Verbs are the heartbeat of any conversation — you need them to share a story, ask a question, or just order your favorite coffee. This list rounds up around 1,000 common English verbs that you’ll actually hear and use every day. No dusty textbook filler, just action words that keep your sentences moving. Put these common verbs to work while reading Hansel and Gretel at A2 level.
Inside the interactive table, you’ll get US IPA for clear pronunciation, a plain-English meaning, and a real-world example sentence. There’s also a play button next to every word, so you can listen as you learn — your ears need practice too.
Ready to level up your everyday English without the yawns? Scroll to the bottom of the article for the free printable common english verbs vocabulary list PDF and the free downloadable printable common english verbs flashcards.
Verbs alone won’t make you fluent, though. You need chunks you can actually speak. Our free English lessons teach you practical phrases with audio and speaking practice — start at the intro page or jump straight into Lesson 1: First Greetings.
Quick Quiz
<p>Think you already know a bunch of these? Try the quick quiz below to test yourself, then use the table to plug any gaps.</p>
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| Word | IPA | Meaning | Example | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abandon | /əˈbændən/ | To leave someone or something | They abandoned the car. | |
| Accept | /ækˈsɛpt/ | To take something offered | I accept your gift. | |
| Accompany | /əˈkʌmpəni/ | To go with someone | I will accompany you to the station. | |
| account | /əˈkaʊnt/ | to explain or make up a total | The report accounts for every dollar spent. | |
| Accuse | /əˈkjuz/ | To say someone did something wrong | They accused him of stealing. | |
| Ache | /eɪk/ | A continuous pain | I have a dull ache in my back. | |
| Achieve | /əˈtʃiv/ | To succeed in doing something | You can achieve your goals. | |
| achieved | /əˈtʃiːvd/ | successfully reached a goal | They achieved better results after months of practice. | |
| Acknowledge | /əkˈnɒlɪdʒ/ | To accept the truth or recognize something | He acknowledged his mistake. | |
| Acquire | /əˈkwaɪər/ | To get or buy something | The company acquired a new building. | |
| act | /ækt/ | to do something or behave in a way | Please act politely in class. | |
| acts | /ækts/ | behaves in a particular way | He acts calmly even in difficult situations. | |
| Adapt | /əˈdæpt/ | To change to suit different conditions | Animals adapt to their environment. | |
| Add | /æd/ | To put something with something else | Please add some sugar to my tea. | |
| added | /ˈædəd/ | put in something extra | She added sugar to her tea. | |
| adding | /ˈædɪŋ/ | putting more to something | She is adding sugar to the tea now. | |
| Address | /əˈdrɛs/ | To speak or write to someone | He addressed the audience. | |
| addressed | /əˈdrɛst/ | wrote a name on mail or dealt with something | She addressed the envelope to her aunt. | |
| Admire | /ədˈmaɪər/ | To respect and approve of someone | I admire her courage. | |
| Admit | /ədˈmɪt/ | To agree that something is true | He admitted that he was wrong. | |
| Adopt | /əˈdɑpt/ | To legally take another person's child into your own family | They decided to adopt a baby. | |
| adopted | /əˈdɑptɪd/ | legally took another person's child as one's own | They adopted a baby girl last year. | |
| Advance | /ədˈvæns/ | A development or improvement | There have been great advances in medicine. | |
| Advertise | /ˈæd.vərˌtaɪz/ | To promote a product | They advertise on TV. | |
| Affect | /əˈfɛkt/ | To cause a change in something | The weather affects my mood. |
Free Common English Verbs PDF and Flashcards to Download
Grab the purple vocab-list button to download the common english verbs vocabulary list, and use the teal flashcards button for the common english verbs flashcards. Both are 100% free with no signup required.
