prefer tea.
042
truthn. /truːθ/

The quality of being true or factual. She always tells the truth, no matter what.
043
bloodn. /blʌd/

The red liquid in our bodies. He donated blood to help others.
044
ableadj. /ˈeɪbəl/

Having the power or skill to do something. She is able to solve complex problems.
045
ladyn. /ˈleɪdi/

A polite term for a woman. The lady at the counter was very helpful.
046
anymoreadv. /ˌɛniˈmɔːr/

No longer; not anymore. I don't live there anymore since moving.
047
shotn. /ʃɑt/

a single attempt to hit a target He took a shot at the basketball hoop.
048
reasonn. /ˈriːzən/

a cause or explanation for something What is the reason for your decision?
049
troublen. /ˈtrʌbl/

difficulty or problems causing distress She is having trouble with her homework.
050
trustn. /trʌst/

reliance on someone's integrity I have complete trust in my best friend.

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051
dr.n. /ˈdɒktər/
052
couplen. /ˈkʌpəl/

Two people in a romantic relationship. They make a lovely couple at the party.
053
diedv. /daɪd/

Stopped living; passed away. My grandfather died last year.
054
eitherdet. /ˈaɪðər/

One or the other of two options. You can choose either coffee or tea.
055
seemsv. /siːmz/

Appears to be; gives the impression. It seems like it's going to rain today.
056
powern. /ˈpaʊər/

The ability to do something or act. She has the power to change the world.
057
tellingv. /ˈtɛlɪŋ/

informing or narrating something She is telling a story to the kids.
058
honeyn. /ˈhʌni/

a sweet substance made by bees I like to add honey to my tea.
059
gunn. /ɡʌn/

a weapon that shoots bullets
060
stupidadj. /ˈstjuːpɪd/

lacking intelligence or common sense That was a really stupid mistake to make.
061
becomev. /bɪˈkʌm/

to start to be something He wants to become a doctor someday.
062
alongprep. /əˈlɒŋ/

in a line next to something We walked along the riverbank together.
063
factn. /fækt/

a statement that can be proven true It's a fact that water boils at 100 degrees.
064
captainn. /ˈkæptɪn/

the leader of a team or group She was named captain of the soccer team.
065
mrs.n. /ˈmɪsɪz/
066
aliveadj. /əˈlaɪv/

having life; not dead The flowers are still alive in the garden.
067
livingadj. /ˈlɪvɪŋ/

having life; being alive They enjoy living in the city.
068
causen. /kɔz/

a reason for an action or condition The heavy rain was the cause of the flood.
069
aheadadv. /əˈhɛd/

in front or forward in time We need to plan ahead for the trip.
070
kingn. /kɪŋ/
071
sortn. /sɔrt/

a category or type of something I need to sort my clothes by color.
072
leavingv. /ˈliːvɪŋ/

departing from a place He is leaving for vacation tomorrow.
073
shouldnaux. /ˈʃʊdən/
074
promisen. /ˈprɒmɪs/

a commitment to do something I made a promise to help her move.
075
perfectadj. /ˈpɜrfɪkt/

without flaws or defects The weather was perfect for a picnic.
076
specialadj. /ˈspɛʃəl/

better or different than usual She received a special award for her work.
077
himselfpron. /hɪmˈsɛlf/

referring to the same person He did the project by himself.
078
soundsv. /saʊndz/

produces noise or audio The music sounds great from here.
079
seriousadj. /ˈsɪriəs/

not joking; important We need to have a serious discussion.
080
companyn. /ˈkʌmpəni/

a business or group of people She works for a tech company in Silicon Valley.
081
pooradj. /pʊər/

lacking money or resources They live in a poor neighborhood.
082
pastprep. /pæst/

before a specified time We walked past the old church.
083
earthn. /ɜːrθ/

the planet we live on Earth is the third planet from the sun.
084
possibleadj. /ˈpɒsɪbəl/

able to happen or be done It's possible to learn a new language.
085
shootv. /ʃuːt/

to fire a projectile He will shoot the basketball from the line.
086
laughsn. /læfs/

sounds made when amused Her jokes always bring out loud laughs.
087
controln. /kənˈtroʊl/

the power to influence or direct He lost control of the car on the icy road.
088
humann. /ˈhjuːmən/

A person or individual of the species. Every human deserves respect and kindness.
089
jackn. /dʒæk/

jack
090
finallyadv. /ˈfaɪnəli/

after a long time We finally finished the project yesterday.
091
chucklesv. /ˈtʃʌklz/

soft laughs She chuckles at the funny joke.
092
seemv. /siːm/

to appear to be They seem happy with their new home.
093
hangv. /hæŋ/

suspend or attach from above I will hang the picture on the wall.
094
meetingn. /ˈmiːtɪŋ/

gathering of people for discussion We have a meeting scheduled for tomorrow.
095
catchv. /kætʃ/

intercept or seize something Can you catch the ball I throw?
096
followv. /ˈfɒləʊ/

go after or come behind Please follow me to the next room.
097
sensen. /sɛns/

perception through physical faculties She has a good sense of humor.
098
sexn. /sɛks/

the biological distinction between male and female They discussed the topic of sex education.
099
liev. /laɪ/

to recline or be in a horizontal position I like to lie down after work.
100
knownadj. /noʊn/

recognized or familiar to many people She is known for her amazing artwork.

100 / 200

101
millionnum. /ˈmɪljən/

the number 1,000,000 She won a million dollars in the lottery.
102
ratheradv. /ˈrɑːðər/

to a certain extent; somewhat I would rather stay home tonight.
103
signn. /saɪn/

a symbol or indication Please read the sign before entering.
104
betv. /bɛt/

to wager money on an outcome I bet you can't finish that pizza.
105
jesusn. /ˈdʒiːzəs/
106
longeradj. /ˈlɒŋɡər/

greater in length or duration This road is longer than the last one.
107
callingv. /ˈkɔːlɪŋ/

the act of summoning or naming She is calling her friend for help.
108
quietadj. /kwaɪət/

making little or no noise Please be quiet during the movie.
109
beatv. /biːt/

to strike repeatedly He can beat the drums very well.
110
carefuladj. /ˈkeəfʊl/

taking care to avoid mistakes Be careful when crossing the street.
111
returnv. /rɪˈtɜrn/

to go back to a place I will return the book tomorrow.
112
secretadj. /ˈsiːkrɪt/

something kept hidden or unknown She told me a secret about her plans.
113
fallv. /fɔːl/

To drop down from a higher position. Be careful not to fall off the ladder.
114
givenadj. /ˈɡɪvən/

Specified or stated; particular. She has a given talent for music.
115
straightadj. /streɪt/

Not curved or bent; direct. He drew a straight line on the paper.
116
futuren. /ˈfjuːtʃər/

Time that is yet to come. I am excited about my future plans.
117
gentlemenn. /ˈdʒɛntl̩mən/

polite or formal men The gentlemen at the meeting were very respectful.
118
changedv. /tʃeɪndʒd/

made different He changed his mind about the trip.
119
calmadj. /kɑːm/

peaceful and quiet She remained calm during the storm.
120
explainv. /ɪkˈspleɪn/

make something clear or understandable Can you explain the rules of the game?
121
wondern. /ˈwʌndər/

a feeling of amazement or curiosity I wonder what lies beyond the mountains.
122
duden. /duːd/

a casual term for a man or person That dude over there is my friend.
123
presidentn. /ˈprɛzɪdənt/
124
movingadj. /ˈmuːvɪŋ/

Causing strong emotions. The movie had a moving story.
125
nonepron. /nʌn/

Not any; zero. I have none of the answers.
126
amazingadj. /əˈmeɪzɪŋ/

Causing great surprise. The view from the mountain is amazing.
127
worriedadj. /ˈwʌrid/

feeling anxious or concerned She was worried about the upcoming exam.
128
missingadj. /ˈmɪsɪŋ/

not present or lost The cat is missing from the yard.
129
happeningn. /ˈhæpənɪŋ/

an event or occurrence There's a happening at the park this weekend.
130
weddingn. /ˈwɛdɪŋ/

a ceremony for marriage I attended my friend's wedding last Saturday.
131
strangeadj. /streɪndʒ/

unusual or hard to understand That was a strange noise coming from outside.
132
generaladj. /ˈdʒɛnərəl/

common or widespread; not specific In general, people enjoy sunny weather.
133
painn. /peɪn/

physical discomfort or suffering She felt a sharp pain in her back.
134
kiddingv. /ˈkɪdɪŋ/

joking or not serious Are you kidding me right now?
135
decidedv. /dɪˈsaɪdɪd/

made a choice or conclusion She decided to take the job offer.
136
yainterj. /jɑː/
137
officern. /ˈɒfɪsər/

a person in a position of authority The officer helped direct traffic safely.
138
worseadj. /wɜːrs/

of lower quality or condition This weather is worse than yesterday's.
139
ehinterj. /eɪ/

(interjection)
140
duringprep. /ˈdjʊərɪŋ/

throughout the duration of I read a book during the flight.
141
caughtv. /kɔːt/

to have captured or seized something He caught the ball with one hand.
142
meantv. /mɛnt/

to have intended or signified I meant to call you yesterday.
143
systemn. /ˈsɪstəm/

a set of connected things The computer system needs an upgrade.
144
supposev. /səˈpoʊz/

to assume something is true I suppose we should leave now.
145
completelyadv. /kəmˈpliːtli/

totally or fully She completely forgot about the meeting.
146
totallyadv. /ˈtoʊtəli/

Completely; without any doubt. I totally forgot about the meeting today.
147
forgivev. /fəˈɡɪv/

To stop feeling angry about a mistake. I hope you can forgive me for that.
148
imaginev. /ɪˈmædʒɪn/

To form a mental picture of something. Can you imagine living in a different country?
149
informationn. /ˌɪnfərˈmeɪʃən/

Facts or details about something. I need more information about the project.
150
insteadadv. /ɪnˈstɛd/

In place of something else. I chose tea instead of coffee today.
151
definitelyadv. /ˈdɛfɪnətli/

Without doubt; certainly. I will definitely join you for dinner.
152
lyingv. /ˈlaɪɪŋ/

not telling the truth He was lying about his whereabouts.
153
unlessconj. /ʌnˈlɛs/

except if; on the condition that I won't go unless you come too.
154
attackn. /əˈtæk/

An aggressive action against someone or something. The team launched a surprise attack on the enemy.
155
expectv. /ɪkˈspɛkt/

To believe something will happen. I expect to see you at the party.
156
terribleadj. /ˈtɛrɪbəl/

Very bad or unpleasant. The weather was terrible during our vacation.
157
historyn. /ˈhɪstəri/

The study of past events. She loves reading about ancient history.
158
brokeadj. /broʊk/

Having no money. I can't go out; I'm broke this week.
159
seriouslyadv. /ˈsɪriəsli/

In a solemn or earnest manner. You need to seriously consider this offer.
160
foreveradv. /fəˈrɛvər/

For an infinite time. I will love you forever and always.
161
exceptprep. /ɪkˈsɛpt/

not including; other than Everyone is coming except for John.
162
acrossprep. /əˈkrɔs/

from one side to the other She walked across the street safely.
163
lovelyadj. /ˈlʌvli/

beautiful or pleasant What a lovely day for a picnic!
164
handlev. /ˈhændl/

to manage or control something Can you handle the situation calmly?
165
buddyn. /ˈbʌdi/

a close friend or companion He's my buddy from college.
166
protectv. /prəˈtɛkt/

to keep safe from harm We must protect our environment.
167
spendv. /spɛnd/

to use money or time I like to spend time with friends.
168
anywhereadv. /ˈɛniwɛər/

in or to any place You can sit anywhere you like.
169
dangerousadj. /ˈdeɪndʒərəs/

able to cause harm or injury That cliff looks really dangerous to climb.
170
yorkn. /jɔːrk/
171
armyn. /ˈɑːrmi/

a large organized military force The army was deployed to assist in disaster relief.
172
leadv. /lid/

to guide or direct She will lead the project team this year.
173
fairadj. /fɛər/

just and equitable It's only fair to share the prize.
174
interestingadj. /ˈɪntrəstɪŋ/

arousing curiosity or attention That was an interesting documentary to watch.
175
groupn. /ɡruːp/

A number of people or things together. We formed a group to discuss ideas.
176
marriagen. /ˈmærɪdʒ/

The legal union of two people. Their marriage lasted over twenty years.
177
fearn. /fɪər/

An unpleasant emotion caused by danger. He felt a fear of heights.
178
peacen. /piːs/

A state of tranquility or quiet. They enjoyed a moment of peace together.
179
presentadj. /ˈprɛzənt/

existing or occurring now He is present at the meeting today.
180
crimen. /kraɪm/

an act against the law The police are investigating a serious crime.
181
chargen. /tʃɑːrdʒ/

a fee for a service or product The restaurant added a service charge to the bill.
182
surprisen. /sərˈpraɪz/

an unexpected event or outcome The surprise party made her very happy.
183
quicklyadv. /ˈkwɪkli/

at a fast speed She finished her homework quickly.
184
goldn. /ɡoʊld/

a valuable yellow metal He bought a gold ring for her birthday.
185
markn. /mɑrk/

a visible impression or stain There was a mark on the wall from the chair.
186
wearingv. /ˈwɛərɪŋ/

having clothing on one's body She is wearing a beautiful dress today.
187
accidentn. /ˈæksɪdənt/

an unexpected event causing harm He was in a car accident yesterday.
188
coverv. /ˈkʌvər/

to place something over another Please cover the food to keep it warm.
189
interestedadj. /ˈɪntrəstɪd/

curious or wanting to know more She is interested in learning new languages.
190
prisonn. /ˈprɪzən/

a place for incarcerated individuals He was sent to prison for his crimes.
191
majoradj. /ˈmeɪdʒər/

important or significant This is a major decision for us.
192
stickv. /stɪk/

to adhere or attach Please stick the poster on the wall.
193
offern. /ˈɒfər/

a proposal or suggestion She made a generous offer to help.
194
difficultadj. /ˈdɪfɪkəlt/

hard to do or understand This math problem is really difficult.
195
smartadj. /smɑːrt/

intelligent or clever She is very smart in her studies.
196
personaladj. /ˈpɜːrsənəl/

related to an individual He shared his personal experiences with us.
197
recordn. /rɪˈkɔːrd/

a documented account or evidence I need to check the record for accuracy.
198
hidev. /haɪd/

to conceal from view She decided to hide the gift until Christmas.
199
bankn. /bæŋk/

a financial institution I need to go to the bank to withdraw cash.
200
relaxv. /rɪˈlæks/

to become less tense or anxious I like to relax with a good book.

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What does B1 mean?

B1 is a level on the CEFR scale. This list gathers the English words classified at B1, ordered by real-world usage frequency.

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B1 English vocabulary

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