Top 500 German words

This word list comes from Randall Jones & Erwin Tschirner’s A Frequency Dictionary of German. Core Vocabulary for Learners, which lists the 4034 (!) most commonly used words in German.

Words 1-100 | 101-200 | 201-300 | 301-400 | 401-500

1. der / die / das (def. art.) the; (dem. pron.)  that, those; (rel. pron) who, that
2. und (conj.) and
3. sein (verb) to be; (aux./perfect tense)
4. in (prep.) in (variation: im in the)
5. ein (indef. art.) a, an; (pron.) one (of)
6. zu (prep.) to, at; (adv.) too
7. haben (verb) to have; (aux./perfect tense)
8. ich (pers. pron.) I
9. werden (verb) to become; (aux./future tense); ; (aux./passive voice)
10. sie (pers. pron.) she, her (acc. form of sie [sing.]); they, them (acc. form of sie [pl.]; Sie (pers. pron.) you (formal)
11. von (prep.) from, of
12. nicht (adv.) not
13. mit (prep.) with
14. es (pers. pron.) it
15. sich (refl. pron.) -self
16. auch (adv.) also, too
17. auf (prep.) on, at, in
18. für (prep.) for
19. an (prep.) at, on (variation: am at/on the)
20. er (pers. pron.) he
21. so (adv.) so; thus, this way, such
22. dass (conj.) that
23. können (verb) can, to be able
24. dies- (det. /pron.) this, that
25. als (conj.) as, when; (adv.) than
26. ihr (pers. pron.) you (pl., familiar), her (dat. form of sie [sing.]); (poss. adj.) her, their, hers, theirs (poss. form of sie [sing.], sie [pl.]); Ihr (poss. adj.) your (formal, poss. form of Sie)
27. ja (adv.) yes; certainly, really
28. wie (adv.) how; as
29. bei (prep.) by, with, at
30. oder (conj.) or
31. wir (pers. pron.) we
32. aber (conj.) but; (adv./flavoring particle)
33. dann (adv.) then
34. man (pron.) one, you
35. da (adv.) there; (conj.) because
36. sein (poss. adj.) his, its (poss. form of er, es)
37. noch (adv.) still, yet
38. nach (prep.) after, toward
39. was (pron.) what
40. also (adv.) so, therefore
41. aus (prep.) out, out of, from
42. all (pron.) all
43. wenn (conj.) if, when
44. nur (adv.) only
45. müssen (verb) to have to, must
46. sagen (verb) to say
47. um (prep.) around, at [variation: um … zu in order to]
48. über (prep.) above, over, about
49. machen (verb) to do, make
50. kein (pron.) no, not a/an
51. Jahr das, -e (noun) year
52. du (pron.) you (familiar, sing.)
53. mein (poss. adj.) my (poss. form of ich)
54. schon (adv.) already; (adv./flavoring particle)
55. vor (prep.) in front of, before, ago
56. durch (prep.) through
57. geben (verb) to give
58. mehr (adv.) more
59. andere, anderer, anderes (adj./pron.) other
60. viel (adj./pron.) much, a lot, many
61. kommen (verb) to come
62. jetzt (adv.) now
63. sollen (verb) should, ought to
64. mir (pers. pron.) [to/for] me (dat. form of ich)
65. wollen (verb) to want
66. ganz (adj.) whole, all the; (adv.) quite
67. mich (pers. pron.) me (acc. form of ich)
68. immer (adv.) always
69. gehen (verb) to go
70. sehr (adv.) very
71. hier (adv) here
72. doch (adv.) however, still; (adv./flavoring particle)
73. bis (prep./conj.) until
74. groß (adj.) big, large, great
75. wieder (adv.) again
76. Mal das, -e (noun) time; mal (conj.) times [math]; (part.) time(s); once; just
77. zwei (num.) two
78. gut (adj.) good
79. wissen (verb) to know
80. neu (adj.) new
81. sehen (verb) to see
82. lassen (verb) to let, allow, have (something) done
83. uns (pers. pron.) us (acc., dat. form of wir)
84. weil (conj.) because
85. unter (prep.) under
86. denn (conj.) because; (part.) (used in questions to tone down bluntness)
87. stehen (verb) to stand
88. jed- (det./pron.) every, each
89. Beispiel, das, -e (noun) example
90. Zeit, die (noun) time
91. erste, erster, erstes (adj.) first
92. ihm (pers. pron.) him, it (dat. form of er, es)
93. ihn (pers. pron.) him (acc. form of er)
94. wo (adv.) where
95. lang (adj.) long; lange (adv.) for a long time
96. eigentlich (adv.) actually; (adj.) actual, real
97. damit (adv.) with it; (conj.) so that
98. selbst, selber (pron.) -self; (adv.) even
99. unser (poss. adj.) our (poss. of wir)
100. oben (adv.) above, up there