The 1,000 most common English words, in order

The most common English words in speech are you, I, the, to, a, it, and, that, of and is. Below are the 1,000 most common English words in order, counted across 735 million words of English film and television dialogue. The first 100 make up 58.3% of everything said, and the full 1,000 make up 82.5%.

Updated 16 October 2026 · 4 min read

How to read the list

This is spoken English. Lists made from books and newspapers put the first. In dialogue, you and I come ahead of it, because people talking are mostly talking to each other about themselves.
Contractions are split in two. The subtitle counts break a word at its apostrophe, so don't is counted as don and 't, and it's as it and 's. The pieces are on the list as they were counted, with a note saying what each stands for.
"Per million words" is how often the word is said in a million words of dialogue.
"Running total" is how much of all English dialogue you can recognise once you know every word down to that row.

English words 1 to 100

#	Word	Note	Per million words	Running total
1	you		39,283	3.9%
2	I		36,863	7.6%
3	the		30,978	10.7%
4	to		23,272	13.0%
5	a		19,713	15.0%
6	's	is, has or possessive: it's, he's, John's	19,449	17.0%
7	it		18,552	18.8%
8	and		14,389	20.2%
9	that		13,887	21.6%
10	't	not: the end of don't, can't, isn't	13,105	22.9%
11	of		12,133	24.2%
12	is		10,072	25.2%
13	in		9,985	26.2%
14	what		9,391	27.1%
15	we		9,194	28.0%
16	me		8,771	28.9%
17	this		7,812	29.7%
18	he		7,508	30.4%
19	for		7,042	31.1%
20	my		6,722	31.8%
21	on		6,562	32.5%
22	have		6,484	33.1%
23	your		6,275	33.7%
24	do		6,015	34.3%
25	was		5,990	34.9%
26	'm	am: I'm	5,970	35.5%
27	no		5,954	36.1%
28	not		5,801	36.7%
29	be		5,731	37.3%
30	are		5,721	37.9%
31	don	do, in don't	5,660	38.4%
32	're	are: you're, we're	5,525	39.0%
33	know		5,297	39.5%
34	can		5,207	40.0%
35	with		5,181	40.5%
36	but		4,942	41.0%
37	all		4,824	41.5%
38	so		4,674	42.0%
39	just		4,538	42.4%
40	there		4,285	42.9%
41	here		4,271	43.3%
42	they		4,165	43.7%
43	like		4,060	44.1%
44	'll	will: I'll, you'll	3,965	44.5%
45	get		3,924	44.9%
46	she		3,781	45.3%
47	go		3,727	45.7%
48	if		3,580	46.0%
49	right		3,507	46.4%
50	out		3,416	46.7%
51	about		3,385	47.1%
52	up		3,348	47.4%
53	at		3,309	47.7%
54	him		3,309	48.1%
55	now		3,129	48.4%
56	oh		3,128	48.7%
57	one		3,081	49.0%
58	come		2,999	49.3%
59	well		2,940	49.6%
60	her		2,933	49.9%
61	how		2,913	50.2%
62	yeah		2,723	50.4%
63	've	have: I've, we've	2,711	50.7%
64	will		2,681	51.0%
65	got		2,679	51.2%
66	want		2,655	51.5%
67	think		2,503	51.8%
68	okay	counted with OK	2,481	52.0%
69	as		2,439	52.2%
70	see		2,425	52.5%
71	did		2,372	52.7%
72	good		2,370	53.0%
73	who		2,361	53.2%
74	why		2,345	53.4%
75	from		2,327	53.7%
76	let		2,321	53.9%
77	his		2,268	54.1%
78	yes		2,224	54.4%
79	when		2,085	54.6%
80	going		2,070	54.8%
81	time		1,978	55.0%
82	an		1,972	55.2%
83	back		1,912	55.4%
84	look		1,835	55.5%
85	us		1,833	55.7%
86	would		1,824	55.9%
87	them		1,807	56.1%
88	where		1,799	56.3%
89	were		1,791	56.4%
90	take		1,786	56.6%
91	then		1,736	56.8%
92	had		1,735	57.0%
93	or		1,725	57.1%
94	been		1,722	57.3%
95	our		1,622	57.5%
96	gonna	going to, as it is said	1,617	57.6%
97	tell		1,601	57.8%
98	really		1,599	58.0%
99	man		1,597	58.1%
100	some		1,588	58.3%

English words 101 to 250

#	Word	Note	Per million words	Running total
101	say		1,570	58.4%
102	hey		1,564	58.6%
103	could		1,513	58.7%
104	'd	would or had: I'd, he'd	1,510	58.9%
105	didn	did, in didn't	1,498	59.0%
106	by		1,484	59.2%
107	need		1,416	59.3%
108	something		1,414	59.5%
109	has		1,409	59.6%
110	too		1,392	59.8%
111	because	counted with 'cause	1,385	59.9%
112	more		1,375	60.0%
113	way		1,361	60.2%
114	down		1,332	60.3%
115	make		1,312	60.4%
116	very		1,287	60.6%
117	never		1,267	60.7%
118	only		1,208	60.8%
119	people		1,206	60.9%
120	over		1,199	61.0%
121	little		1,183	61.2%
122	please		1,146	61.3%
123	love		1,130	61.4%
124	should		1,121	61.5%
125	mean		1,118	61.6%
126	said		1,114	61.7%
127	sorry		1,113	61.8%
128	give		1,105	61.9%
129	off		1,088	62.1%
130	am		1,069	62.2%
131	thank		1,053	62.3%
132	any		1,045	62.4%
133	two		1,041	62.5%
134	even		1,013	62.6%
135	much		1,005	62.7%
136	doing		996	62.8%
137	sure		965	62.9%
138	thing		949	63.0%
139	these		930	63.1%
140	help		907	63.2%
141	first		893	63.2%
142	into		892	63.3%
143	anything		871	63.4%
144	still		870	63.5%
145	find		853	63.6%
146	life		850	63.7%
147	nothing		847	63.8%
148	sir		843	63.8%
149	day		841	63.9%
150	God		833	64.0%
151	work		832	64.1%
152	their		818	64.2%
153	uh		807	64.3%
154	again		803	64.3%
155	maybe		791	64.4%
156	must		791	64.5%
157	before		787	64.6%
158	other		786	64.7%
159	wait		782	64.7%
160	stop		781	64.8%
161	call		780	64.9%
162	after		780	65.0%
163	won	will, in won't; also the past of win	778	65.0%
164	talk		772	65.1%
165	away		768	65.2%
166	than		764	65.3%
167	thought		760	65.4%
168	home		758	65.4%
169	night		757	65.5%
170	put		752	65.6%
171	great		743	65.7%
172	those		719	65.7%
173	last		718	65.8%
174	better		708	65.9%
175	everything		707	65.9%
176	told		705	66.0%
177	new		692	66.1%
178	things		685	66.1%
179	always		685	66.2%
180	keep		678	66.3%
181	long		675	66.3%
182	years		656	66.4%
183	leave		651	66.5%
184	does		651	66.5%
185	money		642	66.6%
186	around		642	66.7%
187	doesn	does, in doesn't	641	66.7%
188	name		620	66.8%
189	place		605	66.9%
190	ever		604	66.9%
191	feel		604	67.0%
192	guys		602	67.0%
193	father		595	67.1%
194	guy		593	67.2%
195	made		591	67.2%
196	old		588	67.3%
197	isn	is, in isn't	585	67.3%
198	which		575	67.4%
199	big		568	67.5%
200	lot		560	67.5%
201	done		556	67.6%
202	hello		552	67.6%
203	nice		552	67.7%
204	believe		550	67.7%
205	girl		548	67.8%
206	someone		546	67.8%
207	fine		545	67.9%
208	thanks		539	67.9%
209	wanted		534	68.0%
210	kind		534	68.1%
211	coming		531	68.1%
212	house		529	68.2%
213	every		529	68.2%
214	through		528	68.3%
215	being		526	68.3%
216	course		520	68.4%
217	stay		515	68.4%
218	left		515	68.5%
219	dad		515	68.5%
220	enough		513	68.6%
221	happened		511	68.6%
222	came		510	68.7%
223	may		508	68.7%
224	mother		507	68.8%
225	wrong		505	68.8%
226	world		504	68.9%
227	bad		504	68.9%
228	might		500	69.0%
229	three		499	69.0%
230	today		499	69.1%
231	listen		498	69.1%
232	another		497	69.2%
233	understand		497	69.2%
234	hear		491	69.3%
235	remember		488	69.3%
236	ask		482	69.4%
237	own		480	69.4%
238	same		474	69.5%
239	show		473	69.5%
240	else		464	69.6%
241	kill		462	69.6%
242	talking		459	69.7%
243	found		459	69.7%
244	next		457	69.7%
245	getting		451	69.8%
246	care		450	69.8%
247	car		449	69.9%
248	looking		444	69.9%
249	son		444	70.0%
250	try		443	70.0%

English words 251 to 500

#	Word	Note	Per million words	Running total
251	woman		442	70.1%
252	went		438	70.1%
253	hi		436	70.1%
254	dead		432	70.2%
255	many		428	70.2%
256	mind		426	70.3%
257	wasn	was, in wasn't	425	70.3%
258	friend		419	70.4%
259	best		418	70.4%
260	mom		415	70.4%
261	hell		414	70.5%
262	morning		413	70.5%
263	trying		413	70.6%
264	boy		412	70.6%
265	together		412	70.6%
266	yourself		411	70.7%
267	job		407	70.7%
268	saw		406	70.8%
269	family		401	70.8%
270	real		401	70.9%
271	without		395	70.9%
272	baby		395	70.9%
273	room		395	71.0%
274	wouldn	would, in wouldn't	393	71.0%
275	already		392	71.0%
276	move		386	71.1%
277	most		385	71.1%
278	seen		384	71.2%
279	live		382	71.2%
280	miss		382	71.2%
281	actually		381	71.3%
282	*sht**		372	71.3%
283	both		368	71.4%
284	heard		367	71.4%
285	once		367	71.4%
286	ready		364	71.5%
287	head		363	71.5%
288	called		360	71.5%
289	used		359	71.6%
290	idea		358	71.6%
291	knew		358	71.6%
292	hold		357	71.7%
293	happy		357	71.7%
294	door		355	71.7%
295	such		355	71.8%
296	*fck**		354	71.8%
297	brother		354	71.9%
298	also		354	71.9%
299	pretty		353	71.9%
300	bit		352	72.0%
301	took		352	72.0%
302	haven	have, in haven't	352	72.0%
303	yet		351	72.1%
304	men		350	72.1%
305	whole		350	72.1%
306	start		349	72.2%
307	use		349	72.2%
308	while		348	72.2%
309	since		346	72.3%
310	wife		346	72.3%
311	days		345	72.3%
312	guess		341	72.4%
313	tomorrow		339	72.4%
314	matter		337	72.4%
315	meet		337	72.5%
316	bring		337	72.5%
317	tonight		335	72.5%
318	everyone		335	72.6%
319	run		332	72.6%
320	wanna	want to, as it is said	331	72.6%
321	hard		331	72.7%
322	ah		330	72.7%
323	alone		327	72.7%
324	myself		327	72.8%
325	school		327	72.8%
326	gone		327	72.8%
327	um		325	72.9%
328	end		323	72.9%
329	saying		322	72.9%
330	phone		320	73.0%
331	play		318	73.0%
332	looks		318	73.0%
333	couldn	could, in couldn't	318	73.1%
334	*fcking**		317	73.1%
335	problem		316	73.1%
336	few		315	73.2%
337	friends		314	73.2%
338	gotta	got to, as it is said	313	73.2%
339	ago		313	73.3%
340	open		313	73.3%
341	anyone		311	73.3%
342	killed		311	73.4%
343	hope		309	73.4%
344	face		307	73.4%
345	until		306	73.4%
346	lost		303	73.5%
347	police		301	73.5%
348	excuse		299	73.5%
349	turn		297	73.6%
350	business		294	73.6%
351	case		293	73.6%
352	wants		293	73.7%
353	says		293	73.7%
354	true		292	73.7%
355	die		291	73.7%
356	heart		291	73.8%
357	soon		290	73.8%
358	each		288	73.8%
359	worry		288	73.9%
360	later		284	73.9%
361	year		284	73.9%
362	watch		283	73.9%
363	music		282	74.0%
364	hand		281	74.0%
365	having		281	74.0%
366	probably		276	74.1%
367	beautiful		273	74.1%
368	doctor		270	74.1%
369	sit		270	74.1%
370	eat		269	74.2%
371	thinking		267	74.2%
372	young		265	74.2%
373	second		264	74.2%
374	working		263	74.3%
375	water		263	74.3%
376	person		262	74.3%
377	part		262	74.3%
378	kids		261	74.4%
379	late		261	74.4%
380	stuff		259	74.4%
381	exactly		258	74.4%
382	under		258	74.5%
383	death		257	74.5%
384	minute		257	74.5%
385	pay		257	74.6%
386	crazy		257	74.6%
387	forget		257	74.6%
388	everybody		257	74.6%
389	kid		256	74.7%
390	change		254	74.7%
391	gave		254	74.7%
392	happen		253	74.7%
393	damn		251	74.8%
394	five		250	74.8%
395	drink		248	74.8%
396	far		248	74.8%
397	knows		247	74.9%
398	its		246	74.9%
399	whatever		245	74.9%
400	eyes		244	74.9%
401	shut		243	75.0%
402	aren	are, in aren't	243	75.0%
403	hit		242	75.0%
404	taking		242	75.0%
405	easy		241	75.0%
406	times		240	75.1%
407	check		240	75.1%
408	hands		240	75.1%
409	minutes		238	75.1%
410	deal		238	75.2%
411	different		238	75.2%
412	means		237	75.2%
413	point		237	75.2%
414	inside		237	75.3%
415	makes		234	75.3%
416	asked		234	75.3%
417	somebody		234	75.3%
418	mine		232	75.4%
419	making		230	75.4%
420	body		230	75.4%
421	afraid		230	75.4%
422	sleep		229	75.4%
423	chance		229	75.5%
424	dear		228	75.5%
425	quite		227	75.5%
426	four		227	75.5%
427	anyway		227	75.6%
428	close		227	75.6%
429	ain	in ain't	227	75.6%
430	party		226	75.6%
431	fun		226	75.7%
432	against		225	75.7%
433	word		224	75.7%
434	comes		224	75.7%
435	important		224	75.7%
436	set		223	75.8%
437	shall		223	75.8%
438	story		223	75.8%
439	number		222	75.8%
440	daughter		222	75.9%
441	least		222	75.9%
442	waiting		221	75.9%
443	hurt		220	75.9%
444	wish		218	75.9%
445	moment		218	76.0%
446	fight		218	76.0%
447	week		217	76.0%
448	husband		217	76.0%
449	girls		216	76.1%
450	rest		216	76.1%
451	married		215	76.1%
452	fire		214	76.1%
453	game		214	76.1%
454	nobody		214	76.2%
455	children		213	76.2%
456	side		212	76.2%
457	stand		211	76.2%
458	read		210	76.2%
459	though		210	76.3%
460	cut		210	76.3%
461	started		210	76.3%
462	sister		210	76.3%
463	supposed		208	76.3%
464	between		208	76.4%
465	child		207	76.4%
466	goes		206	76.4%
467	hours		206	76.4%
468	speak		205	76.5%
469	women		205	76.5%
470	behind		202	76.5%
471	almost		202	76.5%
472	truth		202	76.5%
473	blood		201	76.6%
474	able		200	76.6%
475	lady		200	76.6%
476	anymore		200	76.6%
477	playing		200	76.6%
478	gets		199	76.7%
479	shot		197	76.7%
480	reason		197	76.7%
481	trouble		195	76.7%
482	break		195	76.7%
483	war		194	76.7%
484	city		194	76.8%
485	walk		193	76.8%
486	town		193	76.8%
487	trust		192	76.8%
488	met		192	76.8%
489	office		192	76.9%
490	question		192	76.9%
491	brought		191	76.9%
492	yours		191	76.9%
493	welcome		191	76.9%
494	high		191	77.0%
495	wow		190	77.0%
496	couple		189	77.0%
497	half		189	77.0%
498	died		188	77.0%
499	cool		188	77.1%
500	free		187	77.1%

English words 501 to 750

#	Word	Note	Per million words	Running total
501	either		187	77.1%
502	seems		186	77.1%
503	power		186	77.1%
504	bye		185	77.1%
505	buy		185	77.2%
506	telling		185	77.2%
507	honey		185	77.2%
508	tried		184	77.2%
509	front		184	77.2%
510	team		183	77.3%
511	answer		182	77.3%
512	gun		181	77.3%
513	boys		180	77.3%
514	line		180	77.3%
515	send		180	77.3%
516	news		179	77.4%
517	stupid		179	77.4%
518	bed		179	77.4%
519	hurry		177	77.4%
520	full		177	77.4%
521	months		177	77.5%
522	'em	them, in casual speech	176	77.5%
523	save		176	77.5%
524	sometimes		175	77.5%
525	become		175	77.5%
526	along		175	77.5%
527	hate		174	77.6%
528	food		174	77.6%
529	outside		173	77.6%
530	light		172	77.6%
531	needs		172	77.6%
532	dog		171	77.6%
533	country		171	77.7%
534	clear		171	77.7%
535	order		171	77.7%
536	fact		170	77.7%
537	lord		170	77.7%
538	captain		170	77.8%
539	six		169	77.8%
540	hot		169	77.8%
541	funny		169	77.8%
542	black		168	77.8%
543	alive		167	77.8%
544	pick		167	77.9%
545	feeling		166	77.9%
546	living		165	77.9%
547	cause		165	77.9%
548	ahead		164	77.9%
549	lose		162	77.9%
550	king		161	77.9%
551	plan		161	78.0%
552	dinner		161	78.0%
553	sort		160	78.0%
554	leaving		159	78.0%
555	shouldn	should, in shouldn't	159	78.0%
556	running		159	78.0%
557	boss		159	78.1%
558	alright		159	78.1%
559	promise		158	78.1%
560	taken		157	78.1%
561	safe		155	78.1%
562	book		155	78.1%
563	sent		155	78.2%
564	white		154	78.2%
565	hour		153	78.2%
566	anybody		153	78.2%
567	small		153	78.2%
568	perfect		153	78.2%
569	lives		150	78.2%
570	special		150	78.3%
571	parents		150	78.3%
572	himself		149	78.3%
573	perhaps		149	78.3%
574	sounds		149	78.3%
575	serious		148	78.3%
576	sick		148	78.4%
577	company		147	78.4%
578	scared		147	78.4%
579	uncle		147	78.4%
580	poor		146	78.4%
581	red		145	78.4%
582	past		145	78.4%
583	earth		145	78.5%
584	possible		144	78.5%
585	shoot		144	78.5%
586	touch		144	78.5%
587	sound		143	78.5%
588	top		143	78.5%
589	*as**		143	78.5%
590	laughs		143	78.6%
591	cannot		141	78.6%
592	asking		140	78.6%
593	win		140	78.6%
594	glad		140	78.6%
595	control		140	78.6%
596	human		140	78.6%
597	drive		139	78.7%
598	hair		139	78.7%
599	*btch**		138	78.7%
600	luck		138	78.7%
601	murder		138	78.7%
602	happens		137	78.7%
603	air		136	78.7%
604	ten		136	78.7%
605	daddy		136	78.8%
606	finally		136	78.8%
607	fast		135	78.8%
608	cold		135	78.8%
609	seem		134	78.8%
610	laughing		134	78.8%
611	words		134	78.8%
612	hospital		133	78.9%
613	street		133	78.9%
614	hang		133	78.9%
615	dance		132	78.9%
616	meeting		132	78.9%
617	till		132	78.9%
618	others		132	78.9%
619	catch		131	78.9%
620	follow		131	79.0%
621	sense		131	79.0%
622	sex		131	79.0%
623	lie		131	79.0%
624	evening		130	79.0%
625	master		129	79.0%
626	known		129	79.0%
627	dream		129	79.1%
628	write		129	79.1%
629	million		129	79.1%
630	voice		128	79.1%
631	rather		128	79.1%
632	sweet		128	79.1%
633	felt		128	79.1%
634	sign		126	79.1%
635	lucky		126	79.2%
636	somewhere		126	79.2%
637	bet		125	79.2%
638	longer		124	79.2%
639	calling		124	79.2%
640	worked		124	79.2%
641	quiet		123	79.2%
642	looked		123	79.2%
643	less		123	79.3%
644	pull		122	79.3%
645	beat		122	79.3%
646	careful		122	79.3%
647	coffee		122	79.3%
648	return		122	79.3%
649	secret		121	79.3%
650	weeks		121	79.3%
651	weren	were, in weren't	120	79.4%
652	date		120	79.4%
653	seeing		120	79.4%
654	fall		119	79.4%
655	given		119	79.4%
656	fault		119	79.4%
657	straight		119	79.4%
658	takes		118	79.4%
659	song		118	79.4%
660	future		118	79.5%
661	gentlemen		118	79.5%
662	loved		117	79.5%
663	changed		117	79.5%
664	road		117	79.5%
665	calm		117	79.5%
666	wonderful		117	79.5%
667	mad		116	79.5%
668	turned		116	79.6%
669	drop		116	79.6%
670	ladies		116	79.6%
671	learn		116	79.6%
672	step		116	79.6%
673	absolutely		115	79.6%
674	early		115	79.6%
675	explain		115	79.6%
676	clean		115	79.6%
677	piece		115	79.7%
678	yesterday		114	79.7%
679	throw		114	79.7%
680	picture		114	79.7%
681	land		114	79.7%
682	feet		113	79.7%
683	wonder		113	79.7%
684	questions		113	79.7%
685	speaking		113	79.7%
686	worth		112	79.8%
687	darling		112	79.8%
688	dude		112	79.8%
689	giving		112	79.8%
690	president		112	79.8%
691	eye		112	79.8%
692	quick		111	79.8%
693	moving		111	79.8%
694	figure		110	79.8%
695	state		110	79.9%
696	strong		110	79.9%
697	none		109	79.9%
698	amazing		109	79.9%
699	ones		108	79.9%
700	works		108	79.9%
701	act		108	79.9%
702	needed		107	79.9%
703	weird		107	79.9%
704	law		107	80.0%
705	worried		106	80.0%
706	report		106	80.0%
707	goodbye		105	80.0%
708	missing		105	80.0%
709	choice		105	80.0%
710	happening		105	80.0%
711	chief		105	80.0%
712	wedding		105	80.0%
713	strange		105	80.0%
714	general		105	80.1%
715	pain		105	80.1%
716	kidding		104	80.1%
717	decided		104	80.1%
718	pass		104	80.1%
719	tired		104	80.1%
720	class		104	80.1%
721	officer		103	80.1%
722	kept		103	80.1%
723	wake		103	80.2%
724	worse		103	80.2%
725	busy		103	80.2%
726	eh		102	80.2%
727	mistake		102	80.2%
728	kiss		102	80.2%
729	court		102	80.2%
730	building		101	80.2%
731	finish		101	80.2%
732	during		101	80.2%
733	age		101	80.3%
734	ship		101	80.3%
735	caught		101	80.3%
736	marry		101	80.3%
737	meant		101	80.3%
738	sell		100	80.3%
739	dark		100	80.3%
740	watching		100	80.3%
741	system		100	80.3%
742	suppose		100	80.3%
743	evidence		100	80.4%
744	movie		99	80.4%
745	ride		99	80.4%
746	completely		99	80.4%
747	mouth		99	80.4%
748	totally		99	80.4%
749	birthday		98	80.4%
750	TV		98	80.4%

English words 751 to 1,000

#	Word	Note	Per million words	Running total
751	forgive		98	80.4%
752	born		98	80.4%
753	imagine		98	80.5%
754	information		98	80.5%
755	instead		97	80.5%
756	definitely		97	80.5%
757	security		97	80.5%
758	certainly		97	80.5%
759	film		97	80.5%
760	month		97	80.5%
761	lying		97	80.5%
762	unless		97	80.5%
763	train		97	80.6%
764	seven		97	80.6%
765	wear		97	80.6%
766	clothes		97	80.6%
767	hotel		96	80.6%
768	Christmas		96	80.6%
769	attack		96	80.6%
770	hasn	has, in hasn't	96	80.6%
771	round		95	80.6%
772	expect		95	80.6%
773	sing		95	80.6%
774	terrible		95	80.7%
775	bag		94	80.7%
776	history		94	80.7%
777	blue		94	80.7%
778	near		94	80.7%
779	broke		93	80.7%
780	station		93	80.7%
781	seriously		93	80.7%
782	forever		93	80.7%
783	except		93	80.7%
784	thinks		93	80.7%
785	message		93	80.8%
786	entire		93	80.8%
787	table		92	80.8%
788	talked		92	80.8%
789	across		92	80.8%
790	rock		92	80.8%
791	lovely		92	80.8%
792	handle		91	80.8%
793	middle		91	80.8%
794	buddy		91	80.8%
795	paid		91	80.9%
796	protect		91	80.9%
797	using		91	80.9%
798	floor		90	80.9%
799	ran		90	80.9%
800	swear		90	80.9%
801	spend		90	80.9%
802	situation		90	80.9%
803	ring		90	80.9%
804	anywhere		90	80.9%
805	dangerous		90	80.9%
806	bill	also a man's name	90	80.9%
807	army		90	81.0%
808	lead		89	81.0%
809	bought		89	81.0%
810	finished		89	81.0%
811	fair		89	81.0%
812	letter		89	81.0%
813	sun		89	81.0%
814	fool		89	81.0%
815	attention		89	81.0%
816	club		89	81.0%
817	simple		89	81.0%
818	interesting		89	81.1%
819	space		88	81.1%
820	test		88	81.1%
821	box		88	81.1%
822	group		88	81.1%
823	single		88	81.1%
824	sitting		88	81.1%
825	marriage		88	81.1%
826	join		88	81.1%
827	fear		88	81.1%
828	peace		87	81.1%
829	forgot		87	81.2%
830	force		87	81.2%
831	short		87	81.2%
832	normal		87	81.2%
833	present		86	81.2%
834	enjoy		86	81.2%
835	crime		86	81.2%
836	horse		86	81.2%
837	ground		86	81.2%
838	American		86	81.2%
839	count		85	81.2%
840	area		85	81.2%
841	charge		85	81.3%
842	honor		85	81.3%
843	lunch		85	81.3%
844	miles		85	81.3%
845	radio		85	81.3%
846	idiot		85	81.3%
847	ball		85	81.3%
848	surprise		85	81.3%
849	paper		85	81.3%
850	key		85	81.3%
851	boat		85	81.3%
852	quickly		84	81.3%
853	gold		84	81.4%
854	bar		84	81.4%
855	fish		84	81.4%
856	mark	also a man's name	84	81.4%
857	wearing		84	81.4%
858	crying		84	81.4%
859	accident		84	81.4%
860	government		84	81.4%
861	eight		84	81.4%
862	fell		84	81.4%
863	cover		83	81.4%
864	certain		83	81.5%
865	interested		83	81.5%
866	deep		83	81.5%
867	star		83	81.5%
868	sea		83	81.5%
869	agree		83	81.5%
870	detective		83	81.5%
871	problems		83	81.5%
872	prison		82	81.5%
873	major		82	81.5%
874	stick		82	81.5%
875	offer		82	81.5%
876	difficult		82	81.5%
877	smart		82	81.6%
878	personal		82	81.6%
879	record		82	81.6%
880	stopped		82	81.6%
881	hide		82	81.6%
882	whether		82	81.6%
883	bank		82	81.6%
884	trip		82	81.6%
885	relax		81	81.6%
886	public		81	81.6%
887	list		81	81.6%
888	afternoon		81	81.6%
889	brain		81	81.7%
890	fix		81	81.7%
891	*bstard**		81	81.7%
892	proud		81	81.7%
893	service		81	81.7%
894	tea		81	81.7%
895	screaming		81	81.7%
896	forward		80	81.7%
897	angry		80	81.7%
898	park		80	81.7%
899	soul		80	81.7%
900	fighting		80	81.7%
901	rich		80	81.8%
902	agent		80	81.8%
903	blow		80	81.8%
904	dress		80	81.8%
905	missed		79	81.8%
906	scene		79	81.8%
907	killing		79	81.8%
908	standing		79	81.8%
909	saved		78	81.8%
910	respect		78	81.8%
911	killer		78	81.8%
912	ice		78	81.8%
913	mess		78	81.8%
914	tough		78	81.9%
915	feels		78	81.9%
916	church		78	81.9%
917	sad		78	81.9%
918	cell		78	81.9%
919	drunk		77	81.9%
920	share		77	81.9%
921	camera		77	81.9%
922	within		77	81.9%
923	card		77	81.9%
924	fly		77	81.9%
925	girlfriend		77	81.9%
926	laugh		77	81.9%
927	smell		77	82.0%
928	broken		77	82.0%
929	mum		77	82.0%
930	honest		77	82.0%
931	often		76	82.0%
932	starting		76	82.0%
933	calls		76	82.0%
934	spent		76	82.0%
935	third		76	82.0%
936	English		76	82.0%
937	visit		76	82.0%
938	mama		75	82.0%
939	judge		75	82.0%
940	window		75	82.1%
941	hungry		75	82.1%
942	dare		75	82.1%
943	relationship		75	82.1%
944	moved		75	82.1%
945	prove		75	82.1%
946	private		75	82.1%
947	wall		75	82.1%
948	seat		74	82.1%
949	position		74	82.1%
950	lieutenant		74	82.1%
951	realize		74	82.1%
952	especially		74	82.1%
953	machine		74	82.2%
954	walking		74	82.2%
955	art		74	82.2%
956	pleasure		74	82.2%
957	bloody		74	82.2%
958	college		73	82.2%
959	French		73	82.2%
960	involved		73	82.2%
961	cry		73	82.2%
962	became		73	82.2%
963	lived		73	82.2%
964	impossible		73	82.2%
965	obviously		73	82.2%
966	neither		73	82.2%
967	accept		73	82.3%
968	boyfriend		72	82.3%
969	besides		72	82.3%
970	queen		72	82.3%
971	teacher		72	82.3%
972	cops		72	82.3%
973	sake		72	82.3%
974	loves		72	82.3%
975	carry		72	82.3%
976	teach		72	82.3%
977	apartment		72	82.3%
978	upset		72	82.3%
979	green		72	82.3%
980	liked		71	82.3%
981	cute		71	82.4%
982	evil		71	82.4%
983	professor		71	82.4%
984	contact		70	82.4%
985	joke		70	82.4%
986	cop		70	82.4%
987	huge		70	82.4%
988	holy		70	82.4%
989	store		70	82.4%
990	jail		70	82.4%
991	likes		70	82.4%
992	lawyer		70	82.4%
993	doubt		70	82.4%
994	continue		70	82.4%
995	appreciate		70	82.5%
996	cat		70	82.5%
997	shop		69	82.5%
998	driving		69	82.5%
999	congratulations		69	82.5%
1000	wrote		69	82.5%

What the list shows

"You" is the most common word in spoken English. I is second and the third. In written English the order is different: the Oxford English Corpus, built mostly from writing, begins the, be, to, of, and.

Contractions are everywhere. 25 of the 1,000 entries are pieces of contractions, and two of them, 's and 't, are in the first ten. A learner who has only met do not and it is in a textbook will hear don't and it's almost every time.

Speech has its own words. Yeah is number 62, okay number 68 and gonna number 96. None of them is near the top of a list made from writing. How OK spread to other languages is counted in how to say OK in different languages.

The first noun is "time". It is at number 81, followed by man at 99 and people at 119. Everything above them is a pronoun, an article, a preposition, a verb or a small word like just and well.

English needs fewer words than other languages to cover the same ground. The first 1,000 English entries cover 82.5% of dialogue. The same count gives 77.0% for German, 76.7% for Portuguese and 74.9% for Italian. English verbs and adjectives have few forms, so each form is used more: want does the work of six different Italian words. The hundred words said most in each of those languages are explained in Italian, German and Portuguese.

The curve flattens fast. The first 100 words cover 58.3% of dialogue and the first 250 cover 70.0%. The last 250 on this page add about two points. Knowing the commonest thousand is not the same as knowing English, though: an average adult native speaker knows tens of thousands of words, as set out in how many words does the average person know.

Using the list

If you are learning English, the first 250 words are the ones to know without thinking. Learn the contractions as you hear them, I'm, don't, it's, because that is how they are said.
If you are learning another language, this is a list of what you will want to say first. Most of the top hundred have a direct counterpart in Spanish, French or German, and those counterparts are near the top of their own lists.
If you play word games, the commonest words of one length are in the most common five-letter words.

Verbavia (our own course) teaches other languages to English speakers in the same frequency order, a lesson a day, free on the web. The word lists it teaches from are open to read: Spanish, French, German, Italian and Portuguese.

How it was counted

Source. The English list from FrequencyWords, which counts every word in the OpenSubtitles 2018 collection of film and television subtitles.
Left out: names and fragments. 42 entries that would otherwise be in the top 1,000 are people's names (john, michael), place names, titles (mr) or fragments left by the way subtitles are split. A few words that are also names, such as mark and bill, are kept and marked.
Left out: captions. Subtitles for deaf viewers describe sounds, so words like sighs and chuckles are frequent in the files without being said. They are removed.
Added together. OK is counted with okay, and 'cause with because.
Swear words are starred. 6 of the 1,000 are swear words, and they are printed with an asterisk. They are on the list because they are among the commonest words in film dialogue; which ones other languages use most is in the most common swear word in each language.
Subtitles are not street recordings. Film and television dialogue is written to sound like speech, and it has more killing, police and doctors in it than most people's days. It is still the largest record of everyday dialogue there is.

The verbs among them, every form added up, are ranked in the 100 most common English verbs.

How many words English has beyond these thousand is in how many words are in the English language.

Sources

Lison, P. & Tiedemann, J. (2016). OpenSubtitles2016: Extracting Large Parallel Corpora from Movie and TV Subtitles. Proceedings of LREC 2016. aclanthology.org
Dave, H. FrequencyWords: frequency lists from OpenSubtitles 2018, content licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. github.com. The counts are computed by scripts/frequency_thousand.py in Verbavia's repository and printed from its output rather than typed.
Wikipedia: Most common words in English, for the order of the Oxford English Corpus list.

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