How many words are in this list?

This page gives 100 German words on “Function words”. The full topic holds 120 in the KoKo app: 48 at the easy level, 42 at the medium level and 30 at the hard level.

Which words should I start with?

With level 1: these are the easiest words of the topic. Move on to level 2 once they come to you without thinking, then to level 3.

How can I remember this German vocabulary?

By seeing each word again at longer and longer intervals, just before you forget it: that is spaced repetition. The KoKo app does it for you and tells you each day which words to review.

Can I print this list or save it as a PDF?

Yes. The “Print the list” button at the top of the page opens your device’s print dialog: choose to save as PDF to keep the 100 words and their translation, with nothing else around them.

German vocabulary: function words

Pronouns, articles, demonstratives, possessives: the small words of German grammar you cannot build a sentence without.

Here are 100 German words on “Function words”, translated into English and sorted from easiest to hardest.

Level 1: easy 40 words

German	English
ein	aIndefinite article, masculine singular
eine	aIndefinite article, feminine singular
ein wenig	a little
alle	allDeterminer or pronoun, masculine plural
etwa	doQuestion marker, no literal equivalent
sie selbst	herselfReflexive pronoun, feminine singular
ihm	himObject pronoun, to him or to her
sein	hisSingular possessor, belonging to him or her
ich	ISubject pronoun, first person singular
mir	meStressed form, after a preposition or on its own
mehr als	more than
mein	myPossessive determiner, before the noun
nein	noNegative answer
nicht mehr	no longer
nichts	nothingPronoun used on its own
davon	of it
man	one
nur	only
andere	other
gleich	same
sie	sheSubject pronoun, feminine singular
etwas	somePartitive article, feminine singular
etwas	somePartitive article, masculine singular
die	theDefinite article, feminine singular
der	theDefinite article, masculine singular
ihr	theirPlural possessor, belonging to them
es gibt	there isExistence
diese	theseDemonstrative determiner, plural
sie	theySubject pronoun
dieser	thisDemonstrative determiner, masculine before a consonant
diese	thisDemonstrative determiner, feminine singular
wir	weSubject pronoun, first person plural
was	whatQuestion word, object
was	whatQuestion word, subject
was	whatBefore a verb
wann	when
doch	yesYes, contradicting a negative statement
dich	youObject pronoun, informal address
du	youSubject, informal address
Sie	youSubject, formal or plural address

Level 2: medium 35 words

German	English
viel	a lot of
ganze	allDeterminer, feminine singular
alle	allDeterminer, feminine plural
irgendwer	anyone
so viel wie	as much as
jeder	eachDeterminer, before the noun
einander	each otherMutual action between two people
genug	enough of
jedermann	everybodyPeople in general, everyone together
er selbst	himselfReflexive pronoun, masculine singular
wie	how
ich selbst	myself
nie	never
niemand	nobodyEveryday use
keiner	nonePronoun, used on its own
kein	not anyDeterminer, in a negative sentence
nichts	nothingNegation used with the verb
unser	ourPossessive determiner, belonging to us
mehrere	several
einige	someIndefinite determiner, a small number
etwas	somethingIndefinite pronoun, an unspecified thing
das	thatDemonstrative pronoun, refers to something far away or already mentioned
derjenige	that oneDemonstrative pronoun, masculine singular
ihnen	themStressed pronoun after a preposition
da ist	there isPointing out, presenting
dieser	thisDemonstrative determiner, masculine before a vowel
diejenigen	thoseDemonstrative pronoun, masculine plural
zu viel	too much
was	whatOn its own or after a preposition
welcher	whichInterrogative determiner, before the noun
dessen	whose
warum	why
warum nicht	why not
dir	youStressed form, after a preposition
du selbst	yourself

Level 3: hard 25 words

German	English
irgendwie	any which way
irgendetwas	anything
irgendwann	anytime
irgendwo	anywhere
so wie es ist	as it is
gewiss	certain
jeder	each onePronoun, masculine singular
jede	each onePronoun, feminine singular
seiner	his ownPossessive pronoun, used on its own
wie weit	how far
wie viele	how manyFollowed by a noun, to ask about a number
meiner	minePossessive pronoun, used on its own
die meisten	most
weder noch	neither nor
niemand	no oneFormal or legal register
sich selbst	oneselfEmphatic form, stresses the subject
wir selbst	ourselves
solch	such
ein solcher	such a
sie selbst	themselvesReflexive pronoun, masculine plural
dies	this oneDemonstrative pronoun, refers to something close
diejenigen	thoseDemonstrative pronoun, feminine plural
welcher	which oneInterrogative pronoun, used on its own
wer auch immer	whoever
deiner	yoursPossessive pronoun, used on its own

Mini quiz

5 words from this page, picked at random. Find their translation.

Frequently asked questions

How many words are in this list?: This page gives 100 German words on “Function words”. The full topic holds 120 in the KoKo app: 48 at the easy level, 42 at the medium level and 30 at the hard level.
Which words should I start with?: With level 1: these are the easiest words of the topic. Move on to level 2 once they come to you without thinking, then to level 3.
How can I remember this German vocabulary?: By seeing each word again at longer and longer intervals, just before you forget it: that is spaced repetition. The KoKo app does it for you and tells you each day which words to review.
Can I print this list or save it as a PDF?: Yes. The “Print the list” button at the top of the page opens your device’s print dialog: choose to save as PDF to keep the 100 words and their translation, with nothing else around them.