No matter the language, there are some words and phrases that you always end up using more often. For me, the best advice on how to start learning English is to memorise some of the most used ones. For instance, start with 50 of them and then gradually expand your existing vocabulary.
The reason why you want to focus on the most common English words is that we rarely use all the words we have in our vocabulary. If you think about how you speak your native language, you’ll soon realize that you can have a great conversation in most situations by using only 20% of the vocabulary you already know.
Ask yourself when the last time you used to words ‘electrode’ or ‘incubator’ in your conversation was? If you did happen to use it, when do you think you’ll use it again? On the other hand, you’re likely to words like: ‘all,’ ‘go,’ ‘see,’ ‘food’ in nearly every conversation you have with someone.
In this blog post, I’ll discuss 50 most common English words fromThoughtCo. I’ll also explain their meaning according toOxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (7th edition)and give you my example for each word.
This is the simple language hack that will help you save some time. Instead of focusing on the uncommon words that you’ll seldom use, just focus on the most common English words below.
Here are 50 of the most used words in the English language:
1.All
The whole number of.
All cats are animals, but not all animals are cats.
2.And
Also, in addition to.
I like to run and play tennis.
3.Boy
A male child or a young male person.
I used to play soccer as a boy.
4.Book
A set of printed pages that are fastened inside a cover so that you can turn them and read them.
Harry Potter is my favourite book.
5.Call
To shout or say something loudly or suddenly; to contact someone by phone.
I need to call my mother.
6.Car
A road vehicle with and engine and four wheels that can carry a small number of passengers.
I drove the car from school to work.
7.Chair
A piece of furniture for one person to sit on, with a back, a seat, and four legs.
Is someone sitting on this chair?
8.Children
Young humans who are not yet an adult.
The children are playing in the yard.
9.City
A large and important town.
Paris is the capital city of France.
10.Dog
An animal with four legs and a tale often kept as a pet or trained for work.
I need to feed my dog.
11.Door
A piece of wood, glass, etc. which is opened and closed so people can get in and out of a room, building, car etc.
Could you close the door?
12.Enemy
A person who hates somebody or who acts or speaks against somebody something.
He is not my friend, he is my enemy.
13.End
The final part of a period of time, an event, an activity, or a story.
This is the end of the story.
14.Enough
Used before plural or uncountable nouns to mean as many or as much as somebody needs or wants.
There is enough food for everyone.
15.Eat
To put food in your mouth, chew it, and swallow it.
I like to eat pasta.
16.Father
A male parent of a child or an animal; a person who is acting as the father to a child.
My father is the best cook.
17.Friend
A person you know well and like, and who is not usually a member of your family.
You are my best friend.
18.Go
To move or travel from one place to another.
Let’s go.
19.Good
Of high quality or an acceptable standard.
This donut is so good.
20.Girl
A female child.
I used to dance as a girl.
21.Food
Things that people or animals eat.
Pizza is my favourite food.
22.Hear
To be aware of sounds with your ears.
I can’t hear you.
23.House
A building for people to live in, usually for one family.
We live in a big house.
24.Inside
On or to the inner part of something/somebody; within something/somebody.
Let’s go insidethe house.
25.Laugh
To make the sounds and movements of your face that show you are happy or think something is funny.
I laughed after my mother made a joke.
26.Listen
To pay attention to somebody/something that you can hear.
Listen to your heart.
27.Man
An adult male human.
He is a good working man and a husband.
28.Name
A word that a particular, animal, place, or thing is known by.
My name is Petra.
29.Never
Not at any time, not on any occasion.
I never tried to learn how to ski.
30.New
Not existing before; recently made, invented, introduced, etc.
They play a new movie at the cinema.
31.Next
Coming straight after somebody/something in time, order, or space.
What is next on your agenda?
32.Noise
A sound, especially when it is loud, unpleasant, or disturbing.
Who is making that awful noise?
33.Often
Many times.
I see him often.
34.Pair
Two things of the same type, especially when they are used or worn together.
I need a new pair of socks.
35.Pick
To choose somebody/something from a group of people of things.
Pick a number from 1 to 10.
36.Play
To do things for pleasure, as children do: to enjoy yourself rather than work.
I like to play basketball with my son.
37.Room
A part of a building that has its own walls, floor, and ceiling and is usually used for a particular purpose.
We like to sit in the living room.
38.See
To become aware of somebody/something by using your eyes.
I can see you without my glasses.
39.Sell
To give something to somebody in exchange for money.
I want to sell you these shoes for a special price.
40.Sister
A girl or woman who has the same mother and father as another person.
She is my sister.
41.Sit
To rest your weight on your bottom with your back vertical.
Sit on your chair.
42.Smile
The expression that you have on your face when you are happy, amused, etc. in which the corners of your mouth turn upwards.
He made me smile again.
43.Speak
To talk to somebody about something, to have a conversation with somebody.
I need to speak to somebody.
44.Then
Used to refer to a particular time in the past or future.
Things were pretty different back then.
45.Think
To have a particular idea or opinion about something/somebody: to believe something.
I think this is a good idea.
46.Walk
To move or go somewhere by putting one foot in front of the other on the ground, but without running.
Let’s go for a walk.
47.Water
A liquid without colour, smell, or taste that falls as rain is in lakes, rivers, and seas, and is used for drinking, washing, etc.
I need to drink some water to stay hydrated.
48.Woman
An adult female human.
She is an accomplished woman doctor.
49.Work
To do something that involves physical or mental effort, especially as part of a job.
I work for a fashion company.
50.Write
To make letters or numbers on a surface, especially using a pen or a pencil.
I need to write a letter.
There you go, 50 examples of most frequent English words with explanations and examples. There are, of course, many more, but consider these as a good start for any beginner English learner. Use them as a resource to help you build your skills as you grow more and more comfortable with the English language. If you are curious enough to learn more, you can find them at the following link:https://www.gonaturalenglish.com/1000-most-common-words-in-the-english-language/.
