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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
die Sinfonie	a symphony	Leisure & Sport
der Sinkflug	descent	Society & Abstract
der Sirup	syrup / treacle	Society & Abstract
die Sitte	custom / practice / tradition	Society & Abstract
die Sitzung	a meeting	Society & Abstract
der Skandal	scandal	Society & Abstract
die Skizze	sketch	Leisure & Sport
die Sklavenarbeit	slave labor	Work & Education
der Sklavenhalter	a slave owner	Society & Abstract
die Sklaverei	slavery	Society & Abstract
der Skorpion	scorpion	Society & Abstract
die Skulptur	sculpture / statue	Leisure & Sport
der Sohn, -ö, e	son	Society & Abstract
die Solaranlage	solar installation	Home & Household
die Solarenergie	solar energy	Work & Education
die Solidarität	solidarity	Society & Abstract
solide	solid / sound / strong	Feelings & Character
das Sommersemester	summer semester	Work & Education
die Sommerzeit	Daylight savings time	Society & Abstract
die Sonate	sonata	Leisure & Sport
die Sonderanfertigung	a special model / version	Work & Education
die Sondereinheit	a special unit	Society & Abstract
die Sonnenaufgang	sunrise	Society & Abstract
die Sonnenuntergang	sunset	Society & Abstract
der Sopran	soprano	Leisure & Sport
souverän	sovereign	Feelings & Character
sowjetisch	soviet	Society & Abstract
die Sozialkunde	social science	Society & Abstract
die Sozialleistung	social benefit	Society & Abstract
die Sozialversicherung	social security	Society & Abstract
spachteln	to smooth over / fill in	Everyday Actions
der Spalt	gap / crack	Society & Abstract
die Späne	shavings / clippings / chips	Society & Abstract
die Spannung	voltage / tension / suspense	Society & Abstract
der Speicher	memory/storage	Work & Education
die Speicherung	storage / storing / retention	Society & Abstract
sperrig	bulky	Everyday Actions
die Spezialisierung	specialization	Work & Education
die Spinne	spider	Society & Abstract
spionieren	to spy / snoop around	Everyday Actions
die Spitzenpolitiker	top politicians	Society & Abstract
der Spitzenreiter	a frontrunner	Society & Abstract
spitzfindig	nitpicky / petty / pedantic	Feelings & Character
die Spitzhacke	pickaxe	Society & Abstract
der Splitt	grit / stone chips	Nature & Weather
der Spott	mockery / ridicule	Society & Abstract
spöttisch	mocking / ridiculing	Feelings & Character
die Sprache, -n	language	Society & Abstract
der Spracherwerb	language acquisition	Work & Education
sprechen über Akkusativ	to speak about	Society & Abstract
spreizen	to stradle / splay	Everyday Actions
die Sprengung	blasting / bursting / breaking	Work & Education
das Sprichwort	proverb / saying	Society & Abstract
sprießen	to sprout / spring up / shoot	Nature & Weather
der Spritpreis	fuel prices	Society & Abstract
spröde	brittle	Nature & Weather
der Spross	a sprout / offshoot	Nature & Weather
die Spüle	a sink	Society & Abstract
spülmaschinentauglich	dishwasher-safe (lit. suitable)	Home & Household
spurlos	without a trace	Society & Abstract
der Staatsanwalt	prosecutor/district attorney	Family & People
der Stab	rod / bar	Society & Abstract
der Stachelrochen	stingray	Nature & Weather
die Stadt, -ä, e	town / city	Society & Abstract
der Stadtrat	city council	Society & Abstract
der Stadtteil	district	Society & Abstract
die Staffel	a season (of a TV show)	Society & Abstract
der Stahl	steel	Society & Abstract
der Stahlbeton	reinforced concrete	Work & Education
stämmig	stocky / burly	Body & Health
standardmäßig	by default	Work & Education
ständig Ich muss ständig reden	constant / permanent / continuous	Society & Abstract
die Stang	rod / bar / pole	Home & Household
die Startrampe	launch pad	Work & Education
das Stativ	tripod	Society & Abstract
die Statur	stature	Society & Abstract
stauen	to dam / stop the flow	Nature & Weather
der Stausee	reservoir / artificial lake	Society & Abstract
das Steckenpferd	a hobbyhorse	Leisure & Sport
die Steigerung	an increase	Society & Abstract
der Steinpilz	porcini mushrooms	Society & Abstract
die Stelle, -n	job / position	Society & Abstract
der Stellenwert	place value / status	Society & Abstract
die Stellung	position / status / standing / place	Society & Abstract
die Stellungnahme	statement / position	Communication & Media
der Stellvertreter	deputy / representative	Work & Education
die Stellvertreterin	female deputy / representative	Work & Education
das Stereotyp	stereotype	Society & Abstract
das Stereotype	stereotype	Society & Abstract
stetig	steady	Society & Abstract
die Steuerfrist	tax deadline	Society & Abstract
das Steuergeld	tax money	Society & Abstract
die Steuerhinterziehung	tax evasion	Money & Shopping
die Steuern	taxes	Money & Shopping
steuernd	controlled / managed	Work & Education
stibitzen	to pinch / pilfer / swipe	Money & Shopping
die Stichelei	a jibe / dig / wisecrack	Communication & Media
die Stichprobe	random sample	Work & Education
die Stichwahl	run-off / final ballot	Society & Abstract
der Stickstoff	nitrogen	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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