200 daily use English words with meanings and example sentences

The everyday English words you’ll hear and use most, in 10 categories from verbs and feelings to work, money and travel. Each word has a simple meaning and a real example sentence, so you learn how it’s used, not just what it means.

By The YoFluent teamUpdated 3 October 202614 min read

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On this page

Everyday verbs
Describing people
Feelings
Home and household
Food and cooking
Work and office
Time and how often
Money and shopping
Travel and places
Useful describing words
How to remember new English words
FAQ
Sources

Everyday verbs

20 everyday verbs

wake up: stop sleeping: I wake up at six every day.
get ready: prepare yourself to go out: I need ten minutes to get ready.
leave: go away from a place: What time do you leave for work?
arrive: reach a place: The train arrives at 9:30.
borrow: take something you will give back: Can I borrow your pen?
lend: give something someone will give back: Could you lend me some money?
bring: take something with you to a place: Please bring your ID card.
carry: hold something while you move: Can you carry this bag for me?
check: look to make sure something is right: Let me check my email.
choose: decide which one you want: It’s hard to choose a gift.
explain: make something clear: Could you explain this word?
forget: not remember: Don’t forget your umbrella.
remind: help someone remember: Remind me to call Mum.
wait: stay until something happens: Please wait here for a moment.
hurry: move or do something quickly: Hurry, the bus is coming!
manage: succeed in doing something difficult: I managed to finish on time.
share: use or have something with others: Let’s share the pizza.
spend: use money or time: I spend an hour on my phone every evening.
save: keep money or time for later: I’m saving for a new laptop.
try: make an effort to do something: I’ll try to come early.

Describing people

20 describing people

friendly: kind and pleasant to others: Our new neighbour is very friendly.
polite: speaking and acting with respect: Always be polite to customers.
rude: not polite: It was rude of him not to say thank you.
honest: telling the truth: She’s an honest person.
hard-working: putting a lot of effort into work: He’s the most hard-working person in the team.
lazy: not wanting to work or make an effort: I feel lazy on Sunday mornings.
shy: nervous with people you don’t know: My son is shy at first.
confident: sure of yourself: She sounds confident in meetings.
funny: making people laugh: My uncle is really funny.
helpful: happy to help: The hotel staff were very helpful.
patient: able to wait calmly: Teachers need to be patient.
generous: happy to give: It was generous of you to pay.
smart: clever, intelligent: She’s a smart student.
calm: relaxed, not worried: Stay calm and take a deep breath.
busy: having a lot to do: I’m busy all week.
tall: higher than most people: My brother is very tall.
young: not old: He looks young for his age.
elderly: old (polite word): Please give your seat to elderly people.
reliable: someone you can trust to do things: He’s reliable; he always comes on time.
easy-going: relaxed and not easily upset: My roommate is very easy-going.

Feelings

20 feelings

happy: feeling good: I’m happy with my results.
excited: very happy about something coming: I’m excited about the trip.
tired: needing rest: I’m too tired to go out.
bored: not interested: I get bored in long meetings.
worried: thinking something bad may happen: I’m worried about my exam.
nervous: a little afraid before something: I always feel nervous before interviews.
stressed: feeling pressure: Work has been very stressful lately.
angry: feeling strong displeasure: He was angry about the delay.
upset: unhappy because of something: She was upset by the news.
surprised: not expecting something: I was surprised to see you here.
proud: pleased with what you or others did: I’m proud of my daughter.
grateful: thankful: I’m grateful for your help.
relaxed: calm and comfortable: I feel relaxed on holiday.
lonely: sad because you are alone: I felt lonely when I moved to the city.
confused: not understanding: I’m confused by these instructions.
embarrassed: feeling silly in front of others: I was embarrassed when I forgot his name.
disappointed: sad that something wasn’t as good as hoped: I’m disappointed with the film.
jealous: wanting what someone else has: He’s jealous of his brother’s new car.
scared: afraid: My little sister is scared of dogs.
relieved: happy that a worry has gone: I’m so relieved the exam is over.

Home and household

20 home and household

chores: regular jobs at home: We share the chores at home.
laundry: clothes to be washed: I do the laundry on Sundays.
dishes: plates and cups to wash: Whose turn is it to do the dishes?
rubbish: things you throw away (US: trash): Please take out the rubbish.
tidy: clean and in order: Keep your room tidy.
messy: not tidy: The kitchen is really messy.
rent: money you pay to live somewhere: The rent is due on the first.
landlord: the person who owns the home you rent: I called the landlord about the leak.
neighbour: someone who lives near you: My neighbour has a cute dog.
bills: money you owe for services: I pay the electricity bill online.
repair: fix something broken: We need to repair the fan.
plug in: connect to electricity: Plug in your phone to charge it.
switch off: turn off: Switch off the lights when you leave.
cupboard: a piece of furniture with doors for storing things: The cups are in the cupboard.
shelf: a flat board for putting things on: Put the books on the shelf.
sofa: a soft seat for two or more people: Let’s sit on the sofa.
blanket: a warm cover for a bed: Can I have another blanket?
tap: where water comes out (US: faucet): Turn off the tap, please.
balcony: a small outdoor area on a building: We dry clothes on the balcony.
groceries: food and things you buy regularly: I buy groceries every week.

Food and cooking

20 food and cooking

breakfast: the first meal of the day: I have tea and toast for breakfast.
snack: a small amount of food between meals: I’m hungry. Is there a snack?
spicy: hot in taste: This curry is too spicy for me.
sweet: tasting like sugar: I don’t like sweet coffee.
salty: with a lot of salt: The soup is a bit salty.
fresh: recently made or picked: These vegetables are fresh.
leftovers: food left after a meal: We had leftovers for lunch.
recipe: instructions for cooking a dish: Can you send me the recipe?
boil: heat water until it bubbles: Boil the water for the pasta.
fry: cook in hot oil: Fry the onions until golden.
chop: cut into small pieces: Chop the tomatoes, please.
taste: try food to see what it’s like: Taste it and add more salt if needed.
delicious: very tasty: Your biryani is delicious.
starving: very hungry: I’m starving. Let’s eat!
full: not hungry after eating: No more for me, I’m full.
vegetarian: someone who doesn’t eat meat: Is there a vegetarian option?
takeaway: food you buy to eat elsewhere (US: takeout): Let’s get a takeaway tonight.
bill: what you pay at a restaurant (US: check): Could we have the bill, please?
order: ask for food in a restaurant or online: I’ll order a pizza.
portion: the amount of food for one person: The portions here are huge.

Work and office

20 work and office

colleague: a person you work with: My colleague helped me with the report.
manager: the person in charge of a team: I need to ask my manager.
meeting: a planned discussion: The meeting starts at ten.
deadline: the time when work must be finished: The deadline is Friday.
task: a piece of work: I have three tasks to finish today.
schedule: a plan of times and events: Let me check my schedule.
salary: money you earn for your job: Salaries are paid at the end of the month.
day off: a day when you don’t work: I have a day off on Monday.
shift: a period of work time: I work the night shift.
update: new information: Can you give me an update on the project?
attach: add a file to an email: I’ve attached the document.
reply: answer a message: Please reply by tomorrow.
urgent: needing attention now: This is urgent, please call me.
feedback: comments on your work: Thanks for the useful feedback.
promotion: a move to a higher job: She got a promotion last month.
interview: a meeting to see if you’re right for a job: I have a job interview tomorrow.
experience: knowledge from doing something: I have five years of experience.
skills: things you are good at doing: Communication skills are important.
client: a customer of a business: I’m meeting a client at three.
commute: travel to and from work: My commute takes an hour.

Time and how often

20 time and how often

always: every time: I always drink coffee in the morning.
usually: most of the time: I usually walk to work.
often: many times: We often eat out on Fridays.
sometimes: not always, not never: I sometimes work from home.
rarely: not often: I rarely watch TV.
never: not at any time: I’ve never been to Europe.
recently: not long ago: I recently started a new job.
lately: in the recent past: I’ve been very tired lately.
already: before now or sooner than expected: I’ve already eaten.
yet: until now (in questions and negatives): Have you finished yet?
still: continuing now: I’m still waiting for the bus.
soon: in a short time: The film starts soon.
later: at a time after now: I’ll call you later.
early: before the usual time: I got up early today.
late: after the usual time: Sorry I’m late.
on time: not late: The train was on time.
in time: early enough: We arrived just in time for the film.
weekend: Saturday and Sunday: What are you doing this weekend?
fortnight: two weeks (British): I’m on holiday for a fortnight.
daily: every day: I practise English daily.

Money and shopping

20 money and shopping

price: how much something costs: What’s the price of this phone?
cheap: not expensive: Vegetables are cheap at the market.
expensive: costing a lot: This hotel is too expensive.
discount: a lower price: Is there a student discount?
sale: a time when prices are lower: The shoes are on sale.
receipt: a paper showing you paid: Keep the receipt in case you need to return it.
refund: money given back: I’d like a refund, please.
exchange: swap one thing for another: Can I exchange this for a smaller size?
change: money you get back when you pay too much: Here’s your change.
cash: notes and coins: Do you accept cash?
afford: have enough money for: I can’t afford a new car.
budget: a plan for spending money: I’m on a tight budget this month.
bargain: something cheaper than usual / to argue about a price: This jacket was a real bargain.
delivery: bringing goods to your home: Is delivery free?
brand: the name of a company’s products: Which brand do you prefer?
customer: a person who buys things: The shop was full of customers.
queue: a line of people waiting (US: line): There was a long queue at the bank.
owe: need to pay back money: How much do I owe you?
pay back: return money you borrowed: I’ll pay you back tomorrow.
worth it: good enough for the price: The trip was expensive, but worth it.

Travel and places

20 travel and places

journey: travelling from one place to another: The journey takes three hours.
trip: a short visit to a place: We’re planning a trip to Goa.
ticket: a paper or code that lets you travel: I booked the tickets online.
book: reserve in advance: Let’s book a hotel.
luggage: bags for travelling: How much luggage can I take?
passport: an official travel document: Don’t forget your passport.
delay: a time when something is late: There’s a two-hour delay.
platform: where you get on a train: The train leaves from platform 4.
station: where trains or buses stop: Meet me at the station.
traffic: cars on the road: The traffic is terrible today.
directions: instructions to get somewhere: Can you give me directions to the bank?
nearby: close to here: Is there a pharmacy nearby?
far: a long way away: Is the airport far from here?
crowded: full of people: The metro is crowded in the morning.
sightseeing: visiting famous places: We went sightseeing all day.
souvenir: something you buy to remember a place: I bought a souvenir for my mum.
check in: register at a hotel or airport: We can check in after two.
check out: leave a hotel after paying: Check-out is at eleven.
abroad: in another country: I’d love to study abroad.
local: from the area where you are: Let’s try the local food.

Useful describing words

20 useful describing words

amazing: very good, surprising: The view was amazing.
awful: very bad: The weather was awful.
comfortable: pleasant to sit in, wear or be in: These shoes are very comfortable.
convenient: easy and suitable: Is Monday convenient for you?
spacious: having a lot of space: The new flat is very spacious.
quiet: not noisy: I need a quiet place to study.
noisy: making a lot of sound: The street is very noisy at night.
safe: not dangerous: Is it safe to walk here at night?
dangerous: likely to hurt someone: It’s dangerous to drive so fast.
useful: helping you do something: This app is really useful.
important: mattering a lot: This meeting is important.
easy: not difficult: The test was easy.
difficult: hard to do or understand: English grammar can be difficult.
available: free to use or to meet: Are you available tomorrow?
similar: almost the same: Our jobs are similar.
different: not the same: The two cities are very different.
popular: liked by many people: This café is very popular.
typical: usual, normal: Describe a typical day.
healthy: good for your body: I try to eat healthy food.
perfect: as good as possible: Saturday is perfect for me.

How to remember new English words

Learn words in sentences. “I’m on a tight budget” teaches you budget and how to use it. A word alone is easy to forget and hard to use.
Learn word partners. We make a decision but do homework; we catch a bus. Notice which words go together.
Space your reviews. Reviewing after a day, three days and a week is far more effective than many repetitions on one day.
Speak them. Saying a word out loud in your own sentence is the step that moves it from “I know it” to “I can use it”.

Ready to use these words in full sentences? See 1000 English sentences used in daily life and 50 short English conversations.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common English words used in daily life?

The most useful daily words are everyday verbs (wake up, leave, borrow, check), feelings (tired, worried, excited), and words for home, food, work, money and travel. This page lists 200 of them with meanings and example sentences.

How many English words do I need for daily conversation?

A few hundred well-known words cover a large part of everyday conversation, and about 1,000 to 2,000 common words let you handle most daily situations. Knowing how to use them in sentences matters more than the total number.

What is the best way to learn English vocabulary?

Learn a few words a day in example sentences, say them out loud, use them the same day, and review them after three days and a week. Words you actively use are remembered much better than words you only read.

Are these British or American English words?

They are everyday international English with British spelling. Where British and American words differ, the note shows the American word, for example rubbish (US: trash) and queue (US: line).

How can I use new English words in speaking?

Make your own sentence with each new word, say it out loud, and then use the word in a real or practice conversation the same day. Speaking practice with a partner or an AI tutor gives you a reason to use new words.

Use your new words in a real conversation

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Sources

Most common words in English, Wikipedia
Spaced repetition, Wikipedia