Essential Inburgering Vocabulary List: 200 Words You Must Know
The Inburgering exam tests around 2000 vocabulary items, but you can pass with the right 200. This curated list covers the most frequently tested words.paragraphs
Introduction
Vocabulary is the single largest factor in A2 exam performance. This list contains the 200 words that appear most frequently in Inburgering exams — master these and you will understand the majority of any A2 text.
Numbers and Dates
een, twee, drie, vier, vijf, zes, zeven, acht, negen, tien, twintig, honderd, duizend / eerste, tweede, derde / maandag, dinsdag, woensdag, donderdag, vrijdag, zaterdag, zondag / januari, februari / vandaag, gisteren, morgen, overmorgen. These appear in almost every exam — no excuse for losing marks here.
Family and People
man, vrouw, kind, zoon, dochter, zus, broer, moeder, vader, ouders, grootouders, opa, oma, familie, buurman, buurvrouw, vriend, vriendin, collega, baas. Personal questions about family are a standard speaking exam opener.
Housing and Living
huis, kamer, appartement, verdieping, etage, lift, trap, voordeur, raam, tuin, keuken, badkamer, slaapkamer, woonkamer, huren, kopen, huur, woning, adres, bellen, deurbel, slot, koken, schoonmaken, wasmachine, droger, meubels, stoel, tafel, bank. Understanding housing vocabulary is essential for practical Dutch life questions.
Healthcare and Body
huisarts, dokter, ziekenhuis, apotheek, medicatie, medicijn, pijn, koorts, hoofdpijn, rugpijn, afspraak, inschrijven, verzekering, zorgverzekering, ziek, gezond, ziekte, operatie, behandeling, recept, bloed, arm, been, hoofd, buik. Health-related vocabulary is a recurring theme in Inburgering exam texts.
Daily Activities
opstaan, naar bed gaan, ontbijten, lunchen, avondeten, douchen, aankleden, werken, studeren, boodschappen doen, koken, schoonmaken, wassen, slapen, relaxen, lezen, tv kijken, wandelen, fietsen, rijden, winkelen, bellen, mailen, praten, luisteren, schrijven, leren, oefenen. These verbs are the backbone of the speaking exam personal routine section.
Work and School
werk, baan, kantoor, vergadering, salaris, uren, vakantie, ziekteverlof / school, klas, leraar, leerling, boek, pen, examen, cijfer, leren, studeren, diploma, universiteit, lessen. Both work and education scenarios appear frequently in reading and speaking sections.
Government and Civic
gemeente, stad, stadhuis, paspoort, identiteit, bewijs, adres, inschrijven, uitschrijven, formulier, aanvraag, vergunning, politie, brandweer, ambulance, noodgeval, 112, burgemeester, raad, stemmen, verkiezingen, wet, regel, verbod, toestemming. Civic vocabulary is tested explicitly in the Inburgeringsexamen.
Shopping and Money
winkel, supermarkt, prijs, euro, betalen, kassabon, korting, aanbieding, creditcard, contant, pinnen, cash, kopen, verkopen, duur, goedkoop, maat, kleur, uitverkoop, bestellen, bezorgen. These words handle shopping scenarios in reading texts and transactional listening.
How to Use This List
Flashcard method: write Dutch on one side, English on the other. Go through 20 cards per day. Sentence building: take 5 words and write a sentence with each. Theme practice: describe your own life using only the words in each category. DutchExam.xyz vocabulary quizzes test exactly this list.
Conclusion
200 words is a manageable target. Spaced repetition is more effective than cramming. Use Anki or Quizlet with a pre-made Dutch A2 deck, or test yourself daily on DutchExam.xyz. Every word you learn here is a step closer to passing.