Top 100 Most-Used German Words

Top 100 Most-Used German Words Have you ever wondered what the top 500, 1,000 or 10,000 German words were? If you need to learn German vocabulary, which words should you learn first? Which ones are most frequently used? The Projekt Deutscher Wortschatz at the Universitt Leipzig scanned texts and included variations of the same word, including capitalization versus lower case and other possible forms of any particular word. The definite article (the) appears in all of its German variations: der/Der, die/Die, den, etc. The verb to be appears in all of its conjugated forms: ist, sind, war, sei, etc. Even the new and old spellings of dass/daß are considered two different words. The Leipzig researchers noted that if one were to select different text sources for analysis, one would get different results. An analysis of the vocabulary found in a novel versus that in a comic book or a newspaper would not be similar. Obviously, an analysis of spoken German would also yield different results.   Here are charts showing the top 100 most-used German words, and one showing the top 30 most-spoken German words. Students of German 101 should get familiar with these words and their forms. Top 100 German Words  Edited and Ranked by Frequency of Use Rank German English 1 der (den, dem, des) the m. 2 die (der, den) the f. 3 und and 4 in (im) in, into (in the) 5 von (vom) of, from 6 zu (zum, zur) to; at; too 7 das (dem, des) the n. 8 mit with 9 sich himself, itself, yourself 10 auf on 11 fr for 12 ist (sein, sind, war, sei, etc.) is 13 nicht not 14 ein (eine, einen, einer, einem, eines) a, an 15 als as, than, when 16 auch also, too 17 es it 18 an (am/ans) to, at, by 19 werden (wurde, wird) become, get 20 aus from, out of 21 er he, it 22 hat (haben, hatte, habe) has/have 23 dass / da that 24 sie she, it; they 25 nach to, after 26 bei at, by 27 um around, at 28 noch still, yet 29 wie as, how 30 ber about, over, via 31 so so, such, thus 32 Sie you (formal) 33 nur only 34 oder or 35 aber but 36 vor (vorm, vors) before, in front of; of 37 bis by, until 38 mehr more 39 durch by, through 40 man one, they 41 Prozent (das) percent 42 kann (knnen, konnte, etc.) be able, can 43 gegen against; around 44 schon already 45 wenn if, when 46 sein (seine, seinen, etc.) his 47 Mark (Euro) Mark (Euro) currency 48 ihre/ihr her, their 49 dann then 50 unter under, among 51 wir we 52 soll (sollen, sollte, etc.) should, ought to 53 ich I (personal pronoun) 54 Jahr (das, Jahren, Jahres, etc.) year 55 zwei two 56 diese (dieser, dieses, etc.) this, these 57 wieder again 58 Uhr Most frequently used as oclock in telling time. 59 will (wollen, willst, etc.) wants 60 zwischen between 61 immer always 62 Millionen (eine Million) millions 63 was what 64 sagte (sagen, sagt) said (say, says) 65 gibt (es gibt; geben) gives 66 alle all, everyone 67 seit since 68 muss (mssen) must 69 doch but, nevertheless, after all 70 jetzt now 71 drei three 72 neue (neu, neuer, neuen, etc.) new 73 damit with it/that; by that; because of that; so that 74 bereits already 75 da since, because 76 ab off, away; exit 77 ohne without 78 sondern but rather 79 selbst myself, himself 80 ersten (erste, erstes, etc.) first 81 nun now; then; well? 82 etwa about, approximately; for instance 83 heute today, nowadays 84 weil because 85 ihm to/for him 86 Menschen (der Mensch) people 87 Deutschland (das) Germany 88 anderen (andere, anderes, etc.) other(s) 89 rund approximately, about 90 ihn him 91 Ende (das) end 92 jedoch nevertheless 93 Zeit (die) time 94 uns us 95 Stadt (die) city, town 96 geht (gehen, ging, etc.) goes 97 sehr very 98 hier here 99 ganz entire(ly), complete(ly), whole(ly) 100 Berlin (das) Berlin Top 30 Words in Spoken German Rank German English 1 ich I 2 das the; that (one) neuter 3 die the f. 4 ist is 5 nicht not 6 ja yes 7 du you 8 der the m. 9 und and 10 sie she, they 11 so so, thus 12 wir we 13 was what 14 noch still, yet 15 da there, here; since, because 16 mal times; once 17 mit with 18 auch also, too 19 in in, into 20 es it 21 zu to; at; too 22 aber but 23 habe / hab (I) have 24 den the 25 eine a, an fem. indefinite article 26 schon already 27 man one, they 28 doch but, nevertheless, after all 29 war was 30 dann the