Why vocabulary comes first
Words carry meaning. Even with very little grammar, knowing the right words lets you understand and be understood. This is why German with Levels teaches vocabulary first, in small batches, before adding grammar.
A strong word base also makes grammar easier later. When you study a rule with words you already know, you only focus on the rule, not on new words at the same time. If you want the reasoning in full, read why beginners should learn German words before grammar.
Essential German A1 words by topic
For A1, focus on the words you will actually use every day. Here are the core topics, each with examples you can say out loud right now. Nouns are listed with their article (der/die/das). Learn them together from the start.
Greetings and polite words
| German | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| hallo | hello | Hallo, wie geht’s? (Hello, how are you?) |
| danke | thank you | Danke schön! (Thank you very much!) |
| bitte | please / you’re welcome | Ein Wasser, bitte. (One water, please.) |
| tschüss | bye | Tschüss, bis morgen! (Bye, see you tomorrow!) |
| Entschuldigung | excuse me / sorry | Entschuldigung, wo ist der Bahnhof? (Excuse me, where is the station?) |
Numbers, days, and time
| German | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| eins, zwei, drei | one, two, three | Zwei Kaffee, bitte. (Two coffees, please.) |
| der Montag | Monday | Heute ist Montag. (Today is Monday.) |
| heute | today | Heute habe ich Zeit. (I have time today.) |
| morgen | tomorrow | Bis morgen! (See you tomorrow!) |
| die Zeit | time | Ich habe keine Zeit. (I have no time.) |
Family and people
| German | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| die Mutter | mother | Meine Mutter heißt Anna. (My mother’s name is Anna.) |
| der Vater | father | Mein Vater arbeitet viel. (My father works a lot.) |
| der Bruder | brother | Ich habe einen Bruder. (I have a brother.) |
| die Schwester | sister | Meine Schwester ist klein. (My sister is little.) |
| das Kind | child | Das Kind spielt. (The child is playing.) |
Food and drink
| German | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| das Wasser | water | Ich trinke Wasser. (I drink water.) |
| das Brot | bread | Das Brot ist frisch. (The bread is fresh.) |
| der Kaffee | coffee | Der Kaffee ist heiß. (The coffee is hot.) |
| der Apfel | apple | Ich esse einen Apfel. (I am eating an apple.) |
| essen / trinken | to eat / to drink | Was isst du? (What are you eating?) |
Common verbs
| German | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| sein | to be | Ich bin müde. (I am tired.) |
| haben | to have | Ich habe Zeit. (I have time.) |
| gehen | to go | Wir gehen nach Hause. (We are going home.) |
| machen | to do / to make | Was machst du? (What are you doing?) |
| kommen | to come | Ich komme aus der Türkei. (I come from Turkey.) |
| sprechen | to speak | Ich spreche ein bisschen Deutsch. (I speak a little German.) |
Question words
| German | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| wer | who | Wer ist das? (Who is that?) |
| was | what | Was ist das? (What is that?) |
| wo | where | Wo wohnst du? (Where do you live?) |
| wann | when | Wann kommst du? (When are you coming?) |
| wie | how | Wie heißt du? (What is your name?) |
| warum | why | Warum lernst du Deutsch? (Why are you learning German?) |
Everyday nouns
| German | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| das Haus | house | Das Haus ist groß. (The house is big.) |
| die Arbeit | work | Die Arbeit beginnt um neun. (Work starts at nine.) |
| der Tag | day | Der Tag ist lang. (The day is long.) |
| die Stadt | city | Die Stadt ist schön. (The city is beautiful.) |
| das Auto | car | Das Auto ist neu. (The car is new.) |
These words appear again and again in everyday German, so they give you the most value early on. If you want an even more compact starting set, begin with the first 100 German words for beginners.
How to make German words stick
Learn in small batches. A few words at a time is easier to remember than a long list.
Test yourself. Word tests show you which words you truly know and which need more review.
Review what you forget. Use a dictionary or words section to look up and review words you lose.
Hear and say the words. Listening and speaking practice connect each word to sound and use, not just spelling.
See words in context. Short stories show your known words inside real sentences.
A simple daily routine (about 15 minutes)
- Pick one topic and learn 5–8 new words, always with their article.
- Say each word out loud once: sound plus spelling beats spelling alone.
- Write one short sentence with your favorite new word.
- The next day, test yesterday’s words before adding new ones.
- Once a week, review the whole week’s words and mark the ones you forgot.
German nouns and gender
German nouns have a gender: der (masculine), die (feminine), or das (neuter). It is a good habit to learn each noun with its article, for example “das Brot” instead of just “Brot.” This makes grammar easier later because the gender is part of the word from the start.
Turning vocabulary into sentences
Once you know a batch of words, you can begin to build simple sentences. With “ich” (I), “haben” (to have), and “Zeit” (time), you can say “Ich habe Zeit” (I have time). This is the bridge from vocabulary to grammar: you use known words to learn how German sentences work. When you are ready for that step, see how to learn German grammar with words you already know.
Start learning these words today. Download German with Levels and get exactly these A1 topics as small, tested word batches, then grammar lessons built from the words you just learned. You can also see how the method works step by step.