Most Frequent Words in English: 500 Words You Need to Know

Did you know that understanding the 500 most frequently used words in English can cover over 65% of the words in any text or conversation?

Learning this basic vocabulary will help you progress more quickly because you’ll find it easier to follow conversations, read texts, and express yourself. The best part? You probably already know many of these words, even if you are just beginning to learn English.

Many frequency lists for English words already exist on the internet, but this one is different because this guide is logically prepared to help you memorize the vocabulary efficiently; the words are classified by themes and the explanations are straightforward and clear.

The names

Animals

English	Explanation
animal	a living organism, not a plant
bird	a creature with feathers and wings
cat	a small, furry pet that says “meow”
dog	a common pet that barks
fish	a water-dwelling creature with gills
horse	a large, domesticated animal often ridden by people
rabbit	a small, burrowing animal with long ears
snake	a legless reptile
spider	an eight-legged arachnid
tail	the rear part of an animal

The City and Urban World

English	Explanation
boat	a small vessel for travelling on water
car	a vehicle with four wheels and an engine.
door	an entrance to a building
race	a competition of speed,or the act of running
centre	the middle point of something
city	a large town
home	where you live
house	a building for living in
room	a part of a building
bed	furniture for sleeping
plane	an aircraft
road	a path for vehicles to travel on
way	a path or direction
street	a road in a city or town
surface	the outside layer of something
school	a place for learning
town	a populated area smaller than a city
travel	to go from one place to another
port	a place where ships dock

Nature

English	Explanation
farm	land used for growing crops and raising animals
fire	burning material producing heat
ground	the solid surface of the earth
island	a land surrounded by water
land	the solid part of the earth not covered by water
light	something that makes things visible
moon	The Earth’s natural satellite
mountain	a high, rocky landform
plant	a living organism that grows in the ground
river	a natural flowing body of water
sea	a large body of saltwater
ship	a large boat
snow	frozen precipitation
star	a luminous point in the night sky
sun	the star at the centre of our solar system
tree	a tall plant with a trunk and branches
water	a clear liquid essential for life
wind	moving air
wood	the material from trees

People and Family

English	Explanation
boy	a male child
children	young people
family	a group of related people
friend	someone you know and like
girl	a female child
group	many people or things
king	a male ruler
man	an adult male human
men	plural of man
mother	a female parent
people	humans in general
person	an individual human being

The Body

English	Explanation
age	how old someone is
body	the physical structure of a person
eye	organ for seeing
face	the front part of the head
foot, feet (plural)	the lowermost part of the body used for standing
hand	the end part of the arm
head	the upper part of the body containing the brain

The World

English	Explanation
country	a nation
day	24 hours
Earth	the planet we live on
morning	the early part of the day
night	the time of darkness
North	one of the cardinal directions
South	the direction opposite to North
East	where the sun rises
West	the direction where the sun sets
world	the planet we live on
year	365 days or 12 months

Items

English	Explanation
air	the invisible gas we breathe
area	a specific space
base	the bottom part of something
book	a set of written pages
box	a container with flat sides
class	a group of students
colour	the property of objects that can be seen
example	a representative form
figure	a number or shape
file	a folder or document
form	the shape or structure of something
game	an activity for fun
letter	a character in the alphabet
line	a long, narrow mark
list	a series of items
machine	a device with moving parts
map	a visual representation of an area
music	an organized sound that is pleasant
name	a word by which someone or thing is known
noun	a person, place, or thing
number	a numeral
object	a tangible item
order	a command, an arrangement
paper	a thin material used for writing
pattern	a repeated design
picture	an image or photo
piece	a part of something
place	a specific location
point	a particular spot
power	the ability to do something
product	something made or produced
round	shaped like a circle
rule	a guideline or regulation
science	the study of the natural world
sentence	a group of words forming a statement
song	a piece of music with lyrics
sound	vibrations that can be heard
state	a condition or situation, a region of a country
step	a movement made by lifting a foot
story	a narrative
table	furniture with a flat surface
test	an examination
thing	an object
towel	cloth for drying
voice	sound produced by speaking
war	armed conflict between groups or countries
wheel	a circular object for movement
word	a single unit of language
work	activity involving effort

Measures

English	Explanation
hour	60 minutes
inch	a unit of length (2.54 cm)
measure	to determine the size or amount
mile	a unit of distance (1.61 kilometres)
minute	60 seconds
money	currency used for transactions
pound	a unit of weight or currency
shape	the form of an object
side	a position to the left or right
size	how big or small something is
time	a measurable period
unit	a single thing
week	7 days

Abstract Nouns

English	Explanation
beauty	a quality that pleases the senses
end	the final part of something
fact	something true
strength	the quality of being strong
heat	warmth
help	assistance
idea	a thought or concept
interest	curiosity or attention
love	strong affection
mind	the part of a person that thinks
notice	an announcement or attention
problem	a difficult situation
question	a sentence asking for information
thought	an idea or opinion

Adjectives

Colors

English	Explanation
black	the colour of coal
blue	the colour of the sky
dark	little or no light
gold	the colour of gold
green	the colour of grass
red	the colour of blood
white	the colour of snow

Numbers

English	Explanation
first	coming before all others
five	the number 5
four	the number 4
hundred	the number 100
second	coming after the first
six	the number 6
ten	the number 10
thousand	the number 1,000
three	the number 3

Qualities

English	Explanation
best	better than all others
better	more suitable or improved
big	large in size
wide	broad in extent
little	small in size
long	extended in length
old	having lived for a long time
short	not long
young	having lived for a short time

English	Explanation
busy	having a lot to do
clear	easy to see through or understand
common	usual or widespread
complete	having all parts
deep	extending far down
direct	straight or straightforward
done	finished
dry	not wet
far	at a great distance
fast	moving quickly
few	not many
final	last in a series
fine	of high quality
free	not under control
full	containing as much as possible
good	of high quality
great	excellent or large
half	one of two equal parts
hard	solid or difficult
hot	having a high temperature
kind	caring and helpful
last	coming after all others
late	after the expected time
less	not as much
low	not high
new	recently made or introduced
next	coming immediately after
other	different
plain	simple or obvious
possible	able to be done
quick	fast
ready	prepared
real	actual or true
rich	having a lot of money
right	correct or just
same	not different
several	more than two but not many
simple	easy to understand
slow	not fast
small	little in size
special	better or different from the usual
strong	powerful
top	highest in position
usual	normal or typical
warm	somewhat hot
well	in good health
whole	entire or complete

Verbs

English	Explanation
act	to perform an action
add	to combine with something else
answer	to respond
appear	to become visible
ask	to request information
be	to exist
begin	to start
bring	to carry to a place
build	to construct
call	to shout or phone
care	to look after
carry	to transport
cause	to make something happen
check	to examine
close	to shut
come	to move towards
contain	to hold inside
cover	to place something over
cross	to go over
cry	to shed tears
cut	to use a sharp tool
decide	to make a choice
develop	to grow or improve
differ	to be unlike
do	to perform
draw	to make a picture
drive	to control a vehicle
ease	to make less difficult
eat	to consume food
fall	to drop down
feel	to sense
fill	to make full
find	to discover
fly	to move through the air
follow	to come after
get	to receive
give	to hand over
go	to move
govern	to control
grow	to increase
happen	to occur
have	to possess
hear	to listen
help	to assist
hold	to grasp
keep	to retain
know	to understand
laugh	to make a sound of joy
lay	to place something down
lead	to guide
learn	to acquire knowledge
leave	to go away
like	to enjoy
listen	to pay attention to sound
live	to be alive
look	to direct your eyes
love	to feel deep affection
make	to create
mark	to indicate
mean	to signify
miss	to fail to hit
move	to change position
need	to require
note	to observe
open	to make accessible
own	to possess
pass	to go by
play	to engage in a game
press	to push
produce	to create
pull	to draw towards
put	to place
rain	to fall as water
reach	to stretch out to touch
read	to interpret written symbols
record	to save information
remember	to recall
rest	to relax
run	to move quickly on foot
say	to speak
see	to perceive with the eyes
seem	to appear
serve	to provide for
set	to place
show	to display
sing	to produce musical sounds
sit	to rest on the bottom
sleep	to rest in sleep
spell	to form words
stand	to be upright
start	to begin
stay	to remain
stop	to cease
study	to learn
take	to grasp
talk	to speak
teach	to instruct
tell	to inform
think	to consider
travel	to go from place to place
try	to attempt
turn	to change direction
use	to employ
wait	to stay until something happens
walk	to move on foot
want	to desire
watch	to observe
wonder	to be curious
work	to engage in activity
write	to form letters

Modals

English	Explanation
can, could	ability, permission
may, might	permission, possibility, advice
must	obligation, strong certainty
should	suggestion, advice
would	willingness, intention

Prepositions, Adverbs, Pronouns, Determiners, …

Determiners

English	Explanation
a	one (indefinite article)
an	one (before a vowel)
any	one or more, whatever
certain	specific but not named
each	every one separately
every	all individuals
one	single
some	an unspecified amount
that	the thing previously mentioned
the	definite article
these	plural of “this”
this	the thing here
those	plural of “that”

Personal Pronouns

English	Explanation
he	male person
her	female person
him	male person
his	belonging to him
I	oneself
it	thing or animal
me	oneself
my	belonging to me
our	belonging to us
she	female person
their	belonging to them
them	people or things receiving the action.
they	people or things performing the action.
us	The speaker and others who are receiving the action.
we	the speaker and others who are performing the action.
you	the person or people being spoken to.
your	belonging to you

Interrogative Pronouns

English	Explanation
how	in what way
what	which thing
when	at what time
where	in what place
which	what one
who	what person
why	for what reason

Prepositions and Adverbs

English	Explanation
about	concerning
above	higher than
after	following
again	once more
against	in opposition to
ago	before now
all	every one
also	in addition
always	at all times
and	in addition
as	in the same way
at	in a specific place
back	in return
before	earlier than
behind	at the back of
between	in the space separating
both	the two together
but	except
by	near
down	towards a lower place
during	throughout
enough	sufficient
even	equal
far	at a great distance
for	intended to be given to
from	indicating the source
here	in this place
if	on the condition that
in	inside
just	exactly
many	a large number of
more	a greater quantity
most	the greatest quantity
much	a large amount of
near	close to
never	at no time
no	not any
nothing	not anything
now	at this moment
of	belonging to
off	away from
often	frequently
oh	used to express surprise
once	one time
only	no more than
or	alternatively
out	away from the inside
over	above
perhaps	maybe
self	the individual
since	from then until now
so	to a great extent
still	continuing
such	of the kind previously mentioned
than	used to compare
then	at that time
there	in that place
though	despite the fact
through	in one side and out the other
to	in the direction of
together	in a group
too	also
towards	in the direction of
under	beneath
until	up to the time
up	towards a higher place
very	to a high degree
with	accompanied by
yes	affirmatively
yet	up until now

How to Learn These Words?

Are you impressed by these 500 words? Don’t panic, you just need a system!

Prepare a Schedule

1. Gather Materials: Get some sheets of paper and a pencil.
2. Set a Daily Goal: Aim to learn 10 words per day since you already know some of the words.
3. Plan Your Week: Work for 6 days a week and use the 7th day for review.
4. Keep up the Pace: In 1 and a half months, you will have memorized these words!

Weekly Plan

First Week:

1. Write down the 60 words for the week in groups of 10.
2. Cross out the words you already know.
3. Each day, learn 10 new words.
4. Review the words from the previous day every day.
5. On the 7th day, get quizzed or review the words in context.

Subsequent Weeks:

1. Repeat the process with a new set of 60 words each week.
2. Consistently review the words learned in previous weeks to reinforce memory.

Tips for Effective Learning

• Writing: Write each word multiple times to remember the spelling.
• Pronunciation: Practice saying each word out loud to master pronunciation.
• Context: Use each word in a sentence to understand its meaning and usage.
• Regular Review: Regularly revisit words to ensure they stay in your memory.

By following this plan, you will have learned and memorized these words in just one and a half months! So, let’s get to work and make learning efficient and effective.

2 Exercises to Test Your Knowledge

Fill-in-the-Blank Exercises

1.  Animals and Nature

• The _____ is known for its ability to swim.
• A _____ is a common pet that purrs.
• The _____ has a long neck and eats leaves from tall ____.

2.  City and Urban World

• We took a _____ to cross the river.
• The _____ of our city is very busy.
• I locked the _____ before going to bed.

3.  Nature

• The _____ shines brightly in the ____ during the day.
• We went hiking up the _____ last weekend.
• The _____ flows through the valley.

4.  People and Family

• My best _____ is coming over for dinner tonight.
• The _____ is the leader of a country.
• The _____ is taking his ____ to school.

5.  Body

• My _____ helps me see the world.
• She wears a blue ____ to protect her ____ from the sun.
• He broke his _____ while playing soccer.

6.  World

• The _____ rotates around the ____.
• The _____ is divided into different ____ zones.
• He travelled to a different _____ for his job.

7.  Items

• She wrote her name in her new _____.
• The _____ in the classroom is green.
• I need to buy a new case for my ____.

8.  Abstract Nouns

• The _____ of the mountains is breathtaking.
• She solved the _____ quickly.
• His _____ in science helped him win the prize.

9.  Colors

• The sky is _____.
• She bought a _____ dress for the party.
• The paper turned _____ when it burned.

10.  Numbers

• This is my _____ visit to the museum.
• It’s midday, the clock struck _____.

11.  Qualities

• She is the _____ student in her class.
• This box is too ____ to carry alone.
• His shoes are too _____ for running.

12.  Verbs

• Can you _____ me a glass of water?
• She loves to _____ books.
• He needs to _____ his room before guests arrive.

Multiple Choice Exercises

1.  Animals

• The _____ is a farm animal. (a) cat (b) cow (c) bird
• A _____ has feathers and can fly. (a) dog (b) bird (c) fish
• The _____ is known for its long ears and jumping ability. (a) rabbit (b) snake (c) horse

2.  City and Urban World

• The _____ is where planes land and take off. (a) port (b) airport (c) school
• He lives in a small _____. (a) town (b) road (c) way
• The _____ leads to my house. (a) road (b) river (c) tree

3.  Nature

• We planted a _____ in our garden. (a) car (b) tree (c) house
• The _____ is made of water. (a) mountain (b) island (c) river
• The _____ can be seen in the sky at night. (a) sun (b) moon (c) cloud

4.  People and Family

• My _____ is always there to help me. (a) friend (b) stranger (c) enemy
• The _____ has a new baby brother. (a) girl (b) king (c) queen
• The _____ cook dinner for the family. (a) sister (b) mother (c) parents

5.  Body

• She injured her _____ while playing basketball. (a) hand (b) face (c) body
• He combs his _____ every morning. (a) head (b) hand (c) hair
• The _____ helps us hear sounds. (a) eye (b) ear (c) nose