What's the best way to learn German B2 vocabulary?

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 Stiftung	a foundation / endowment	Society & Abstract
das Stillleben	still life	Leisure & Sport
stillschweigend	tacit / silently	Communication & Media
die Stimmenthaltung	abstention	Society & Abstract
stinksauer	pissed off	Feelings & Character
die Stirn	forehead	Society & Abstract
stocknüchtern	stone-cold sober	Feelings & Character
der Stoffwechsel	metabolism	Body & Health
der Stolperstein	stumbling block	City & Places
stolzieren	to swagger / strut	Everyday Actions
die Stoßwelle	a shock wave	Nature & Weather
strafen	to punish	Society & Abstract
die Strafpredigt	a reprimand / dressing-down / lecture	Communication & Media
strafrechtlich	criminal (adj.)	Society & Abstract
die Straftat	criminal offense	Society & Abstract
die Strafverfolgung	criminal prosecution	Society & Abstract
die Strahlung	radiation	Nature & Weather
strapaziös	exhausting / wearing	Feelings & Character
die Straße, -n	street	Society & Abstract
streben	to strive / aspire	Feelings & Character
der Streich	prank / trick	Society & Abstract
das Streichhölz	a match	Society & Abstract
die Streichung	deletion / cancellation / cut	Work & Education
der Streifzug	an expedition / prowl / brief survey	Travel & Transport
der Streitkräfte	forces / armed forces / troops	Society & Abstract
das Strohdach	thatched roof	City & Places
der Strohhalm	a straw	Society & Abstract
der Ström	current / stream / power / electricity	Society & Abstract
stromlinienförmig	streamlined	Nature & Weather
die Strophe	stanza / verse	Communication & Media
strotzen	to be full / bursting / teeming	Everyday Actions
die Struktur	structure / framework	Society & Abstract
der Stubenhocker	couch potato	Leisure & Sport
der Student, -en	student	Society & Abstract
der Studiendekan	dean of studies	Work & Education
der Studiengang	degree program	Work & Education
die Studiengebühr	tuition fee	Work & Education
die Studienordnung	course of study regulations	Work & Education
der Studienschwerpunkt	major / field of specialization	Work & Education
stümperhaft	botched / bungled	Feelings & Character
die Stunde, -n	hour	Society & Abstract
der Sturzflug	nosedive / dive / swoop	Travel & Transport
die Sturzflut	a flash flood	Nature & Weather
der Stuss	nonsense / rubbish / baloney	Society & Abstract
die Stütze	pillar/support	City & Places
die Substanz	substance / fundamental matter	Society & Abstract
der Suchscheinwerfer	a searchlight	Travel & Transport
der Suchtreffer	a search hit / result	Communication & Media
der Suff	drunkenness	Feelings & Character
die Sünde	sin	Feelings & Character
der Sündenbock	a scapegoat	Society & Abstract
sündhaft	sinful	Feelings & Character
die Süßigkeit	sweets / candy	Society & Abstract
die Symbolik	symbolism	Society & Abstract
die Symmetrie	symmetry	Society & Abstract
die Symphonie	symphony	Leisure & Sport
die Synthese	synthesis / reconciling combination	Work & Education
tadelnd	rebukingly	Feelings & Character
der Tag, -e	day	Society & Abstract
der Taktstock	a baton / stick	Leisure & Sport
die Tanne	fir tree	Society & Abstract
der Tannenbaum	christmas tree / pinetree	Society & Abstract
der Tänzer	dancer	Work & Education
die Tarantel	tarantula (common)	Nature & Weather
tarnen	to camouflage / disguise	Everyday Actions
die Tarnung	camouflage	Society & Abstract
die Tasche, -n	bag	Society & Abstract
der Tatbestand	elements of offense/facts of a case	Society & Abstract
tätscheln	to pat something	Everyday Actions
die Taufe	baptism	Time & Dates
taufen	to baptize	Everyday Actions
taugen	to be suitable / useful	Everyday Actions
taumeln	to stagger / reel / lurch / flounder	Everyday Actions
der Tauschhandel	barter	Money & Shopping
die Täuschung	illusion / deception / deceit	Communication & Media
der Tausendsassa	jack of all trades	Family & People
das Taxi, -s	taxi	Society & Abstract
das Teekränzchen	a tea party	Leisure & Sport
teigig	doughy	Food & Drink
der Teil, -e	part	Society & Abstract
der Teint	complexion	Body & Health
der Tenor	tenor	Leisure & Sport
der Termin, -e	appointment	Society & Abstract
die Terrine	terrine / weird loaf thing	Food & Drink
der Terroranschlag	a terror attack	Society & Abstract
der Terrorismus	terrorism	Society & Abstract
der Teufel	devil / demon	Society & Abstract
der Text, -e	text	Society & Abstract
die Textsorte	text type / genre	Communication & Media
die Textur	texture / surface quality	Society & Abstract
die Theologie	theology	Work & Education
der Theoretiker	theorist	Work & Education
die These	thesis/argument	Work & Education
der Thronfolger	an heir to the throne / successor	Society & Abstract
das Ticket, -s	ticket	Society & Abstract
die Tiefkühltruhe	freezer chest	Society & Abstract
die Tierart	species	Society & Abstract
die Tinte	ink	Society & Abstract
die Tochter, -ö	daughter	Society & Abstract
die Toilette, -en	toilet	Society & Abstract

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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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