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Drill the list with spaced repetition, then meet the words in real German videos with dual subtitles so they stick in context.

German B2 — Upper-Intermediate Vocabulary

Less common, more abstract vocabulary for news, essays and complex topics. · 2,844 words.

Work in progress. The B2 list is curated and still growing — new words are added regularly. Because B2 and C1 have no official fixed word list, levels here are graded automatically, so a word can occasionally sit a level either way.

All topics Society & Abstract 1203 Work & Education 285 Feelings & Character 274 Communication & Media 198 Everyday Actions 157 Nature & Weather 144 Body & Health 129 Money & Shopping 92 Leisure & Sport 85 Travel & Transport 54 Family & People 52 City & Places 48 Home & Household 47 Food & Drink 29 Time & Dates 24 Clothing 23

2,844 B2 words

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German word	English meaning	Topic & example
der Name, -n	name	Society & Abstract
der Namensvetter	a namesake	Family & People
die Narkose	anesthesia / anesthetic	Body & Health
der Narr	fool / jester	Society & Abstract
närrisch	foolish / mad / silly	Feelings & Character
näseln	to speak through your nose / twang	Communication & Media
naturgetreu	true to life / life-size / full-scale	Leisure & Sport
der Naturschutz	nature conservation	Nature & Weather
die Nebeneinander	a juxtaposition	Society & Abstract
der Nebenfluss	tributary / feed river	Nature & Weather
die Nebenwirkung	side effect	Body & Health
der Nervenzusammenbruch	a mental breakdown	Body & Health
das Neue Testament	New Testament	Communication & Media
die Neuerung	innovation / reform	Society & Abstract
die Neugierde	curiosity / inquisitiveness	Society & Abstract
der Nichtjude	a non-Jew (gentile)	Family & People
der Nichtsnutz	no-good / good-for-nothing	Family & People
nieder	low / lowly / minor	Feelings & Character
der Niedergang	decline	Society & Abstract
die Niederlage	defeat	Society & Abstract
der Niederschlag	precipitation / rain	Society & Abstract
niemals / nie	never	Society & Abstract
das Niemandsland	no-man's land	City & Places
der Nil	the Nile river	Society & Abstract
das Nilpferd	hippo	Society & Abstract
der Nippsache	knick-knacks	Home & Household
die Nixe	a mermaid / water nymph	Nature & Weather
der Nominativ	nominative case	Communication & Media
nominieren	to nominate	Work & Education
die Nörgelei	nagging / grumbling	Feelings & Character
die Norm	norm	Society & Abstract
die Nostalgie	nostalgia	Feelings & Character
notdürftig	makeshift	Society & Abstract
die Noten	musical notes/sheet music	Leisure & Sport
die Notlüge	a white lie	Feelings & Character
die Nuance	nuance / shade	Society & Abstract
nuklear	nuclear	Society & Abstract
die Nummer, -n	number	Society & Abstract
die Nüss	nut	Society & Abstract
das Oberhaupt	head / leader / chief	Society & Abstract
der Oberst	a colonel / group captain	Society & Abstract
die Obhut	care / custody / keeping	Society & Abstract
der Obstgarten	an orchard	Society & Abstract
der Ochse	an ox	Society & Abstract
der Ochsenfrosch	a bullfrog	Nature & Weather
die Ode	ode	Communication & Media
oder besser noch ______	or, better yet ______	Society & Abstract
der Ofen	oven / furnace	Society & Abstract
offenbaren	to reveal / expose	Communication & Media
der öffentlichen Dienst	public / civil service	Society & Abstract
die Öffentlichkeitsarbeit	public relations	Work & Education
die Ohnmacht	impotence / powerlessness / faint / swoon	Society & Abstract
das Ohrläppchen	earlobe	Body & Health
das Ökosystem	ecosystem	Nature & Weather
die Oma, -s	grandmother	Society & Abstract
ominös	ominous	Feelings & Character
der Opa, -s	grandfather	Society & Abstract
die Operette	operetta	Leisure & Sport
die Opposition	opposition	Society & Abstract
die Optimierung	optimization	Work & Education
optisch	optical / visual	Body & Health
die Orgel	organ	Society & Abstract
der Orientierungsinn	sense of direction	Body & Health
der Originaltext	original text	Work & Education
das Ornament	ornament / decorative pattern	Home & Household
der Ort, -e	location / place	Society & Abstract
orten	to locate	Travel & Transport
die Orthografie	spelling/orthography	Work & Education
der Ostsee	the Baltic Sea	Society & Abstract
Over there	Da drüben	Society & Abstract
die Ozeanversauerung	ocean acidification	Nature & Weather
die Paarungszeit	mating season	Nature & Weather
die Pädagogik	pedagogy/education theory	Work & Education
palästinensisch	palestinian	Society & Abstract
der Panzer	armor / tank / shell / shield	Society & Abstract
das Panzerglas	tempered glass / bulletproof glass	Society & Abstract
der Papagei	parrot	Society & Abstract
der Papierkram	paperwork (wenig benutzt)	Society & Abstract
der Papst	pope	Society & Abstract
die Parade	parade / save / parry	Leisure & Sport
der Parasit	a parasite	Nature & Weather
die Parole	slogan / motto / password / parole	Communication & Media
die Partei	political party	Society & Abstract
der Partner, -/	(male) partner	Society & Abstract
die Partnerin, -nen	(female) partner	Society & Abstract
Pass auf!	watch out!	Society & Abstract
der Pass, -ä, e	passport	Society & Abstract
der Passant	a passerby	City & Places
die Pause, -n	break	Society & Abstract
peinigen	to torment / torture	Feelings & Character
die Peitsche	whip / lash	Society & Abstract
der Penner	hobo / tramp / homeless person	Family & People
das Pergament	parchment / vellum	Society & Abstract
das Periodensystem	the Periodic Table / Chart	Work & Education
der Perser	a Persian	Home & Household
persisch	Persian	Society & Abstract
die Persönlichkeit	personality	Society & Abstract
die Perspektive	perspective / viewpoint	Society & Abstract
die Perücke	wig	Society & Abstract
die Pest	a pest / plague / pestilence	Nature & Weather

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Frequently asked questions

How many words are in the German B2 vocabulary list?

2,844 words, each with its English translation, the article (der/die/das) and an example sentence.

Is the German B2 word list free to download?

Yes — download the whole list free as a CSV spreadsheet or an Anki flashcard deck for spaced repetition.

What topics does German B2 vocabulary cover?

Society & Abstract, Work & Education, Feelings & Character, Communication & Media, Everyday Actions, Nature & Weather, Body & Health, Money & Shopping and more — browse them above, or open a topic for its own list.

Learn B2 by watching real German videos

Watch popular German videos with dual subtitles — German on top, English beneath — and tap any word for the same meaning, synonyms and etymology you see in the list above.

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und sie haben es in dieser Maschine gezüchtet

and they grew it inside this machine

Maschine🔊

machine · in context

noun

machine · engine · device

A1 demo · Nicos Weg (DW) — tap any word

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