What changes at A2
At A1 you learned words for naming things. At A2 you learn words for telling things: what happened yesterday, what you plan to do, what hurts, what something costs. The topics get more practical and the sentences get longer.
The learning method stays the same: keep your A1 words, add new batches on top, and learn each grammar point with words you already know. If you have not finished the basics yet, start with the A1 vocabulary guide first.
Essential German A2 words by topic
Work and school
| German | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| die Arbeit | work | Die Arbeit macht mir Spaß. — I enjoy the work. |
| der Beruf | profession | Was sind Sie von Beruf? — What is your profession? |
| der Termin | appointment | Ich habe morgen einen Termin. — I have an appointment tomorrow. |
| das Büro | office | Das Büro ist im Zentrum. — The office is in the center. |
| der Kollege / die Kollegin | colleague | Mein Kollege kommt aus Polen. — My colleague is from Poland. |
Travel and transport
| German | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| der Zug | train | Wann fährt der Zug nach Berlin? — When does the train to Berlin leave? |
| der Flughafen | airport | Wir fahren zum Flughafen. — We are going to the airport. |
| die Fahrkarte | ticket | Eine Fahrkarte nach München, bitte. — One ticket to Munich, please. |
| der Urlaub | vacation | Im Sommer mache ich Urlaub. — I go on vacation in the summer. |
| umsteigen | to change (trains) | Sie müssen in Köln umsteigen. — You have to change trains in Cologne. |
Health and the body
| German | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| der Arzt / die Ärztin | doctor | Ich gehe heute zum Arzt. — I am going to the doctor today. |
| krank | sick | Ich bin krank und bleibe zu Hause. — I am sick and staying home. |
| der Kopf | head | Mein Kopf tut weh. — My head hurts. |
| die Apotheke | pharmacy | Die Apotheke ist um die Ecke. — The pharmacy is around the corner. |
| der Schmerz | pain | Ich habe Schmerzen im Rücken. — I have pain in my back. |
Shopping and money
| German | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| kaufen | to buy | Ich kaufe ein Geschenk. — I am buying a present. |
| bezahlen | to pay | Kann ich mit Karte bezahlen? — Can I pay by card? |
| kosten | to cost | Wie viel kostet das? — How much does that cost? |
| teuer / billig | expensive / cheap | Das ist zu teuer. — That is too expensive. |
| das Geschäft | shop | Das Geschäft öffnet um zehn. — The shop opens at ten. |
Free time and weather
| German | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| das Wetter | weather | Das Wetter ist heute schön. — The weather is nice today. |
| regnen | to rain | Es regnet schon wieder. — It is raining again. |
| das Hobby | hobby | Mein Hobby ist Kochen. — My hobby is cooking. |
| schwimmen | to swim | Am Wochenende schwimme ich gern. — I like to swim on the weekend. |
| sich treffen | to meet | Wir treffen uns um acht. — We are meeting at eight. |
The verbs that carry A2
Two groups of verbs do most of the work at A2. The first group is the modal verbs — können (can), müssen (must), wollen (to want), dürfen (may), sollen (should). They let you talk about ability, plans, and rules: “Ich kann heute nicht kommen” (I can’t come today).
The second group is the past participles you need for the Perfekt, the everyday past tense: gemacht (done), gegangen (gone), gekauft (bought), gesehen (seen), gegessen (eaten). With haben or sein in front, you can finally talk about yesterday: “Ich habe das schon gemacht” (I already did that), “Wir sind nach Hause gegangen” (We went home).
Connector words: small words, big difference
A2 sentences grow because of connectors. Learn these early and your German immediately sounds more natural:
- zuerst … dann … später (first … then … later): “Zuerst arbeite ich, dann gehe ich einkaufen.”
- weil (because): “Ich lerne Deutsch, weil ich in Berlin wohne.”
- aber (but): “Ich möchte kommen, aber ich habe keine Zeit.”
- oder (or): “Kaffee oder Tee?”
- dass (that): “Ich glaube, dass es morgen regnet.”
How to learn A2 words
The routine that worked at A1 still works at A2 — small batches, tests, then grammar with known words. Two things change: review your A1 words alongside the new ones, and practice each new word inside a full sentence, because A2 is where sentences become the point.
A weekly A2 vocabulary checklist
- Learn one topic per week (for example: travel), 5–8 words per day with articles.
- For every new noun or verb, say one full sentence out loud — past tense if you can.
- Test the week’s words twice: mid-week and at the end of the week.
- Re-test one old A1 topic every week so the base stays solid.
- Read or listen to one short text that uses the week’s topic.
Build your A2 vocabulary the structured way. Download German with Levels — the app teaches exactly these A2 topics in small, tested batches, then uses them in grammar lessons and stories. For the bigger picture, see the full A2 learning path.