A2 Dutch vocabulary is the foundation for everyday communication and the inburgering exam. This word list covers the most important Dutch words at A2 level, organised by topic so you can study efficiently. All words are available to practice with dictation in StartDutch.

What is A2 Dutch level?

The Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) defines A2 as the level where learners can "understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance." In practice this means understanding and using language related to daily routines, work, family, shopping, and basic services. For the Dutch inburgering exam, A2 is the baseline language level required. To pass comfortably, you should actively know at least 1,200–1,500 words.

A2 vocabulary by topic

Numbers and time (getallen en tijd)

Numbers 1–1000, days of the week, months, seasons, time expressions: gisteren, vandaag, morgen, vroeg, laat, altijd, nooit, soms, vaak, al, nog, nu, straks.

Family and relationships (familie en relaties)

Vader, moeder, broer, zus, man, vrouw, kind, opa, oma, neef, nicht, vriend, vriendin. Verbs: houden van, trouwen, scheiden, ontmoeten, bezoeken.

Home and housing (huis en wonen)

Rooms: keuken, slaapkamer, woonkamer, badkamer, gang, tuin, balkon. Furniture: bed, stoel, tafel, kast, bank, lamp, gordijn. Verbs: huren, kopen, verhuizen, wonen, schoonmaken.

Food and drink (eten en drinken)

Foods: brood, kaas, vlees, vis, groente, fruit, ei, rijst, aardappel, soep, pasta. Drinks: koffie, thee, melk, water, bier, wijn, sap. Shopping verbs: kopen, betalen, bestellen, kiezen, afrekenen.

Work and education (werk en onderwijs)

Jobs: dokter, leraar, verpleegkundige, kok, chauffeur, politieagent, manager, verkoper. Workplace: kantoor, vergadering, collega, baas, salaris, vakantie, contract. Education: school, universiteit, opleiding, examen, diploma, huiswerk, klas.

Health and body (gezondheid en lichaam)

Body: hoofd, oog, oor, neus, mond, tand, hand, voet, been, arm, rug, buik, hart. Symptoms: pijn, koorts, hoesten, niezen, misselijk, moe, ziek, gewond. Medical: dokter, huisarts, ziekenhuis, apotheek, medicijn, afspraak, recept.

Transport and directions (transport en richting)

Transport: bus, trein, fiets, auto, tram, metro, vliegtuig, schip, taxi. Directions: links, rechts, rechtdoor, voorbij, naast, tegenover, dichtbij, ver, hier, daar. Prepositions of place: in, op, aan, bij, naar, van, voor, achter, tussen.

Essential verbs at A2

The 30 most important Dutch verbs you must know:

  • zijn, hebben, worden, doen, gaan, komen, weten — core verbs
  • kunnen, mogen, moeten, willen, zullen, mogen — modal verbs
  • werken, leren, wonen, spreken, eten, drinken, lezen, schrijven — everyday actions
  • zien, horen, helpen, vragen, antwoorden, begrijpen, uitleggen, betalen, zoeken — communication and interaction

How to learn A2 vocabulary efficiently

Passive reading of word lists is much less effective than active recall. Research shows you need to actively retrieve a word 10–20 times before it moves into long-term memory. Dictation practice is one of the best methods: you see the translation and must type or say the Dutch word from memory — no multiple choice, no hints.

StartDutch has all 3,000+ Dutch words available for dictation practice, including every A2 word on this list. The system tracks which words you struggle with and automatically repeats them until they are mastered.

Create a free account to start practising A2 vocabulary today, or browse the full word list to see all available vocabulary by category and difficulty.