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
  • machine (/məˈʃiːn/)
  • mad (/mæd/)
  • magazine (/ˌmæɡəˈziːn/)
  • magic (/ˈmædʒɪk/)
  • mail (/meɪl/)
  • main (/meɪn/)
  • mainly (/ˈmeɪnli/)
  • maintain (/meɪnˈteɪn/)
  • major (/ˈmeɪdʒə(r)/)
  • majority (/məˈdʒɒrəti/)
  • make (/meɪk/)
  • male (/meɪl/)
  • mall (/mɔːl/)
  • man (/mæn/)
  • manage (/ˈmænɪdʒ/)
  • management (/ˈmænɪdʒmənt/)
  • manager (/ˈmænɪdʒə(r)/)
  • manner (/ˈmænə(r)/)
  • many (/ˈmeni/)
  • map (/mæp/)
  • march (/mɑːtʃ/)
  • mark (/mɑːk/)
  • market (/ˈmɑːkɪt/)
  • marketing (/ˈmɑːkɪtɪŋ/)
  • marriage (/ˈmærɪdʒ/)
  • married (/ˈmærid/)
  • marry (/ˈmæri/)
  • mass (/mæs/)
  • massive (/ˈmæsɪv/)
  • master (/ˈmɑːstə(r)/)
  • match (/mætʃ/)
  • matching (/ˈmætʃɪŋ/)
  • material (/məˈtɪəriəl/)
  • mathematics (/ˌmæθəˈmætɪks/)
  • maths (/mæθs/)
  • matter (/ˈmætə(r)/)
  • maximum (/ˈmæksɪməm/)
  • may (/meɪ/)
  • maybe (/ˈmeɪbi/)
  • me (/mi/)
  • meal (/miːl/)
  • mean (/miːn/)
  • meaning (/ˈmiːnɪŋ/)
  • means (/miːnz/)
  • meanwhile (/ˈmiːnwaɪl/)
  • measure (/ˈmeʒə(r)/)
  • measurement (/ˈmeʒəmənt/)
  • meat (/miːt/)
  • media (/ˈmiːdiə/)
  • medical (/ˈmedɪkl/)
  • medicine (/ˈmedsn/)
  • medium (/ˈmiːdiəm/)
  • meet (/miːt/)
  • meeting (/ˈmiːtɪŋ/)
  • melt (/melt/)
  • member (/ˈmembə(r)/)
  • memory (/ˈmeməri/)
  • mental (/ˈmentl/)
  • mention (/ˈmenʃn/)
  • menu (/ˈmenjuː/)
  • mess (/mes/)
  • message (/ˈmesɪdʒ/)
  • metal (/ˈmetl/)
  • method (/ˈmeθəd/)
  • metre (/ˈmiːtə(r)/)
  • middle (/ˈmɪdl/)
  • midnight (/ˈmɪdnaɪt/)
  • might (/maɪt/)
  • mild (/maɪld/)
  • mile (/maɪl/)
  • military (/ˈmɪlətri/)
  • milk (/mɪlk/)
  • million (/ˈmɪljən/)
  • mind (/maɪnd/)
  • mine (/maɪn/)
  • mineral (/ˈmɪnərəl/)
  • minimum (/ˈmɪnɪməm/)
  • minister (/ˈmɪnɪstə(r)/)
  • minor (/ˈmaɪnə(r)/)
  • minority (/maɪˈnɒrəti/)
  • minute (/ˈmɪnɪt/)
  • mirror (/ˈmɪrə(r)/)
  • miss (/mɪs/)
  • missing (/ˈmɪsɪŋ/)
  • mission (/ɪmˈpɒsəbl/)
  • mistake (/mɪˈsteɪk/)
  • mix (/mɪks/)
  • mixed (/mɪkst/)
  • mixture (/ˈmɪkstʃə(r)/)
  • mobile (/ˈməʊbaɪl/)
  • model (/ˈmɒdl/)
  • modern (/ˈmɒdn/)
  • modify (/ˈmɒdɪfaɪ/)
  • moment (/ˈməʊmənt/)
  • monday (/ˈmʌndeɪ/)
  • money (/ˈmʌni/)
  • monitor (/ˈmɒnɪtə(r)/)
  • monkey (/ˈmʌŋki/)
  • month (/mʌnθ/)
  • mood (/muːd/)
  • moon (/muːn/)
  • moral (/ˈmɒrəl/)
  • more (/ˈmeni/)
  • morning (/ˈmɔːnɪŋ/)
  • most (/ˈmeni/)
  • mostly (/ˈməʊstli/)
  • mother (/ˈmʌðə(r)/)
  • motor (/ˈməʊtə(r)/)
  • motorcycle (/ˈməʊtəsaɪkl/)
  • mount (/maʊnt/)
  • mountain (/ˈmaʊntən/)
  • mouse (/maʊs/)
  • mouth (/maʊθ/)
  • move (/muːv/)
  • movement (/ˈmuːvmənt/)
  • movie (/ˈmuːvi/)
  • much (/ˈmeni/)
  • mud (/mʌd/)
  • multiple (/ˈmʌltɪpl/)
  • multiply (/ˈmʌltɪplaɪ/)
  • mum (/mʌm/)
  • murder (/ˈmɜːdə(r)/)
  • muscle (/ˈmʌsl/)
  • museum (/mjuˈziːəm/)
  • music (/ˈmjuːzɪk/)
  • musical (/ˈmjuːzɪkl/)
  • musician (/mjuˈzɪʃn/)
  • must (/məst/)
  • my (/maɪ/)
  • myself (/maɪˈself/)
  • mysterious (/mɪˈstɪəriəs/)
  • mystery (/ˈmɪstri/)
English Audio Level

machine (noun)

UK /məˈʃiːn/
US /məˈʃiːn/
A1

mad (adjective)

UK /mæd/
US /mæd/
B1

magazine (noun)

UK /ˌmæɡəˈziːn/
US /ˈmæɡəziːn/
A1

magic (noun)

UK /ˈmædʒɪk/
US /ˈmædʒɪk/
B1

mail (verb)

UK /meɪl/
US /meɪl/
A2

main (adjective)

UK /meɪn/
US /meɪn/
A1

mainly (adverb)

UK /ˈmeɪnli/
US /ˈmeɪnli/
B1

maintain (verb)

UK /meɪnˈteɪn/
US /meɪnˈteɪn/
B2

major (adjective)

UK /ˈmeɪdʒə(r)/
US /ˈmeɪdʒər/
A2

majority (noun)

UK /məˈdʒɒrəti/
US /məˈdʒɔːrəti/
B2

make (verb)

UK /meɪk/
US /meɪk/
A1

male (noun)

UK /meɪl/
US /meɪl/
A2

mall (noun)

UK /mɔːl/
US /mɔːl/
B1

man (noun)

UK /mæn/
US /mæn/
A1

manage (verb)

UK /ˈmænɪdʒ/
US /ˈmænɪdʒ/
A2

management (noun)

UK /ˈmænɪdʒmənt/
US /ˈmænɪdʒmənt/
B1

manager (noun)

UK /ˈmænɪdʒə(r)/
US /ˈmænɪdʒər/
A2

manner (noun)

UK /ˈmænə(r)/
US /ˈmænər/
A2

many (determiner, pronoun)

UK /ˈmeni/
US /ˈmeni/
A1

map (verb)

UK /mæp/
US /mæp/
B2

march (verb)

UK /mɑːtʃ/
US /mɑːrtʃ/
C1

mark (verb)

UK /mɑːk/
US /mɑːrk/
A2

market (verb)

UK /ˈmɑːkɪt/
US /ˈmɑːrkɪt/
B1

marketing (noun)

UK /ˈmɑːkɪtɪŋ/
US /ˈmɑːrkɪtɪŋ/
B1

marriage (noun)

UK /ˈmærɪdʒ/
US /ˈmærɪdʒ/
B1

married (adjective)

UK /ˈmærid/
US /ˈmærid/
A1

marry (verb)

UK /ˈmæri/
US /ˈmæri/
A2

mass (noun)

UK /mæs/
US /mæs/
B2

massive (adjective)

UK /ˈmæsɪv/
US /ˈmæsɪv/
B2

master (verb)

UK /ˈmɑːstə(r)/
US /ˈmæstər/
B2

match (verb)

UK /mætʃ/
US /mætʃ/
A1

matching (adjective)

UK /ˈmætʃɪŋ/
US /ˈmætʃɪŋ/
B2

material (noun)

UK /məˈtɪəriəl/
US /məˈtɪriəl/
A2

mathematics (noun)

UK /ˌmæθəˈmætɪks/
US /ˌmæθəˈmætɪks/
A2

maths (noun)

UK /mæθs/
US /mæθs/
A2

matter (verb)

UK /ˈmætə(r)/
US /ˈmætər/
A2

maximum (noun)

UK /ˈmæksɪməm/
US /ˈmæksɪməm/
B2

may (modal verb)

UK /meɪ/
US /meɪ/
A2

maybe (adverb)

UK /ˈmeɪbi/
US /ˈmeɪbi/
A1

me (pronoun)

UK /mi/
US /mi/
A1

meal (noun)

UK /miːl/
US /miːl/
A1

mean (verb)

UK /miːn/
US /miːn/
A1

meaning (noun)

UK /ˈmiːnɪŋ/
US /ˈmiːnɪŋ/
A1

means (noun)

UK /miːnz/
US /miːnz/
B2

meanwhile (adverb)

UK /ˈmiːnwaɪl/
US /ˈmiːnwaɪl/
B1

measure (verb)

UK /ˈmeʒə(r)/
US /ˈmeʒər/
B1

measurement (noun)

UK /ˈmeʒəmənt/
US /ˈmeʒərmənt/
B2

meat (noun)

UK /miːt/
US /miːt/
A1

media (noun)

UK /ˈmiːdiə/
US /ˈmiːdiə/
A2

medical (adjective)

UK /ˈmedɪkl/
US /ˈmedɪkl/
A2

medicine (noun)

UK /ˈmedsn/
US /ˈmedɪsn/
A2

medium (noun)

UK /ˈmiːdiəm/
US /ˈmiːdiəm/
B2

meet (verb)

UK /miːt/
US /miːt/
A1

meeting (noun)

UK /ˈmiːtɪŋ/
US /ˈmiːtɪŋ/
A1

melt (verb)

UK /melt/
US /melt/
B2

member (noun)

UK /ˈmembə(r)/
US /ˈmembər/
A1

memory (noun)

UK /ˈmeməri/
US /ˈmeməri/
A2

mental (adjective)

UK /ˈmentl/
US /ˈmentl/
B1

mention (verb)

UK /ˈmenʃn/
US /ˈmenʃn/
A2

menu (noun)

UK /ˈmenjuː/
US /ˈmenjuː/
A1

mess (noun)

UK /mes/
US /mes/
B1

message (noun)

UK /ˈmesɪdʒ/
US /ˈmesɪdʒ/
A1

metal (noun)

UK /ˈmetl/
US /ˈmetl/
A2

method (noun)

UK /ˈmeθəd/
US /ˈmeθəd/
A2

metre (noun)

UK /ˈmiːtə(r)/
US /ˈmiːtər/
A1

middle (noun)

UK /ˈmɪdl/
US /ˈmɪdl/
A2

midnight (noun)

UK /ˈmɪdnaɪt/
US /ˈmɪdnaɪt/
A1

might (modal verb)

UK /maɪt/
US /maɪt/
A2

mild (adjective)

UK /maɪld/
US /maɪld/
B1

mile (noun)

UK /maɪl/
US /maɪl/
A1

military (noun)

UK /ˈmɪlətri/
US /ˈmɪləteri/
B2

milk (noun)

UK /mɪlk/
US /mɪlk/
A1

million (number)

UK /ˈmɪljən/
US /ˈmɪljən/
A1

mind (verb)

UK /maɪnd/
US /maɪnd/
A2

mine (pronoun)

UK /maɪn/
US /maɪn/
A2

mineral (noun)

UK /ˈmɪnərəl/
US /ˈmɪnərəl/
B2

minimum (noun)

UK /ˈmɪnɪməm/
US /ˈmɪnɪməm/
B2

minister (noun)

UK /ˈmɪnɪstə(r)/
US /ˈmɪnɪstər/
B2

minor (adjective)

UK /ˈmaɪnə(r)/
US /ˈmaɪnər/
B2

minority (noun)

UK /maɪˈnɒrəti/
US /maɪˈnɔːrəti/
B2

minute (noun)

UK /ˈmɪnɪt/
US /ˈmɪnɪt/
A1

mirror (noun)

UK /ˈmɪrə(r)/
US /ˈmɪrər/
A2

miss (verb)

UK /mɪs/
US /mɪs/
A1

missing (adjective)

UK /ˈmɪsɪŋ/
US /ˈmɪsɪŋ/
A2

mission (adjective)

UK /ɪmˈpɒsəbl/
US /ɪmˈpɑːsəbl/
B2

mistake (verb)

UK /mɪˈsteɪk/
US /mɪˈsteɪk/
B2

mix (verb)

UK /mɪks/
US /mɪks/
B1

mixed (adjective)

UK /mɪkst/
US /mɪkst/
B2

mixture (noun)

UK /ˈmɪkstʃə(r)/
US /ˈmɪkstʃər/
B1

mobile (noun)

UK /ˈməʊbaɪl/
US /ˈməʊbl/
A2

model (verb)

UK /ˈmɒdl/
US /ˈmɑːdl/
B2

modern (adjective)

UK /ˈmɒdn/
US /ˈmɑːdərn/
A1

modify (verb)

UK /ˈmɒdɪfaɪ/
US /ˈmɑːdɪfaɪ/
B2

moment (noun)

UK /ˈməʊmənt/
US /ˈməʊmənt/
A1

monday (noun)

UK /ˈmʌndeɪ/
US /ˈmʌndeɪ/
A1

money (noun)

UK /ˈmʌni/
US /ˈmʌni/
A1

monitor (verb)

UK /ˈmɒnɪtə(r)/
US /ˈmɑːnɪtər/
B2

monkey (noun)

UK /ˈmʌŋki/
US /ˈmʌŋki/
A2

month (noun)

UK /mʌnθ/
US /mʌnθ/
A1

mood (noun)

UK /muːd/
US /muːd/
B1

moon (noun)

UK /muːn/
US /muːn/
A2

moral (noun)

UK /ˈmɒrəl/
US /ˈmɔːrəl/
B2

more (determiner, pronoun)

UK /ˈmeni/
US /ˈmeni/
A1

morning (noun)

UK /ˈmɔːnɪŋ/
US /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/
A1

most (determiner, pronoun)

UK /ˈmeni/
US /ˈmeni/
A1

mostly (adverb)

UK /ˈməʊstli/
US /ˈməʊstli/
A2

mother (noun)

UK /ˈmʌðə(r)/
US /ˈmʌðər/
A1

motor (noun)

UK /ˈməʊtə(r)/
US /ˈməʊtər/
B2

motorcycle (noun)

UK /ˈməʊtəsaɪkl/
US /ˈməʊtərsaɪkl/
A2

mount (verb)

UK /maʊnt/
US /maʊnt/
B2

mountain (noun)

UK /ˈmaʊntən/
US /ˈmaʊntn/
A1

mouse (noun)

UK /maʊs/
US /maʊs/
A1

mouth (noun)

UK /maʊθ/
US /maʊθ/
A1

move (verb)

UK /muːv/
US /muːv/
A1

movement (noun)

UK /ˈmuːvmənt/
US /ˈmuːvmənt/
A2

movie (noun)

UK /ˈmuːvi/
US /ˈmuːvi/
A1

much (determiner, pronoun)

UK /ˈmeni/
US /ˈmeni/
A1

mud (noun)

UK /mʌd/
US /mʌd/
B1

multiple (adjective)

UK /ˈmʌltɪpl/
US /ˈmʌltɪpl/
B2

multiply (verb)

UK /ˈmʌltɪplaɪ/
US /ˈmʌltɪplaɪ/
B2

mum (noun)

UK /mʌm/
US /mʌm/
A1

murder (verb)

UK /ˈmɜːdə(r)/
US /ˈmɜːrdər/
B1

muscle (noun)

UK /ˈmʌsl/
US /ˈmʌsl/
B1

museum (noun)

UK /mjuˈziːəm/
US /mjuˈziːəm/
A1

music (noun)

UK /ˈmjuːzɪk/
US /ˈmjuːzɪk/
A1

musical (noun)

UK /ˈmjuːzɪkl/
US /ˈmjuːzɪkl/
B1

musician (noun)

UK /mjuˈzɪʃn/
US /mjuˈzɪʃn/
A2

must (modal verb)

UK /məst/
US /məst/
A1

my (determiner)

UK /maɪ/
US /maɪ/
A1

myself (pronoun)

UK /maɪˈself/
US /maɪˈself/
A2

mysterious (adjective)

UK /mɪˈstɪəriəs/
US /mɪˈstɪriəs/
B2

mystery (noun)

UK /ˈmɪstri/
US /ˈmɪstəri/
B1