The small word placed before a masculine noun like “man”, “day”, or “car”.
Der Mann kommt aus Berlin. The man comes from Berlin.
The small word placed before a masculine noun like “man”, “day”, or “car”.
Der Mann kommt aus Berlin. The man comes from Berlin.
And
Ich und du. You and I.
In, inside something
Ich bin in der Schule. I am in school.
A word used before neuter nouns like car, child, or book.
Das ist mein Buch. That is my book.
With, together
Ich gehe mit meinem Freund. I go with my friend.
To, in direction of
Ich gehe zu meiner Freundin. I go to my friend's place.
From; of/belonging to
Ich komme von der Arbeit. I come from work.
On, on top of a surface
Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch. The book is on the table.
For, for the benefit of
Das Geschenk ist für dich. The gift is for you.
The number 1, used for example with 1 meter or 1 kilo.
Der Tisch ist ein Meter breit. The table is one meter wide.
It
Es ist kalt. It is cold.
This word is used with certain verbs to show that the action refers back to the same person, for example to wash or to be happy.
Er freut sich über das Geschenk. He is happy about the gift.
Said when something is false or when saying no.
Das stimmt nicht. That's not right.
Also
Ich auch. Me too.
She
Sie ist schön. She is beautiful.
To be; to exist; to have a state
Ich bin müde. I am tired.
At
An der Wand. At the wall.
At/Near; at someone's place
Ich bin bei meiner Mutter. I am at my mother's place.
He
Er ist groß. He is tall.
To (place); after (time)
Ich fahre nach Berlin. I go to Berlin.
From
Aus Deutschland. From Germany.
To have; to possess
Ich habe ein Auto. I have a car.
How, asks about manner
Wie geht es dir? How are you?
Later, a child becomes a man or a woman.
Ich werde bald Arzt. I'm going to be a doctor soon.
Around, at
Um 8 Uhr. At 8 oclock.
All
Alle sind gekommen. Everyone came.
Can; to be able to
Ich kann schwimmen. I can swim.
In front of; before (time)
Ich stehe vor der Tür. I stand in front of the door.
But
Ich möchte, aber ich kann nicht. I want to, but I cannot.
Still, yet
Ich arbeite noch. I am still working.
Over, above
Die Lampe hängt über dem Tisch. The lamp hangs over the table.
So
Mach es so. Do it like this.
Or
Kaffee oder Tee? Coffee or tea?
We
Wir sind Freunde. We are friends.
Only
Ich habe nur einen. I have only one.
To give
Ich gebe dir das Buch. I give you the book.
I
Ich bin hier. I am here.
You say this when a number gets bigger.
Ich möchte noch mehr Wasser, bitte. I would like some more water, please.
One
Man sagt das oft. One often says that.
Until, up to a point in time or place
Bis morgen! See you tomorrow!
Against
Ich bin dagegen. I am against it.
A period of twelve months.
Ich bin seit einem Jahr hier. I've been here for a year.
Must; to have to
Wir müssen jetzt gehen. We have to go now.
To say, to make words with the mouth
Ich möchte dir etwas sagen. I would like to tell you something.
Through
Durch den Park. Through the park.
To come; to arrive
Kommst du morgen? Are you coming tomorrow?
What, asks about a thing
Was ist das? What is that?
Under, lower than something else
Die Katze ist unter dem Bett. The cat is under the bed.
To go; to walk
Wir gehen heute ins Kino. We are going to the cinema today.
To make; to do
Was machst du? What are you doing?
To stand
Er steht an der Tür. He stands at the door.
To want
Ich will schlafen. I want to sleep.
Two, the number 2
Ich habe zwei Hände. I have two hands.
Already
Ich bin schon fertig. I am already done.
Then
Dann gehe ich zur Schule. Then I go to school.
Since
Seit gestern. Since yesterday.
Euro
Das kostet zehn Euro. That costs ten euros.
Good; of high quality
Das Essen ist gut. The food is good.
human being, person
Der Mensch ist ein soziales Wesen. Humans are social beings.
Always, at all times, without exception
Ich trinke immer Kaffee. I always drink coffee.
You
Ihr seid willkommen. You are welcome.
Watch/Clock, shows time, on arm or wall
Wie spät ist es auf deiner Uhr? What time is it on your watch?
From a point in time or place, not before.
Der Zug fährt ab acht Uhr. The train departs at eight o'clock.
should, ought to
Alle Mitarbeiter sollen pünktlich zur Besprechung kommen. All employees are supposed to come to the meeting on time.
This
Dieser Mann ist nett. This man is nice.
There
Ich bin da. I am there.
Now, at this moment
Jetzt gehe ich nach Hause. Now I am going home.
To see; to perceive with eyes
Wir sehen heute einen Film. We are watching a film today.
Wide, loose
Das T-Shirt ist mir zu weit. The T-shirt is too loose for me.
Between
Das Buch liegt zwischen den Heften. The book lies between the notebooks.
to stay, to remain
Ich bleibe zu Hause. I stay at home.
Loud
Die Musik ist zu laut. The music is too loud.
Three, the number 3
Es sind drei Personen hier. There are three people here.
Here
Ich bin hier. I am here.
Police
Rufen Sie die Polizei! Call the police!
A person from the country whose capital is Berlin; for a woman, you say die Deutsche.
Der Deutsche im Kurs spricht auch Englisch. The German man in the course also speaks English.
Very
Ich freue mich sehr über dein Geschenk. I am very happy about your gift.
Time, hours, days, years; when something happens
Ich habe keine Zeit. I have no time.
To find
Ich finde meinen Schlüssel nicht. I cannot find my key.
Man, an adult male person; husband
Der Mann liest eine Zeitung. The man is reading a newspaper.
Germany — a country in Europe.
Wir lernen Deutsch in Deutschland. We are learning German in Germany.
To lie
Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch. The book lies on the table.
You say this when something doesn't stop.
Bitte lesen Sie weiter. Please keep reading.
Woman, an adult female person; wife
Die Frau arbeitet als Ärztin. The woman works as a doctor.
End
Am Ende des Films habe ich geweint. At the end of the movie, I cried.
To bring
Er bringt mir ein Geschenk. He brings me a gift.
Because, for
Ich bleibe zu Hause, denn ich bin krank. I stay home because I am sick.
Without, not with
Kaffee ohne Zucker, bitte. Coffee without sugar, please.
us
Sie gaben uns das Buch. They gave us the book.
Who, asks about a person
Wer ist das? Who is that?
There
Das Buch liegt dort. The book is over there.
once
Komm mal her. Come here for a moment.
to live
Wir leben seit zehn Jahren in Berlin. We have been living in Berlin for ten years.
Week, seven days, from Monday to Sunday
Diese Woche arbeite ich viel. This week I work a lot.
Country; countryside
Deutschland ist ein schönes Land. Germany is a beautiful country.
It has many hours, from morning to night.
Heute ist ein schöner Tag. Today is a beautiful day.
Today, on this day
Heute ist Montag. Today is Monday.
To explain
Kannst du mir das erklären? Can you explain this to me?
City, a large place with many people
Berlin ist eine große Stadt. Berlin is a big city.
Used for a man that is already known — the object form of 'he'.
Ich sehe ihn jeden Tag. I see him every day.
Child, a young person, son or daughter
Das Kind spielt im Garten. The child is playing in the garden.
To play; to engage in a game
Die Kinder spielen im Garten. The children are playing in the garden.
Something that is not the same as this one.
Ich möchte nicht diese Jacke, sondern die andere. I don't want this jacket, but the other one.
To take
Ich nehme den Stift. I take the pen.
German, the language in Germany, Austria, Switzerland
Ich lerne Deutsch. I am learning German.
So, therefore
Es regnet, also bleibe ich. It rains, so I stay.
To speak; to talk
Ich spreche Deutsch. I speak German.
Everything
Alles ist gut. Everything is fine.
The time a person has in the world.
Das Leben in der Stadt ist schnell. Life in the city is fast.
him
Sie gab ihm einen Kuss. She gave him a kiss.
To meet
Ich treffe meinen Freund. I meet my friend.
A word meaning “not a” or “not any”.
Ich habe keine Zeit heute. I don't have any time today.
Work, job
Die Arbeit ist interessant. The work is interesting.
To hold; to stop
Kannst du das bitte kurz halten? Please hold this.
Four, the number 4
Ein Jahr hat vier Jahreszeiten. A year has four seasons.
to be called
Ich heiße Max. My name is Max.
Question, when you want to know something
Hast du eine Frage? Do you have a question?
Where, asks about a place
Wo wohnst du? Where do you live?
to do
Was soll ich tun? What should I do?
To know (a fact)
Wir wissen die Antwort nicht. We don't know the answer.
Once
Es war einmal... Once upon a time...
It belongs to a book or text, but it's not all of it.
Lies bitte den zweiten Teil. Please read the second part.
first
Der erste Schnee fiel. The first snow fell.
To work; to have a job
Ich arbeite als Lehrer. I work as a teacher.
This — similar to saying “that” or “this here”.
Dies ist mein neues Auto. This is my new car.
Simple, easy
Das ist einfach. That is simple.
Late
Es ist spät. It is late.
Square, place
Der Platz ist groß. The square is big.
Back
Ich gehe zurück nach Hause. I go back.
Street, a path for cars and pedestrians
Die Straße ist sehr breit. The street is very wide.
Important
Meine Familie ist mir sehr wichtig. My family is very important to me.
New; recently made or bought
Ich habe ein neues Handy. I have a new phone.
Right now
Ich esse gerade. I am eating right now.
A male child, not yet an adult.
Der Junge spielt im Garten. The boy is playing in the garden.
Five, the number 5
Ich habe fünf Finger. I have five fingers.
Fast; quick
Das Auto ist schnell. The car is fast.
theme
Das Thema ist zeitlos. The theme is timeless.
World
Die Welt ist groß. The world is big.
Often, many times, frequently
Ich gehe oft ins Restaurant. I often go to the restaurant.
To write; to put words on paper
Ich schreibe einen Brief. I am writing a letter.
Family, parents and children together
Meine Familie ist sehr groß. My family is very big.
To get
Ich habe gestern einen Brief von meiner Tante bekommen, der aus Hamburg kam. Yesterday I received a letter from my aunt that came from Hamburg.
later
Ich rufe dich später an. I will call you later.
Short
Der Weg ist kurz. The way is short.
To run, to go fast
Ich laufe jeden Morgen. I run every morning.
position, job
Ich habe eine neue Stelle gefunden. I found a new job.
Car, a vehicle with four wheels
Mein Auto ist blau. My car is blue.
Yes
Ja, ich komme. Yes, I am coming.
Place
Der Ort ist bekannt. The place is known.
To belong
Das Buch gehört mir. The book belongs to me.
Big; large; tall
Das Haus ist groß. The house is big.
Nothing
Nichts ist passiert. Nothing happened.
Famous, well-known
Berlin ist bekannt. Berlin is well-known.
To drive, to go
Ich fahre mit dem Bus. I go by bus.
To begin, to start
Der Film beginnt um 8 Uhr. The film begins at 8 o clock.
To ask, to want to know something
Ich frage den Lehrer. I ask the teacher.
This makes life difficult for a person.
Mein Problem ist die Sprache. My problem is the language.
To hear; to perceive with ears
Ich höre Musik. I am listening to music.
them
Es gefiel ihnen. They liked it.
To cost
Das kostet 10 Euro. That costs 10 euros.
Sunday, the seventh day of the week
Sonntag gehe ich in die Kirche. On Sunday I go to church.
Minute, 60 seconds
Warte eine Minute, bitte. Wait a minute, please.
Friday, the fifth day of the week
Freitag ist mein Lieblingstag. Friday is my favorite day.
Hour, 60 minutes
Ich warte schon eine Stunde. I have been waiting for an hour.
Possible
Ist das möglich? Is that possible?
To need; to require
Ich brauche Hilfe. I need help.
Easy to understand, without any problem.
Kommst du mit? – Klar! Are you coming? – Sure!
Saturday, the sixth day of the week
Am Samstag schlafe ich lange. On Saturday I sleep late.
Ten, the number 10
Ich habe zehn Euro. I have ten euros.
Berlin is a big city in Germany.
Das Flugzeug aus Berlin kommt heute an. The plane from Berlin arrives today.
Which
Welche Farbe? Which color?
You
Du bist nett. You are nice.
To win
Unsere Mannschaft gewinnt fast jedes Spiel. Our team wins almost every game.
Picture, image
Das Bild ist schön. The picture is beautiful.
Long
Das Kleid ist lang. The dress is long.
House, a building where people live
Das Haus hat einen großen Garten. The house has a big garden.
Heavy, difficult
Der Koffer ist schwer. The suitcase is heavy.
This is not much.
Ich habe leider nur wenig Zeit. Unfortunately, I only have a little time.
A view — looking far, often at something beautiful.
Von hier hat man einen guten Blick auf die Stadt. From here you have a good view of the city.
Page
Öffne Seite zehn. Open page ten.
Money
Ich habe kein Geld. I have no money.
Both — used for two people or things together, not only one.
Beide Kinder gehen heute in die Schule. Both children are going to school today.
The form of “good” used for comparing: this is … than that.
Hast du eine bessere Antwort? Do you have a better answer?
Beginning, start
Am Anfang war es schwer. In the beginning, it was hard.
To search, to look for
Ich suche meine Schlüssel. I am looking for my keys.
Why, asks about the reason
Warum lernst du Deutsch? Why are you learning German?
Together
Wir gehen zusammen. We go together.
October
Im Oktober ist Oktoberfest. In October is Oktoberfest.
A continent with many countries, for example Germany.
Deutschland liegt mitten in Europa. Germany is located in the middle of Europe.
Six, the number 6
Ein Würfel hat sechs Seiten. A dice has six sides.
September
Im September beginnt der Herbst. In September autumn begins.
Monday, the first day of the week
Am Montag gehe ich arbeiten. On Monday I go to work.
Wednesday, the third day of the week
Mittwoch ist die Mitte der Woche. Wednesday is the middle of the week.
Never, at no time
Ich trinke nie Alkohol. I never drink alcohol.
To help, to support someone
Kann ich dir helfen? Can I help you?
June
Im Juni beginnt der Sommer. In June summer begins.
Month, about 30 days, January to December
Welcher Monat ist heute? What month is today?
To celebrate
Wir feiern morgen den Geburtstag meiner Mutter, die sich sehr darauf freut. We are celebrating my mother's birthday tomorrow, and she is really looking forward to it.
Example
Hier ist ein Beispiel. Here is an example.
Tuesday, the second day of the week
Dienstag habe ich Deutschkurs. On Tuesday I have German class.
to pay
Kann ich mit Karte zahlen? Can I pay by card?
Thursday, the fourth day of the week
Donnerstag gehe ich einkaufen. On Thursday I go shopping.
November
November ist grau und kalt. November is grey and cold.
Price
Der Preis ist gut. The price is good.
Conversation, talk
Wir hatten ein langes Gespräch. We had a long conversation.
To close
Ich schließe das Fenster. I close the window.
Result
Die Ergebnisse sind überraschend. The results are surprising.
July
Juli ist sehr heiß. July is very hot.
To put or place something somewhere.
Stell die Tasche auf den Tisch. Put the bag on the table.
May
Im Mai blühen die Blumen. In May the flowers bloom.
middle
Wir sind in der Mitte. We are in the middle.
Name, what you are called
Mein Name ist Anna. My name is Anna.
Night
Gute Nacht! Good night!
Maybe, perhaps
Vielleicht regnet es morgen. Maybe it rains tomorrow.
Soon, after a very short time.
Warte kurz, der Zug fährt gleich ab. Wait a moment, the train is leaving soon.
Summer
Im Sommer ist es heiß. In summer it is hot.
August
Im August mache ich Urlaub. In August I take vacation.
December
Im Dezember ist Weihnachten. In December is Christmas.
group
Wir arbeiten in einer Gruppe. We work in a group.
School, a building for learning
Ich gehe in die Schule. I go to school.
Evening
Guten Abend! Good evening!
A man or a woman you like to have at home.
Herr Klein ist am Wochenende unser Gast. Mr. Klein is our guest this weekend.
January
Im Januar ist es kalt. In January it is cold.
March
Im März wird es wärmer. In March it gets warmer.
This is a group for sports or a hobby.
Es gibt einen neuen Sportverein in der Stadt. There is a new sports club in the city.
Offer, sale
Das ist ein gutes Angebot. That is a good offer.
April
Im April regnet es oft. In April it often rains.
To mean
Was bedeutet dieses Wort? Ich verstehe die Bedeutung nicht. What does this word mean? I don't understand the meaning.
Not hard to understand or do.
Die Aufgabe ist leicht, ich verstehe sie sofort. The task is easy, I understand it right away.
White, the lightest color, like snow
Der Schnee ist weiß. The snow is white.
Eight, the number 8
Die Spinne hat acht Beine. The spider has eight legs.
February
Februar ist kurz. February is short.
to be happy, to look forward to
Ich freue mich sehr! I am very happy!
A person who works at the counter (official).
Der Beamte hilft dir am Schalter. The official helps you at the counter.
Right; correct
Die Antwort ist richtig. The answer is correct.
Weekend
Am Wochenende schlafe ich lange. On the weekend I sleep long.
Alone
Ich wohne allein. I live alone.
Apartment, flat
Die Wohnung ist groß. The apartment is big.
Seven, the number 7
Eine Woche hat sieben Tage. A week has seven days.
How many years a person has already lived.
Bitte geben Sie Ihr Alter an. Please state your age.
Immediately
Komm sofort! Come immediately!
This is a part of a house or a school.
Der Raum ist sehr hell. The room is very bright.
Information
Ich brauche mehr Information. I need more information.
Water, a clear liquid for drinking
Trinkst du Wasser? Do you drink water?
Mother, the woman who gave birth to a child
Meine Mutter kocht sehr gut. My mother cooks very well.
date
Welches Datum haben wir heute? What date is it today?
May — allowed to do something, not forbidden.
Sie dürfen hier nicht rauchen. You are not allowed to smoke here.
To know (a person/thing)
Ich kenne ihn gut. I know him well.
A map of a city or of streets.
Ich brauche einen Plan von der Stadt. I need a map of the city.
To sit
Ich sitze auf dem Stuhl. I sit on the chair.
Hand, the part at the end of the arm with fingers
Ich wasche meine Hände. I wash my hands.
To wait
Ich warte auf den Bus. I wait for the bus.
Reaching far upward; tall or high.
Der Berg ist sehr hoch. The mountain is very high.
teenager, adolescent
Der Jugendliche interessiert sich für Musik. The teenager is interested in music.
teenager, adolescent
Die Jugendliche liest viel. The teenager reads a lot.
Soon
Bis bald! See you soon!
A person who buys something in a shop.
Der Kunde bezahlt an der Kasse. The customer pays at the checkout.
Our
Das ist unser Haus. That is our house.
This is number two.
Das Kind wohnt im zweiten Stock. The child lives on the second floor.
Solution
Wir suchen eine Lösung für das Problem. We are looking for a solution to the problem.
It plays at the cinema or on television.
Ich möchte gern diesen Film im Kino sehen. I would love to see this film at the cinema.
To fetch, to get
Ich hole die Kinder von der Schule. I fetch the children from school.
My
Das ist mein Buch. This is my book.
The man who drives a car or a bus.
Der Fahrer hält an der nächsten Straße an. The driver stops at the next street.
Father, the man who has a child
Mein Vater arbeitet viel. My father works a lot.
A piece of work done at school or at a job.
Das ist eine schwere Aufgabe. That is a difficult task.
Old; not young
Mein Großvater ist alt. My grandfather is old.
This is the word for a very short time.
Einen Moment, bitte! One moment, please!
To ask, to request
Ich bitte um Hilfe. I ask for help.
This comes right after this one.
Der nächste Bus kommt in fünf Minuten. The next bus comes in five minutes.
To open
Bitte öffnen Sie die Tür. Please open the door.
A word you say when someone does something good for you.
Vielen Dank für deine Hilfe! Thank you so much for your help!
Left
Das Auto fährt links. The car goes left.
The one at the end, after everything else.
Morgen ist der letzte Kurstag. Tomorrow is the last day of the course.
Photo
Das Foto ist schön. The photo is beautiful.
Bathroom, a room with bathtub or shower
Das Bad ist klein, aber schön. The bathroom is small but nice.
To read; to understand written text
Ich lese ein Buch. I am reading a book.
earlier, formerly
Früher wohnte ich in Hamburg. I used to live in Hamburg.
A business where people work under a boss; it sells something and makes money.
Die Firma ist groß. The company is big.
Something good you do for a person who needs it.
Brauchst du Hilfe beim Umzug? Do you need help with the move?
Format · strategy for every part · sample questions with answers
The official Goethe A1 word list covers about 650 words, about half of them for active use. This page shows the 280 most frequent A1 words from our 801-word bank; the full list is in the app.
Yes. The Goethe-Institut publishes an official word list for the Goethe-Zertifikat A1: Start Deutsch 1 as a free PDF. It covers about 650 words, and the Goethe-Institut expects you to use about half of them actively. The list opens with the A1 topic areas and 13 word groups, such as numbers, days and months, followed by an alphabetical list with example sentences. The youth exam, Fit in Deutsch 1, has its own separate list.
Download it for free from the A1 exam training page (Prüfungstraining) on goethe.de, next to the free practice tests; no login is needed. The Goethe-Institut calls the list a reference for the level and says it is less suited to drilling vocabulary. This page gives you the 280 most frequent A1 words with articles, plurals and example sentences, also as a PDF with a free account. Our full 801-word list is in the app.
Goethe A1 vocabulary covers 10 essential topics: personal information (name, address), family members, numbers (0–1,000), days of the week, food and drinks, housing and furniture, daily activities, colors, body parts, and common professions. Each topic is essential for basic everyday communication.
Yes. Every German noun has a gender (masculine, feminine or neuter), and the gender decides the article. Learning the article with each noun is crucial because it affects adjective endings, pronouns, and grammar throughout the language. This list includes articles with every noun.
With consistent daily practice of 15–30 minutes, most learners can cover the A1 vocabulary in 2–3 months. Using spaced repetition, flashcards, and practicing with example sentences helps improve retention. Focus on 10–15 new words per day for sustainable progress.
The most effective methods include: learning words in context with example sentences, using spaced repetition systems (SRS), practicing pronunciation by listening and repeating, grouping words by topic, and using the words in your own sentences. This list provides examples for every word to help with contextual learning.
Sample forms and short messages with feedback
The same A1 exam at telc: parts, timing and a mock exam (3 exam sections free)
Continue building your German word bank
Complete guide to format, tips, and German citizenship
Preview A2-level writing tasks