German B2 — Upper-Intermediate Vocabulary
Less common, more abstract vocabulary for news, essays and complex topics. · 2,844 words.
2,844 B2 words
| German word | English meaning |
|---|---|
| der Aufsichtsrats | a supervisory board |
| aufspießen | to impale / skewer / spear / gore |
| aufstacheln | to incite / spur on |
| der Aufstand | uprising / rebellion |
| der Auftakt | prelude / start |
| der Auftrieb | buoyancy / lift |
| der Auftritt | appearance/entrance |
| auftun | to open up |
| aufwenden | to spend / expend / use |
| aufwendig | elaborate / ornate / expensive / costly |
| aufzehren | to exhaust / sap / burn out / consume |
| aufziehen aufgezogen | to raise / rear / bring up (e.g., kids) |
| der Aufzug, -ü, e | lift / elevator |
| der Augapfel | an eyeball |
| das Auge, -n | eye |
| die Augenbraue | eyebrow |
| aus freien Stücken | of one's free will |
| aus/von massivem Gold | of solid gold |
| ausbauen | to expand / develop / remove |
| die Ausbeutung | exploitation / depletion |
| ausbrüten | to hatch / incubate |
| die Ausgaben | expenditures / expenses / spending |
| die Ausgangssperre | a curfew |
| ausgenommen | apart from / except |
| ausgeprägt | distinctive / pronounced / particular |
| ausgleichen | to balance / compensate / equalize |
| die Ausgrenzung | exclusion |
| der Ausguck | a lookout (e.g., he's our look-out) |
| aushalten | to withstand / endure / sustain |
| aushecken | to cook up / contrive / hatch up / plot |
| aushorchen | to sound out |
| die Auskunft, -ü, e | information/details |
| der Ausländer, - | foreigner |
| das Auslaufmodell | a discontinued model |
| auslegen | to be laid out / design / interpret |
| die Auslegung | legal interpretation |
| der Auslöser | a trigger |
| ausmustern | to retire / take out of service |
| die Ausrüstung | equipment / gear |
| die Aussage, -n | statement |
| ausscheiden | to excrete / retire / reject |
| ausschlaggebend | decisive / deciding / crucial |
| die Ausschussarbeit | committee work |
| außerordentlich | exceptionally |
| die Äußerung | manifestation / expression |
| die Ausstattung | staging/set design |
| aussterben | to die out / become extinct |
| der Ausstoß | emission / discharge / output |
| austricksen | to trick / outsmart / outwit |
| die Auswanderung | emigration |
| das Auswärtigen Amt | Foreign Office / Department of State |
| der Ausweg | way out / resort / solution |
| die Ausweisung | expulsion / eviction / deportation |
| die Auswertung | evaluation |
| die Auswirkung | impact / effect |
| das Auto, -s | car |
| die Autobahn, -en | motorway |
| die Automatisierung | automation |
| die Autonomie | autonomy / self-governance |
| autorisieren | to authorize |
| der Azubi | a trainee |
| das Baby, -s | baby |
| das Backend | backend |
| der Balken | beam |
| der Ball / die Bälle | ball |
| die Ballade | ballad |
| die Ballaststoffe | dietary fiber |
| der Ballon | balloon |
| der Balsam | balm / salve |
| die Balustrade | balustrade/railing |
| die Banane, -n | banana |
| die Bandbreite | bandwidth |
| bändigen | to tame / subdue |
| der Bass | bass |
| bäuchlings | face-down |
| der Bauchredner | a ventriloquist |
| die Bauchspeicheldrüse | pancreas |
| die Baugruppe | building unit |
| der Baum, -ä, e | tree |
| der Bauplan | building plan |
| der Baustein | building block |
| der Beamte, -n | an official |
| beauftragen | to instruct / commission |
| beäugeln | to oggle |
| das Beben | quake / quiver / tremor / shaking |
| der Becher | cup / mug / beaker |
| das Becken | pool / basin / tank |
| bedroht | threatened/endangered |
| beeinträchtigen | to impair / interfere with / affect |
| befassen | to deal with |
| der Befehl | command / instruction / order |
| befeuchten | to moisturize / wet / dampen / humidify |
| befürworten | to endorse / advocate / agree with |
| die Begabung | talent |
| begehbar | walkable |
| begehen | to perpetrate / commit |
| die Begeisterung | enthusiasm / excitement |
| begleichen | to settle / clear off |
| beharren | to persevere / persist / insist |
| die Beharrlichkeit | persistence / perseverance |
Quiz yourself on B2 words
Turn this list into a spaced-repetition quiz — multiple choice or flashcards, with the same tap-to-translate meanings, synonyms and etymology you see here. Free to start; sign up to save your progress and pick up where you left off.
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.
Vocabulary quiz
generated from this clip
„Wie heißt du?" — what is being asked?
Question 1 of 5 · after every video you watch
Free to start · no credit card
Words fade fast — spaced reviews make them stick.
Based on Dr. Hermann Ebbinghaus · memory science, proven since 1885
