How many French words do you know?
See a word, say if you know it. Three minutes to an estimate of your vocabulary size and level.
- 52 words, from everyday to rare. For each one: do you know what it means?
- Be honest: 10 of them are made-up words, and saying yes to those lowers your score
- About 3 minutes, free, no sign-up
Vocabulary size and level
Research with French learners (Milton's X-Lex studies) gives a rough guide to how many words go with each level:
| Level | Typical vocabulary |
|---|---|
| A1 | under 1,500 words |
| A2 | 1,500 to 2,500 |
| B1 | 2,500 to 3,250 |
| B2 | 3,250 to 3,750 |
| C1 | 3,750 to 4,500 |
| C2 | 4,500 and more |
Questions
How does the vocabulary test estimate my word count?
You see words from six frequency bands, from the most common French words to rarer ones. The share you know in each band is multiplied by the size of the band. Made-up words are mixed in: saying yes to them shows how much you guessed, and the estimate is adjusted for it.
How many words do I need to speak French?
Around 1,000 well-chosen words cover most everyday conversation; 2,000 to 3,000 let you follow most of what you hear; B2 learners typically know 3,000 to 4,000 words, and fluent readers many more.
How accurate is it?
It's an estimate. Taking it twice usually gives results within a few hundred words. It counts words you recognise, not the ones you can use when speaking.
How can I learn more words?
Learn the most common words first, with spaced repetition so each word comes back just before you'd forget it. SparkAI's free flashcards follow the 4,500 most common French words in order.