The words you'll run into again and again, grouped by part of speech: the same 100 words taught in Absolute Foundations, gathered here as a standalone reference.
The 33 most common German nouns, mostly abstract, everyday words you'll meet in nearly every reading passage.
die Arbeitwork
das Augeeye
das Bettbed
das Buchbook
das Endeend
das Essenfood, meal
der Fallcase
die Fragequestion
die Frauwoman
der Freundfriend
das Geldmoney
die Handhand
das Haushouse
der HerrMr., gentleman
das Jahryear
das Kindchild
der Kopfhead
das Landcountry
das Lebenlife
der Mannman
die Seiteside, page
die Sonnesun
der Spaßfun
die Stadtcity
der Tagday
der Teilpart
der Tischtable
die Türdoor
das Wasserwater
der Wegway, path
die Weltworld
das Wortword
die Zeittime
Category 2
Verbs
The 39 most common German verbs, including the essential modal verbs (können, müssen, sollen, wollen, dürfen, mögen).
arbeitento work
beginnento begin
bleibento stay
brauchento need
bringento bring
denkento think
dürfenmay, to be allowed to
findento find
fragento ask
gebento give
gehento go
habento have
heißento be called
helfento help
kommento come
könnencan, to be able to
lachento laugh
lassento let, leave
laufento run, walk
lernento learn
lesento read
liegento lie, be located
machento do, make
mögento like
müssenmust, to have to
nehmento take
sagento say
schlafento sleep
sehento see
seinto be
sitzento sit
sollenshould, ought to
spielento play
stehento stand
tunto do
verstehento understand
werdento become
wissento know (a fact)
wollento want
Category 3
Adjectives
The 26 most common German adjectives, for describing size, age, and other everyday qualities.
altold
ander(e)other
besserbetter
deutschGerman
dieserthis
eigen(e)own
einzeln(e)single, individual
erst(e)first
freifree
ganzwhole, entire
glücklichhappy
großbig, tall
gutgood
harthard
hochhigh, tall
jedeeach, every
jungyoung
kleinsmall
kurzshort
langlong
letzt(e)last
neunew
schwerdifficult, heavy
spätlate
vielmuch, many
weniglittle, few
erst(e), eigen(e), ander(e), einzeln(e), and letzt(e) are shown with their common adjective ending in parentheses: the bare stem is grammatically correct on its own, but the -e form is the one you'll actually hear and read most often.
Category 4
Adverbs & Prepositions
The 30 most common adverbs and prepositions, small words that show up constantly once you start reading full sentences.
alleseverything
anat, on
auchalso
aufon
beiat, near
dannthen
dortthere
durchthrough
fürfor
heutetoday
hierhere
immeralways
inin, into
jayes
jetztnow
mehrmore
mitwith
nachafter, to
nichtnot
nochstill, yet
nuronly
schonalready
sehrvery
soso
überover, about
unterunder
vonfrom, of
wiederagain
zuto
zusammentogether
Category 5
Conjunctions & Question Words
The 11 most common connectors and question words: the words that link clauses together and start every question.