The Oxford 3000 words

The Oxford 3000 is a list of the 3,000 core words that every learner of English needs to know. The words have been chosen based on their frequency in the Oxford English Corpus and relevance to learners of English. Every word is aligned to the CEFR, guiding learners on the words they should know at A1-B2 level.

ALL a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
  • baby (/ˈbeɪbi/)
  • back (/bæk/)
  • background (/ˈbækɡraʊnd/)
  • backwards (/ˈbækwədz/)
  • bacteria (/bækˈtɪəriə/)
  • bad (/bæd/)
  • badly (/ˈbædli/)
  • bag (/bæɡ/)
  • bake (/beɪk/)
  • balance (/ˈbæləns/)
  • ball (/bɔːl/)
  • ban (/bæn/)
  • banana (/bəˈnɑːnə/)
  • band (/bænd/)
  • bank (/bæŋk/)
  • bar (/bɑː(r)/)
  • barrier (/ˈbæriə(r)/)
  • base (/beɪs/)
  • baseball (/ˈbeɪsbɔːl/)
  • based (/beɪst/)
  • basic (/ˈbeɪsɪk/)
  • basically (/ˈbeɪsɪkli/)
  • basis (/ˈbeɪsɪs/)
  • basketball (/ˈbɑːskɪtbɔːl/)
  • bath (/bɑːθ/)
  • bathroom (/ˈbɑːθruːm/)
  • battery (/ˈbætri/)
  • battle (/ˈbætl/)
  • be (/bi/)
  • beach (/biːtʃ/)
  • bean (/biːn/)
  • bear (/beə(r)/)
  • beat (/biːt/)
  • beautiful (/ˈbjuːtɪfl/)
  • beauty (/ˈbjuːti/)
  • because (/bɪˈkəz/)
  • become (/bɪˈkʌm/)
  • bed (/bed/)
  • bedroom (/ˈbedruːm/)
  • bee (/biː/)
  • beef (/biːf/)
  • beer (/bɪə(r)/)
  • before (/bɪˈfɔː(r)/)
  • beg (/beɡ/)
  • begin (/bɪˈɡɪn/)
  • beginning (/bɪˈɡɪnɪŋ/)
  • behave (/bɪˈheɪv/)
  • behaviour (/bɪˈheɪvjə(r)/)
  • behind (/bɪˈhaɪnd/)
  • being (/ˈbiːɪŋ/)
  • belief (/bɪˈliːf/)
  • believe (/bɪˈliːv/)
  • bell (/bel/)
  • belong (/bɪˈlɒŋ/)
  • below (/bɪˈləʊ/)
  • belt (/belt/)
  • bend (/bend/)
  • benefit (/ˈbenɪfɪt/)
  • bent (/bent/)
  • best (/best/)
  • bet (/bet/)
  • better (/ˈbetə(r)/)
  • between (/bɪˈtwiːn/)
  • beyond (/bɪˈjɒnd/)
  • bicycle (/ˈbaɪsɪkl/)
  • big (/bɪɡ/)
  • bike (/baɪk/)
  • bill (/bɪl/)
  • billion (/ˈbɪljən/)
  • bin (/bɪn/)
  • biology (/baɪˈɒlədʒi/)
  • bird (/bɜːd/)
  • birth (/bɜːθ/)
  • birthday (/ˈbɜːθdeɪ/)
  • biscuit (/ˈbɪskɪt/)
  • bit (/bɪt/)
  • bite (/baɪt/)
  • bitter (/ˈbɪtə(r)/)
  • black (/blæk/)
  • blame (/bleɪm/)
  • blank (/blæŋk/)
  • blind (/blaɪnd/)
  • block (/blɒk/)
  • blog (/blɒɡ/)
  • blonde (/blɒnd/)
  • blood (/blʌd/)
  • blow (/bləʊ/)
  • blue (/bluː/)
  • board (/bɔːd/)
  • boat (/bəʊt/)
  • body (/ˈbɒdi/)
  • boil (/bɔɪl/)
  • bomb (/bɒm/)
  • bond (/bɒnd/)
  • bone (/bəʊn/)
  • book (/bʊk/)
  • boot (/buːt/)
  • border (/ˈbɔːdə(r)/)
  • bored (/bɔːd/)
  • boring (/ˈbɔːrɪŋ/)
  • born (/bɔːn/)
  • borrow (/ˈbɒrəʊ/)
  • boss (/bɒs/)
  • both (/bəʊθ/)
  • bother (/ˈbɒðə(r)/)
  • bottle (/ˈbɒtl/)
  • bottom (/ˈbɒtəm/)
  • bowl (/bəʊl/)
  • box (/bɒks/)
  • boy (/bɔɪ/)
  • boyfriend (/ˈbɔɪfrend/)
  • brain (/breɪn/)
  • branch (/brɑːntʃ/)
  • brand (/brænd/)
  • brave (/breɪv/)
  • bread (/bred/)
  • break (/breɪk/)
  • breakfast (/ˈbrekfəst/)
  • breast (/brest/)
  • breath (/breθ/)
  • breathe (/briːð/)
  • breathing (/ˈbriːðɪŋ/)
  • bride (/braɪd/)
  • bridge (/brɪdʒ/)
  • brief (/briːf/)
  • bright (/braɪt/)
  • brilliant (/ˈbrɪliənt/)
  • bring (/brɪŋ/)
  • broad (/brɔːd/)
  • broadcast (/ˈbrɔːdkɑːst/)
  • broken (/ˈbrəʊkən/)
  • brother (/ˈbrʌðə(r)/)
  • brown (/braʊn/)
  • brush (/brʌʃ/)
  • bubble (/ˈbʌbl/)
  • budget (/ˈbʌdʒɪt/)
  • build (/bɪld/)
  • building (/ˈbɪldɪŋ/)
  • bullet (/ˈbʊlɪt/)
  • bunch (/bʌntʃ/)
  • burn (/bɜːn/)
  • bury (/ˈberi/)
  • bus (/bʌs/)
  • bush (/bʊʃ/)
  • business (/ˈbɪznəs/)
  • businessman (/ˈbɪznəsmæn/)
  • busy (/ˈbɪzi/)
  • but (/bət/)
  • butter (/ˈbʌtə(r)/)
  • button (/ˈbʌtn/)
  • buy (/baɪ/)
  • by (/baɪ/)
  • bye (/baɪ/)
English Audio Level

baby (noun)

UK /ˈbeɪbi/
US /ˈbeɪbi/
A1

back (verb)

UK /bæk/
US /bæk/
B2

background (noun)

UK /ˈbækɡraʊnd/
US /ˈbækɡraʊnd/
A2

backwards (adverb)

UK /ˈbækwədz/
US /ˈbækwərdz/
B1

bacteria (noun)

UK /bækˈtɪəriə/
US /bækˈtɪriə/
B2

bad (adjective)

UK /bæd/
US /bæd/
A1

badly (adverb)

UK /ˈbædli/
US /ˈbædli/
A2

bag (noun)

UK /bæɡ/
US /bæɡ/
A1

bake (verb)

UK /beɪk/
US /beɪk/
B1

balance (verb)

UK /ˈbæləns/
US /ˈbæləns/
B1

ball (noun)

UK /bɔːl/
US /bɔːl/
A1

ban (verb)

UK /bæn/
US /bæn/
B1

banana (noun)

UK /bəˈnɑːnə/
US /bəˈnænə/
A1

band (noun)

UK /bænd/
US /bænd/
A1

bank (noun)

UK /bæŋk/
US /bæŋk/
A1

bar (verb)

UK /bɑː(r)/
US /bɑːr/
B2

barrier (noun)

UK /ˈbæriə(r)/
US /ˈbæriər/
B2

base (verb)

UK /beɪs/
US /beɪs/
B1

baseball (noun)

UK /ˈbeɪsbɔːl/
US /ˈbeɪsbɔːl/
A2

based (adjective)

UK /beɪst/
US /beɪst/
A2

basic (adjective)

UK /ˈbeɪsɪk/
US /ˈbeɪsɪk/
B1

basically (adverb)

UK /ˈbeɪsɪkli/
US /ˈbeɪsɪkli/
B2

basis (noun)

UK /ˈbeɪsɪs/
US /ˈbeɪsɪs/
B1

basketball (noun)

UK /ˈbɑːskɪtbɔːl/
US /ˈbæskɪtbɔːl/
A2

bath (noun)

UK /bɑːθ/
US /bæθ/
A1

bathroom (noun)

UK /ˈbɑːθruːm/
US /ˈbæθruːm/
A1

battery (noun)

UK /ˈbætri/
US /ˈbætəri/
B1

battle (verb)

UK /ˈbætl/
US /ˈbætl/
B2

be (auxiliary verb)

UK /bi/
US /bi/
A1

beach (noun)

UK /biːtʃ/
US /biːtʃ/
A1

bean (noun)

UK /biːn/
US /biːn/
A2

bear (verb)

UK /beə(r)/
US /ber/
B2

beat (verb)

UK /biːt/
US /biːt/
A2

beautiful (adjective)

UK /ˈbjuːtɪfl/
US /ˈbjuːtɪfl/
A1

beauty (noun)

UK /ˈbjuːti/
US /ˈbjuːti/
B1

because (conjunction)

UK /bɪˈkəz/
US /bɪˈkəz/
A1

become (verb)

UK /bɪˈkʌm/
US /bɪˈkʌm/
A1

bed (noun)

UK /bed/
US /bed/
A1

bedroom (noun)

UK /ˈbedruːm/
US /ˈbedruːm/
A1

bee (noun)

UK /biː/
US /biː/
B1

beef (noun)

UK /biːf/
US /biːf/
A2

beer (noun)

UK /bɪə(r)/
US /bɪr/
A1

before (preposition)

UK /bɪˈfɔː(r)/
US /bɪˈfɔːr/
A1

beg (verb)

UK /beɡ/
US /beɡ/
B2

begin (verb)

UK /bɪˈɡɪn/
US /bɪˈɡɪn/
A1

beginning (noun)

UK /bɪˈɡɪnɪŋ/
US /bɪˈɡɪnɪŋ/
A1

behave (verb)

UK /bɪˈheɪv/
US /bɪˈheɪv/
A2

behaviour (noun)

UK /bɪˈheɪvjə(r)/
US /bɪˈheɪvjər/
A2

behind (preposition)

UK /bɪˈhaɪnd/
US /bɪˈhaɪnd/
A1

being (noun)

UK /ˈbiːɪŋ/
US /ˈbiːɪŋ/
B2

belief (noun)

UK /bɪˈliːf/
US /bɪˈliːf/
B1

believe (verb)

UK /bɪˈliːv/
US /bɪˈliːv/
A1

bell (noun)

UK /bel/
US /bel/
B1

belong (verb)

UK /bɪˈlɒŋ/
US /bɪˈlɔːŋ/
A2

below (preposition)

UK /bɪˈləʊ/
US /bɪˈləʊ/
A1

belt (noun)

UK /belt/
US /belt/
A2

bend (verb)

UK /bend/
US /bend/
B1

benefit (verb)

UK /ˈbenɪfɪt/
US /ˈbenɪfɪt/
B1

bent (adjective)

UK /bent/
US /bent/
B2

best (noun)

UK /best/
US /best/
A2

bet (verb)

UK /bet/
US /bet/
B2

better (noun)

UK /ˈbetə(r)/
US /ˈbetər/
B1

between (preposition)

UK /bɪˈtwiːn/
US /bɪˈtwiːn/
A1

beyond (preposition)

UK /bɪˈjɒnd/
US /bɪˈjɑːnd/
B2

bicycle (noun)

UK /ˈbaɪsɪkl/
US /ˈbaɪsɪkl/
A1

big (adjective)

UK /bɪɡ/
US /bɪɡ/
A1

bike (noun)

UK /baɪk/
US /baɪk/
A1

bill (verb)

UK /bɪl/
US /bɪl/
B2

billion (number)

UK /ˈbɪljən/
US /ˈbɪljən/
A2

bin (noun)

UK /bɪn/
US /bɪn/
A2

biology (noun)

UK /baɪˈɒlədʒi/
US /baɪˈɑːlədʒi/
A2

bird (noun)

UK /bɜːd/
US /bɜːrd/
A1

birth (noun)

UK /bɜːθ/
US /bɜːrθ/
A2

birthday (noun)

UK /ˈbɜːθdeɪ/
US /ˈbɜːrθdeɪ/
A1

biscuit (noun)

UK /ˈbɪskɪt/
US /ˈbɪskɪt/
A2

bit (noun)

UK /bɪt/
US /bɪt/
A2

bite (verb)

UK /baɪt/
US /baɪt/
B1

bitter (adjective)

UK /ˈbɪtə(r)/
US /ˈbɪtər/
B2

black (noun)

UK /blæk/
US /blæk/
A1

blame (verb)

UK /bleɪm/
US /bleɪm/
B2

blank (noun)

UK /blæŋk/
US /blæŋk/
A2

blind (adjective)

UK /blaɪnd/
US /blaɪnd/
B2

block (verb)

UK /blɒk/
US /blɑːk/
B1

blog (noun)

UK /blɒɡ/
US /blɑːɡ/
A1

blonde (adjective)

UK /blɒnd/
US /blɑːnd/
A1

blood (noun)

UK /blʌd/
US /blʌd/
A2

blow (verb)

UK /bləʊ/
US /bləʊ/
A2

blue (noun)

UK /bluː/
US /bluː/
A1

board (verb)

UK /bɔːd/
US /bɔːrd/
B1

boat (noun)

UK /bəʊt/
US /bəʊt/
A1

body (noun)

UK /ˈbɒdi/
US /ˈbɑːdi/
A1

boil (verb)

UK /bɔɪl/
US /bɔɪl/
A2

bomb (verb)

UK /bɒm/
US /bɑːm/
B1

bond (noun)

UK /bɒnd/
US /bɑːnd/
B2

bone (noun)

UK /bəʊn/
US /bəʊn/
A2

book (verb)

UK /bʊk/
US /bʊk/
A2

boot (noun)

UK /buːt/
US /buːt/
A1

border (verb)

UK /ˈbɔːdə(r)/
US /ˈbɔːrdər/
B2

bored (adjective)

UK /bɔːd/
US /bɔːrd/
A1

boring (adjective)

UK /ˈbɔːrɪŋ/
US /ˈbɔːrɪŋ/
A1

born (verb)

UK /bɔːn/
US /bɔːrn/
A1

borrow (verb)

UK /ˈbɒrəʊ/
US /ˈbɔːrəʊ/
A2

boss (noun)

UK /bɒs/
US /bɔːs/
A2

both (determiner, pronoun)

UK /bəʊθ/
US /bəʊθ/
A1

bother (verb)

UK /ˈbɒðə(r)/
US /ˈbɑːðər/
B1

bottle (noun)

UK /ˈbɒtl/
US /ˈbɑːtl/
A1

bottom (noun)

UK /ˈbɒtəm/
US /ˈbɑːtəm/
A2

bowl (noun)

UK /bəʊl/
US /bəʊl/
A2

box (noun)

UK /bɒks/
US /bɑːks/
A1

boy (noun)

UK /bɔɪ/
US /bɔɪ/
A1

boyfriend (noun)

UK /ˈbɔɪfrend/
US /ˈbɔɪfrend/
A1

brain (noun)

UK /breɪn/
US /breɪn/
A2

branch (noun)

UK /brɑːntʃ/
US /bræntʃ/
B1

brand (verb)

UK /brænd/
US /brænd/
B1

brave (adjective)

UK /breɪv/
US /breɪv/
B1

bread (noun)

UK /bred/
US /bred/
A1

break (verb)

UK /breɪk/
US /breɪk/
A1

breakfast (noun)

UK /ˈbrekfəst/
US /ˈbrekfəst/
A1

breast (noun)

UK /brest/
US /brest/
B2

breath (noun)

UK /breθ/
US /breθ/
B1

breathe (verb)

UK /briːð/
US /briːð/
B1

breathing (noun)

UK /ˈbriːðɪŋ/
US /ˈbriːðɪŋ/
B1

bride (noun)

UK /braɪd/
US /braɪd/
B1

bridge (noun)

UK /brɪdʒ/
US /brɪdʒ/
A2

brief (adjective)

UK /briːf/
US /briːf/
B2

bright (adjective)

UK /braɪt/
US /braɪt/
A2

brilliant (adjective)

UK /ˈbrɪliənt/
US /ˈbrɪliənt/
A2

bring (verb)

UK /brɪŋ/
US /brɪŋ/
A1

broad (adjective)

UK /brɔːd/
US /brɔːd/
B2

broadcast (verb)

UK /ˈbrɔːdkɑːst/
US /ˈbrɔːdkæst/
B2

broken (adjective)

UK /ˈbrəʊkən/
US /ˈbrəʊkən/
A2

brother (noun)

UK /ˈbrʌðə(r)/
US /ˈbrʌðər/
A1

brown (noun)

UK /braʊn/
US /braʊn/
A1

brush (verb)

UK /brʌʃ/
US /brʌʃ/
A2

bubble (noun)

UK /ˈbʌbl/
US /ˈbʌbl/
B1

budget (noun)

UK /ˈbʌdʒɪt/
US /ˈbʌdʒɪt/
B2

build (verb)

UK /bɪld/
US /bɪld/
A1

building (noun)

UK /ˈbɪldɪŋ/
US /ˈbɪldɪŋ/
A1

bullet (noun)

UK /ˈbʊlɪt/
US /ˈbʊlɪt/
B2

bunch (noun)

UK /bʌntʃ/
US /bʌntʃ/
B2

burn (verb)

UK /bɜːn/
US /bɜːrn/
A2

bury (verb)

UK /ˈberi/
US /ˈberi/
B1

bus (noun)

UK /bʌs/
US /bʌs/
A1

bush (noun)

UK /bʊʃ/
US /bʊʃ/
B2

business (noun)

UK /ˈbɪznəs/
US /ˈbɪznəs/
A1

businessman (noun)

UK /ˈbɪznəsmæn/
US /ˈbɪznəsmæn/
A2

busy (adjective)

UK /ˈbɪzi/
US /ˈbɪzi/
A1

but (preposition)

UK /bət/
US /bət/
B2

butter (noun)

UK /ˈbʌtə(r)/
US /ˈbʌtər/
A1

button (noun)

UK /ˈbʌtn/
US /ˈbʌtn/
A2

buy (verb)

UK /baɪ/
US /baɪ/
A1

by (preposition)

UK /baɪ/
US /baɪ/
A1

bye (exclamation)

UK /baɪ/
US /baɪ/
A1