Dutch Word Lists

Curated Dutch vocabulary lists — every word with a translation, grouped by the situations you actually meet. Pick a list, then learn it one tap at a time with spaced-repetition flashcards in OpenWords.

Survival Vocabulary for Newcomers

The essential Dutch words you'll see on signs, doors, and machines — a survival list for your first days in the Netherlands.

44 words
500 Most Common Dutch Words

The common core — the 500 most frequent Dutch words cover a huge share of everyday Dutch, each with a translation.

500 words
KNM Exam Vocabulary

The key Dutch words for the KNM (Knowledge of Dutch Society) integration exam — the terms you need to pass.

74 words
Supermarket & Grocery Vocabulary

The everyday Dutch words for groceries, food, and the checkout — practical vocabulary for shopping at the supermarket.

148 words
Doctor's Visit Vocabulary

The Dutch words for the doctor's office, symptoms, and the pharmacy — how to describe how you feel and understand the advice.

80 words
Family Vocabulary

The Dutch words for family members and relationships — vocabulary for talking about your family.

45 words
How it works

Lists ready to learn in OpenWords

Every list here is available in the app — from install to daily review in four steps.

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Browse the curated lists or search for the words you need.

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Tap to save the words you want to learn into your personal word list.

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FAQ

Questions learners ask

Should I learn words by frequency or by topic?
Both have their place. A frequency list builds the foundation the fastest — the most common words appear everywhere, so they give the biggest jump in comprehension for the least effort. A topic list — travel, work, a hobby — gets you the specific vocabulary you'll actually use sooner. Many learners do both: a frequency list for coverage, topic lists for the words that matter to them.
How many Dutch words do you need to be fluent?
Around 2,000–3,000 words cover most of everyday Dutch, and the first 1,000 already carry you through about 85% of ordinary conversation. Starting with a core A1 list is the fastest way to raise how much you understand.
What's the difference between passive and active vocabulary?
Your passive vocabulary is the words you recognise when you read or hear them; your active vocabulary is the words you can actually produce when you speak or write. Passive is always the larger of the two — the real goal of study is moving words from passive to active, and meeting a word in more than one context, spread out over time, is what makes that shift happen.
What's the fastest way to memorise a word list?
Reading a list isn't the same as remembering it. Spaced repetition — reviewing each word right before you'd forget it — is far more effective than re-reading, especially when you meet the word in more than one form: recognition, recall, and in context.
Why learn these lists in OpenWords?
Because it closes the gap between seeing a word and owning it. Every word comes with a clear definition, examples and translations; you save the ones you want in a single tap; and spaced-repetition flashcards bring each one back — as recognition, recall and in-context cards — right before you'd forget it. It's free, needs no account, and works offline.
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