1000 words to real fluency

Learn the words that unlock real conversations.

Common Words teaches the 1,000 highest-frequency words with pronunciation, translation, and real examples — in the order they actually appear in speech. A 5-minute daily habit that compounds fast.

No accounts. Your progress stays on your device.

Today's Session

  • 5 new words
  • Pronunciation & audio
  • Real example sentences
  • Milestones at 100 / 250 / 500 / 1000

Why 1000 words?

A tiny set of words carries most of every language. The most frequent 1,000 cover the bulk of everyday speech — so learning them first is the fastest route to actually understanding what you hear.

1000
Most useful words
5
Minutes per day
4
Languages ready
~80%
Everyday speech covered*

*Approximate. Based on frequency research; coverage varies by language and context.

How much you understand, by words known
Share of everyday speech you'd recognise. Drag to explore.
1000 words → 82%
the high-return zone
505001,0002,0005,000

Coverage is approximate, based on corpus frequency research: Nation (2006); Nation & Waring (1997). Spoken-language coverage is typically higher than written.

Try a real session right here

No download needed to feel it. Pick a language, see the word, guess, then reveal the meaning and an example. Mark what you know.

il
say it like “eel”
the (masculine)
0 / 0 known 0%

Built for momentum

Short sessions, clear milestones, and frequency-based ordering keep you moving forward.

Frequency-first

Learn the words you will actually see and hear, ordered by real language data — not by chapter.

Real examples

Every word includes a natural sentence so you learn meaning in context, not as a bare entry.

Milestone wins

Track progress at 100, 250, 500, and 1000 words to stay motivated through the early climb.

Ready to build real fluency?

The curve is steepest at the start. Begin today and the words you learn start showing up everywhere.

Download the app

FAQ

How many words do you really need?

The most frequent 1,000 words cover roughly 72% of written text and around 84% of everyday spoken language. The second 1,000 adds only about 7 more percentage points — which is why the first 1,000 are the highest-leverage thing you can learn, and where Common Words starts.

Why frequency order instead of topics?

Topic lists feel useful but bury you in words you'll rarely meet. High-frequency words appear in every topic at once, so learning them first means almost everything you encounter already contains words you know.

Is 1,000 words "fluency"?

No — and we won't pretend it is. A thousand words gives strong comprehension and the ability to follow simple conversation. Real fluency needs more. But 1,000 is the fastest route from zero to genuinely understanding things.

Do I need an account?

No. There's no sign-up and your progress stays on your device.