How Many Words Do I Need to Know to Be Fluent in Any Foreign Language?

The one simple thing is that you can’t learn any language without words. It is the basic and essential part. Sometimes, it is difficult to determine how many words you have to know to be fluent in any language. Some linguists count every word, even the ones with the same root. Others, however, think that knowing words with the same root counts as one word.

It isn’t because they can’t agree on the counting rule but because the way of measuring isn’t the same.

To make it easier and simplified to understand, we will count only the words from active vocabulary, so the words we can actually use.

In the following lines, we will give you a general review of how many words you need to know in different proficiency levels.

Basic Beginners

Number of words: around 500

Those who start learning a language from scratch, within a week or two can get to the number of 500 words. Here we mean basic words used every day, such as 'yes,' 'no,' 'thank you,' nouns as 'day,' 'table,' 'house,' verbs such as 'to be' 'to go' and pronouns, especially the pronoun 'I.'

Intermediate

Number of words: up to 3.000

With approximately 1.000 to 1.500 words, you can talk about how was your day, ask people about their everyday routine, or ask for help in public transport or do the shopping.

Everything above this number of words is a privilege for you to talk with native speakers giving them more details about the mentioned topics.

Advanced

Number of words: 4.000 to 10.000

If you build and boost your vocabulary, over time, your number of the words you know will pass over 3.000.

At this stage, you can not only talk about basic and common topics, but also about some specific themes, share your opinions, talk about abstract things, or some specific events.

Fluent

Number of words: more than 10.000

Fluent level of proficiency is too close to the native, but it makes it just a little bit to get to it.

However that 'little bit' seems so far away. To reach a native level, you have to practice more than ever.

When you are fluent in a language, with this number of words, you can talk about any topic, give complex answers and share abstract opinions and thoughts. You can also understand the words you don't know from the given context.

Native

Number of words: more than 20.000

How many words native speakers know depends mainly on the language.

Different languages have different words, usages, and meanings. English native speakers, for example, know from 10.000 to 60.000 English words.

No matter if you’ve just started learning a language from scratch or you are a decent student in the upper-intermediate level and aim to the fluency, the number of familiar words is vital for every proficiency level.

Never underestimate the power of words. They put together the grammar, help you socialize, and express whatever you want to express.

That’s why if you want to be fluent in a foreign language, you have to build your vocabulary just like you are building the blocks, one by one. But make sure they don’t fall.

With hard work, your block-building of words will get to the desired point called ‘fluency.’