by Jakob Straub
Updated on October 15, 2024
Useful advanced German vocabulary to sound like a native
You’ve mastered basic German vocabulary and now you want to move on to more advanced German words to sound more like a native. There’s no shortcut to that, but our vocabulary lists for various topics will help you study advanced German vocabulary to reach C1 level and above!
If you want to reach C1 level of proficiency in German, you’ll need an active vocabulary of at least 5,000 words. Don’t worry, our advanced German vocabulary lists are not that long. We’ve compiled useful words around various topics to help you sound like a native and convince others in conversation that you know what you’re talking about.
These word lists of advanced German vocabulary are based on lists from the Oxford, Cambridge, and Royal Society of Arts (OCR) as well as most frequently used words in the German language as published by the Projekt Wortschatz at the University of Leipzig.
German from Germany, Austria and Switzerland: Key vocabulary differences
| GERMAN | ENGLISH |
| Absicht | intention |
| Achtung | attention |
| ähnlich | similar |
| ahnen | to suspect |
| Ahnung | idea, suspicion, premonition |
| außer / außerdem | except / besides |
| äußerst | extremely |
| bedeuten | to mean |
| damit | so that |
| enttäuschen | to disappoint |
| enttäuscht | disappointed |
| erklären | to explain |
| erlauben | to allow, permit |
| es kommt darauf an | to depend (it depends) |
| fließend | fluently |
| Folge | consequence |
| gehören | to belong to |
| genügen | to suffice |
| geschehen | to happen |
| häufig | frequently |
| heutzutage | nowadays |
| höchstens | at most |
| im voraus | in advance |
| insgesamt | altogether |
| irren (sich) | to be wrong |
| kaum | hardly / scarcely |
| ob | whether |
| obgleich / obwohl | although |
| sobald | as soon as |
| statt | instead of |
| umsonst | in vain / free (of charge) |
| völlig | completely / fully |
| vor allem | above all |
| vor kurzem | recently / a short time ago |
| Vorsicht (vorsichtig) | careful |
| wagen | to dare |
| während | while |
| weder … noch | neither … nor |
The most common spoken words in German
These words are related to things and activities in the home, as well as people, friends and family and facilities and getting around close to home.
| GERMAN | ENGLISH |
| abnehmen | to lose weight / slim |
| Alptraum | nightmare |
| altmodisch | old fashioned |
| anbauen | to grow (crops) |
| ändern | to change |
| anprobieren | to try on |
| Anrichte | sideboard |
| anschalten | to switch on |
| anschnallen (sich) | to fasten seat belt |
| anstrengend | tiring, exhausting |
| anziehen | to attract |
| ärgerlich | annoying |
| ärgern | to annoy |
| artig | well behaved |
| aufgeregt | excited |
| aufschließen | to unlock |
| ausschalten | to switch off |
| ausschlafen | to sleep in |
| außer Betrieb | out of order / not working |
| Autobahnkreuz | highway junction |
| Bahnübergang | railroad crossing |
| Baustelle | construction site, roadworks |
| befinden (sich) | to be situated |
| beilegen | to enclose |
| beißen (Biss) | to bite (bite) |
| bewundern | to admire |
| Beziehung | relationship |
| Braut (Bräutigam) | bride (bridegroom) |
| Dachboden | attic / loft |
| echt | genuine |
| Ehe | marriage |
| Eigenschaft | quality, characteristic |
| Eindruck | impression |
| erscheinen | to appear |
| Fahrzeug | vehicle |
| Fensterladen | shutter |
| Fernbedienung | remote control |
| fließen | to flow |
| Freundschaft | friendship |
| gebrauchen (gebraucht) | to use (used, second hand) |
| Gebrauchsanweisung | manual, instructions |
| Gedächtnis | memory |
| Gefahr (gefährlich) | danger(ous) |
| Gegenteil | opposite |
| geschieden | divorced |
| Geschlecht | sex / gender |
| Geschwindigkeits(begrenzung) | speed (limit) |
| getrennt | separated |
| Gewicht | weight |
| Gipfel | summit |
| Griff | handle |
| gütig | kind |
| Hauptverkehrszeit | rush hour |
| heizen | to heat |
| hupen | to hoot |
| Hütte | shed / hut |
| Jahrhundert | century |
| Kabel | cable / wiring |
| Käfig | cage |
| Kamin | fireplace (hearth) |
| Kennzeichen | license plate, registration number |
| Klimaanlage | air-conditioning |
| (an)klopfen | to knock |
| Kofferraum | trunk, boot (of car) |
| König | king |
| Königin | queen |
| Kontaktlinsen | contact lenses |
| Kreis(verkehr) | (traffic) circle (roundabout) |
| Krug | jug |
| lächeln | to smile |
| lächerlich | ridiculous |
| Lage | situation |
| Lärm | noise (loud) |
| lebhaft | lively |
| Leitung | cable / wiring / pipes |
| Lenkrad | steering wheel |
| liefern | to deliver |
| Luftdruck | air pressure |
| nennen | to name |
| neugierig | curious / inquisitive |
| öffentlich | public |
| Persönlichkeit | personality |
| Puppe | doll |
| Quadratmeter | square metre |
| Rasierapparat | shaver |
| Reinigung | dry cleaning |
| reißen | to tear |
| Reißverschluss | zipper |
| rücksichtslos | careless |
| Rückspiegel | rear-view mirror |
| Rundfunk | radio |
| sanft | gentle |
| Schloss | lock (of door) |
| schminken (sich) | to put on make-up |
| Schmuck | jewellery |
| Schublade | drawer |
| Schuppen | shed |
| Schwager | brother-in-law |
| Schwägerin | sister-in-law |
| schwanger | pregnant |
| Schwiegermutter | mother-in-law |
| Schwiegervater | father-in-law |
| selbständig | independently |
| seltsam | odd / strange |
| Senioren | senior citizens |
| sich rasieren | to shave |
| Sicherheit | safety |
| Sicherheitsgurt | seatbelt |
| Stau | hold-up / traffic jam |
| Stiefmutter / vater | step-mother / father |
| Streichhölzer | matches |
| Streit | argument / quarrel |
| stumm | silent / mute |
| sympathisch | nice |
| Tastatur | keyboard |
| taub | deaf |
| Teppichboden | fitted carpet |
| Traum | dream |
| träumen | to dream |
| überfahren | to run over |
| überholen | to overtake |
| überqueren | to cross (road) |
| umgeben von | surrounded by |
| Umleitung | diversion |
| Verantwortung | responsibility |
| Vergnügen | pleasure |
| vergrößern | to enlarge |
| vernünftig | sensible / reasonable |
| verrückt | mad |
| Vertrauen | trust |
| Vorfahrt | priority / right of way |
| wachsen | to grow |
| weinen | to cry (tears) |
| Werkzeug | tools |
| Windschutzscheibe | windscreen |
| Wintergarten | conservatory |
| winzig | tiny |
| Witwe | widow |
| Witwer | widower |
| Zebrastreifen | zebra-crossing |
| zornig | angry |
| Zufall (zufällig) | (by) chance |
| zunehmen | to put on weight / increase |
| zusammenstoßen mit | to collide with |
| GERMAN | ENGLISH |
| Anfänger | beginner |
| Besteck | cutlery |
| bestehen aus | to consist of |
| bluten | to bleed |
| Blutprobe | blood test |
| brennen | to burn |
| Brust | chest, breast |
| Chirurg(in) | surgeon |
| Diät (eine Diät halten) | diet (to be on a diet) |
| dienen | to serve |
| Durchfall | diarrhea |
| Ellbogen | elbow |
| enthalten | to contain |
| erbrechen (sich) | to be sick |
| Ereignis | event |
| Erfolg | success |
| Ergebnis | result / score |
| erhalten | to receive |
| erholen (sich) | to recover / get better |
| Erleichterung | relief |
| erreichen | to reach / catch |
| erste Hilfe | first aid |
| fangen | to catch |
| Fett | fat / grease |
| Fußgelenk | ankle |
| Geflügel | poultry |
| Gehirn | brain |
| Geruch | smell |
| Geschmack | taste |
| geschwollen | swollen |
| gießen | to pour |
| Gips(verband) | plaster |
| Glatze | bald patch |
| Handgelenk | wrist |
| Haut | skin |
| heben | to lift / raise |
| Heimweh | homesickness |
| Helm | helmet |
| Heuschnupfen | hay fever |
| Höhe | height |
| Höhle | cave |
| Hustensaft | cough mixture |
| jagen | to hunt |
| Kinn | chin |
| Knochen | bone |
| leiden | to suffer |
| Magenverstimmung | upset stomach |
| Meister(schaft) | champion(ship) |
| Menge (Menschenmenge) | quantity (crowd) |
| messen | to measure |
| nackt | naked |
| pflegen | to look after (patient) |
| pikant, scharf | spicy |
| Pokal | cup (trophy) |
| probieren | to try |
| reichen | to pass |
| riechen | to smell (sth) |
| Röntgenbild | x-ray |
| Salbe | cream / ointment |
| satt | Full (food) |
| schaden | to do harm |
| Schaden | damage |
| schälen | to peel |
| Schiedsrichter | referee |
| schlucken | to swallow |
| Sieg | win / victory |
| Sonnenstich | sun stroke |
| Sorge (sich Sorgen machen) | worry (to worry) |
| sorgen für | to look after |
| Spargel | asparagus |
| Spritze | injection, syringe |
| tauchen | to dive |
| teilnehmen | to take part |
| Turnier | tournament |
| übergeben (sich) | to be sick |
| unentschieden | undecided / drawn (match) |
| untersuchen | to examine (patient) |
| Vegetarier(in) | vegetarian |
| Verband | bandage |
| verstauchen (sich) | to sprain |
| verstopft | constipated |
| Wange | cheek |
| Wettbewerb, Wettkampf | competition |
| Zeh | toe |
| Zunge | tongue |
| Abenteuer | adventure |
| aufführen | to perform |
| Aufführung | performance |
| begegnen | to meet |
| begleiten | to accompany |
| bekannt | well-known |
| Bekannter | acquaintance |
| Bildschirm | screen |
| Bühne | stage |
| to print | |
| Drucker | printer |
| empfehlen | to recommend |
| Ermäßigung | discount |
| faulenzen | to laze about |
| feiern | to celebrate |
| Fernbedienung | remote control |
| Festtag, Feiertag | public holiday |
| Garderobe | cloakroom (theatre) |
| Gebühr | fee |
| gebührenfrei / gratis | free |
| Gemälde | painting |
| Gerät | device, equipment |
| Geräusch | sound, noise |
| herunterladen | to download |
| Hochzeit | wedding |
| Kabel | cable / wiring |
| Karneval | carnival |
| Medien (Massenmedien) | media |
| Messe | fair, mass (church) |
| Moderator | (TV) moderator |
| passieren | to happen |
| plaudern | to chat |
| Schaufensterbummel | window shopping |
| schieben | to push |
| schmücken | to decorate |
| Sitte, Brauch | customs/ traditions |
| Stimmung | atmosphere |
| Tagesschau | TV evening news |
| tippen | to type |
| überraschen | to surprise |
| Unterhaltung | entertainment |
| Untertitel | subtitle |
| Verabredung | appointment |
| Veranstaltung | event |
| Vorstellung | performance / introduction |
| vorziehen | to prefer |
| Werbung | advertising |
| Zuschauer | audience / viewers |
11 phrases in German that’ll make you fall in love with the language
| abschliessen | to lock up |
| Altpapier | recycled paper |
| anzünden | to light |
| Aufenthaltsdauer | duration, length (of stay) |
| aufgeben | to stop / give up |
| austauschen | to exchange |
| beklagen (sich) | to complain |
| beleuchten | to light up |
| beschädigen | to damage |
| beschäftigt | busy |
| beschließen | to decide |
| beschweren (sich) | to complain |
| bessern (sich) | to improve |
| Besserung | improvement / getting better |
| bestätigen | to confirm |
| bestehen auf | to insist on |
| betrügen | to deceive |
| betrunken | drunk |
| beweisen | to prove |
| Dieb(stahl) | thief (theft) |
| dringend | urgent |
| drohen | to threaten |
| Einbrecher | burglar |
| entkommen | to escape |
| entscheiden | to decide |
| entspannen (sich) | to relax |
| feucht | humid |
| Fleck | stain / spot |
| freuen (sich) auf | to look forward to |
| freuen (sich) über | to be pleased about |
| Führung | guided tour |
| Gefängnis | prison |
| Geldstrafe | fine (money) |
| Gesetz | law |
| gestattet | permitted |
| Gewohnheit | custom / habit |
| klagen | to complain |
| Kurs | exchange rate |
| lauwarm | lukewarm |
| löschen | to extinguish / put out |
| lösen | to solve |
| lügen | to lie |
| Missverständnis | misunderstanding |
| Mond | moon |
| Mord | murder |
| Niederschlag | precipitation |
| Not(ruf) | emergency (phone call) |
| Rat | advice / council |
| raten | to advise / guess |
| recyceln | to recycle |
| reduzieren | to reduce |
| Regel | rule |
| Regierung | government |
| Reiseführer | tourist guide |
| retten | to save / rescue |
| Rettung | rescue |
| Risiko | risk |
| Rolltreppe | escalator |
| schämen (sich) | to be ashamed |
| Schatten | shade |
| schulden | to owe |
| schuldig | guilty |
| schützen | to protect |
| stehlen | to steal |
| sterben | to die |
| Tod | death |
| töten | to kill |
| trampen / per Anhalter fahren | to hitch-hike |
| Treibhauseffekt | greenhouse effect |
| umtauschen | to exchange |
| Unterschied | difference |
| verändern (sich) | to change |
| verbrauchen | to consume / use up |
| verderben | to spoil |
| vergiften | to poison |
| Vergleich (vergleichen) | comparison (to compare) |
| verhaften | to arrest |
| verirren / verlaufen (sich) | to lose one’s way/ to get lost |
| vermeiden | to avoid |
| verschmutzen (Verschmutzung) | to pollute (pollution) |
| verschwenden | to waste |
| verschwinden | to disappear |
| versichern (Versicherung) | to insure (insurance) |
| verstecken | to hide |
| wechselhaft | changeable |
| wegwerfen | to throw away |
| zerstören | to destroy |
| Zeuge | witness |
Are you looking for more work-related words? We’ll teach you German vocabulary you need to know to understand work contracts in Germany!
| Arbeitgeber | employer |
| Arbeitnehmer | employee |
| Arbeitsamt | job centre |
| Arbeitslosigkeit | unemployment |
| Aufsatz | essay |
| Belohnung | reward |
| bemerken | to notice |
| beobachten | to watch / observe |
| Berufsberatung | career counseling, occupational guidance |
| Betriebswirtschaft | business administration |
| bewerben (sich) | to apply (for a job) |
| Bewerbungsgespräch | job interview |
| Bildung | education |
| durchfallen | to fail (exam) |
| einreichen | to hand in |
| Fortschritt(e) | progress |
| Betriebswirtschaft | opportunity / chance |
| gelingen | to succeed |
| herausfinden | to find out / learn |
| Hochschulabschluss | degree (university) |
| Jura | law |
| Lebenslauf | CV |
| leisten | to achieve |
| Leistung | achievement, performance |
| loben | to praise |
| lohnen (sich) | to be worthwhile |
| mangelhaft | poor |
| meinen | to mean / think |
| mündlich | oral |
| nachdenken | to think over / reflect |
| Pension (in Pension gehen) | (to retire) |
| Personal | staff |
| qualifiziert | qualified |
| Quittung | receipt |
| rechnen | to calculate |
| Rente | pension |
| schriftlich | in writing |
| sitzen bleiben | to repeat the year |
| Sozialkunde | social science |
| Umfrage / Meinungsumfrage | survey |
| Universitätsabschluss/grad | degree (university) |
| verbessern | to correct / improve |
| Versammlung | meeting, assembly |
| Vokabeln | vocabulary |
| vorhaben | to intend, to plan to |
| Vorschlag | suggestion |
| Vorstellungsgespräch | job interview |
| Zeugnis | reference, school report |
Are these German words too advanced for you or do you prefer shorter vocabulary lists? We’ve got you covered: here are the top 100 German words you need to know!
