Essential DELE A1 Vocabulary — The 300 Words You Need

Updated in June 2026 · 14 min read

The DELE A1 assesses your ability to communicate in everyday situations. The vocabulary of the exam revolves around concrete and predictable topics. Here are the words and expressions organized by theme, with example sentences for you to learn them in context.

1. Family and Personal Relationships

People: father, mother, son/daughter, brother/sister, grandfather/grandmother, uncle/aunt, cousin, nephew/niece, husband, wife, boyfriend/girlfriend, friend, neighbor, coworker

States: married, single, divorced, widowed

Useful phrases:

• "I have two older brothers and a younger sister."
• "My parents have been married for twenty years."
• "My best friend is named Laura and lives near my house."

2. The House and Home

Rooms: living room, kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, balcony, terrace, garage, hallway, entrance

Furniture and Objects: table, chair, sofa, bed, wardrobe, shelf, lamp, mirror, curtain, carpet

Appliances: refrigerator, washing machine, microwave, dishwasher, vacuum cleaner

Useful phrases:

• "My apartment has two bedrooms and one bathroom."
• "In the living room, there is a large sofa and a television."
• "The kitchen is small but has everything necessary."

3. The City and Transportation

Places: street, square, park, hospital, pharmacy, supermarket, bank, post office, town hall, station, airport, bus stop

Directions: straight, turn right/left, cross, at the end of the street, at the corner, next to, in front of, between

Transport: bus, subway, train, taxi, bicycle, car, airplane, boat

Useful phrases:

• "How can I get to the train station?"
• "Go straight and turn right at the traffic light."
• "The supermarket is next to the pharmacy."

4. Shopping and Restaurants

Shops: bakery, butcher, fruit shop, fish shop, shoe store, bookstore, shopping center

Food: bread, meat, fish, fruit, vegetable, milk, eggs, rice, pasta, oil

Restaurant: menu, first course, second course, dessert, drink, bill, tip, waiter/waitress

Useful phrases:

• "How much does these pants cost?"
• "I'll have a coffee with milk, please."
• "The bill, please. Can I pay with a card?"

5. Health and Body

Body: head, arm, hand, leg, foot, back, stomach, throat, eyes, ears

Symptoms: pain, fever, cough, cold, flu, dizziness, tiredness

Doctor: appointment, prescription, pills, syrup, emergency, general practitioner

Useful phrases:

• "I have a headache since this morning."
• "I have an appointment with the doctor at ten."
• "The pharmacy is open until nine at night."

6. Work and Studies

Professions: teacher, doctor, nurse, waiter/waitress, cook, salesperson, engineer, lawyer, driver, police officer

Work: office, schedule, boss, salary, contract, vacation, meeting, interview

Useful phrases:

• "I work in an office from Monday to Friday."
• "My schedule is from nine to six with an hour for lunch."
• "Last year I changed jobs."

7. Leisure and Free Time

Activities: reading, watching movies, listening to music, cooking, walking, playing sports, swimming, running, dancing, traveling, shopping

Places: cinema, theater, museum, gym, swimming pool, beach, mountain, restaurant, bar

Useful phrases:

• "On weekends, I like to walk in the park."
• "On Saturday, we are going to the cinema with some friends."
• "On vacation, I like to go to the beach and swim."

8. Weather and Dates

Weather: sun, rain, wind, snow, cloudy, heat, cold, temperature

Time: today, yesterday, tomorrow, last week, next month, always, never, sometimes, normally

Useful phrases:

• "Today it is very hot, almost 35 degrees."
• "Yesterday it rained all day."
• "I usually have breakfast at eight in the morning."

Tips for Memorizing Vocabulary

• Learn in context: Don't memorize isolated words. Learn complete sentences.
• One topic per day: Dedicating a day to "the house" and another to "shopping" is more effective than mixing.
• Write and speak: Write 5 sentences with the new vocabulary. Then, say it out loud.
• Review frequently: Use flashcards or a spaced repetition app to review every 2-3 days.
• Associate with images: Relate each word to a mental image. "Refrigerator" → imagine your refrigerator with the magnets.