| Rank | English | Principal historical source |
|---|
| 1 | the | Old English þe / þæt |
| 2 | be | OE bēon |
| 3 | and | OE and |
| 4 | of | OE of |
| 5 | a | OE ān (“one”) |
| 6 | in | OE in |
| 7 | to | OE tō |
| 8 | have | OE habban |
| 9 | it | OE hit |
| 10 | I | OE ic |
| 11 | that | OE þæt |
| 12 | for | OE for |
| 13 | you | OE ēow |
| 14 | he | OE hē |
| 15 | with | OE wiþ |
| 16 | on | OE on |
| 17 | do | OE dōn |
| 18 | say | OE secgan |
| 19 | this | OE þes |
| 20 | they | Old Norse þeir |
| 21 | at | OE æt |
| 22 | but | OE būtan |
| 23 | we | OE wē |
| 24 | his | OE his |
| 25 | from | OE fram |
| 26 | not | OE nāwiht / nōht |
| 27 | by | OE bī |
| 28 | she | OE/Germanic development, probably from sēo |
| 29 | or | OE oþþe / Norse influence |
| 30 | as | OE ealswā |
| 31 | what | OE hwæt |
| 32 | go | OE gān |
| 33 | their | Old Norse þeirra |
| 34 | can | OE cunnan |
| 35 | who | OE hwā |
| 36 | get | Old Norse geta |
| 37 | if | OE gif |
| 38 | would | OE wolde, from willan |
| 39 | her | OE hire |
| 40 | all | OE eall |
| 41 | my | OE mīn |
| 42 | make | OE macian |
| 43 | about | OE onbūtan |
| 44 | know | OE cnāwan |
| 45 | will | OE willan |
| 46 | up | OE up |
| 47 | one | OE ān |
| 48 | time | OE tīma |
| 49 | there | OE þǣr |
| 50 | year | OE ġēar |
| 51 | so | OE swā |
| 52 | think | OE þencan |
| 53 | when | OE hwænne |
| 54 | which | OE hwilc |
| 55 | them | Old Norse þeim |
| 56 | some | OE sum |
| 57 | me | OE mē |
| 58 | take | Old Norse taka |
| 59 | out | OE ūt |
| 60 | then | OE þanne |
| 61 | see | OE sēon |
| 62 | other | OE ōþer |
| 63 | than | OE þanne |
| 64 | now | OE nū |
| 65 | look | OE lōcian |
| 66 | only | OE ānlic |
| 67 | come | OE cuman |
| 68 | its | Germanic it + possessive -s |
| 69 | over | OE ofer |
| 70 | also | OE eallswā |
| 71 | back | OE bæc |
| 72 | after | OE æfter |
| 73 | use | French/Latin — exclude |
| 73 | two | OE twā |
| 74 | how | OE hū |
| 75 | our | OE ūre |
| 76 | work | OE weorc |
| 77 | first | OE fyrst |
| 78 | well | OE wel |
| 79 | way | OE weġ |
| 80 | even | OE efen |
| 81 | new | OE nīwe |
| 82 | want | Old Norse vanta |
| 83 | because | mixed construction; ultimately Germanic elements + French cause — exclude |
| 83 | these | OE þās |
| 84 | give | Old Norse gefa / Germanic |
| 85 | day | OE dæġ |
| 86 | most | OE mǣst |
| 87 | us | OE ūs |
| 88 | is | OE is |
| 89 | are | OE earun / aron, reinforced by Norse |
| 90 | was | OE wæs |
| 91 | were | OE wǣron |
| 92 | may | OE magan |
| 93 | should | OE sceolde |
| 94 | much | OE myċel |
| 95 | where | OE hwǣr |
| 96 | down | OE ofdūne (“off the hill”) |
| 97 | good | OE gōd |
| 98 | man | OE mann |
| 99 | find | OE findan |
| 100 | here | OE hēr |
| 101 | right | OE riht | adj./noun |
| 102 | thing | OE þing | noun |
| 103 | long | OE lang | adjective |
| 104 | world | OE weorold | noun |
| 105 | still | OE stille | adv./adj. |
| 106 | own | OE āgen | adj./verb |
| 107 | old | OE eald | adjective |
| 108 | never | OE nǣfre | adverb |
| 109 | last | OE latost / lǣst | adj./verb |
| 110 | might | OE mihte, from magan | modal |
| 111 | great | OE grēat | adjective |
| 112 | same | Old Norse samr | adjective |
| 113 | big | probably Scandinavian | adjective |
| 114 | high | OE hēah | adjective |
| 115 | need | OE nēod | noun/verb |
| 116 | house | OE hūs | noun |
| 117 | life | OE līf | noun |
| 118 | little | OE lȳtel | adjective |
| 119 | another | OE ān + ōþer | determiner/pronoun |
| 120 | kind | OE gecynd | noun/adj. |
| 121 | hand | OE hand | noun |
| 122 | again | OE ongean | adverb |
| 123 | home | OE hām | noun/adverb |
| 124 | something | OE elements sum + þing | pronoun |
| 125 | night | OE niht | noun |
| 126 | head | OE hēafod | noun |
| 127 | away | OE onweg | adverb |
| 128 | though | OE þēah | conjunction |
| 129 | every | OE ǣfre ǣlc | determiner |
| 130 | three | OE þrīe | numeral |
| 131 | tell | OE tellan | verb |
| 132 | put | OE putian (probably Germanic) | verb |
| 133 | keep | OE cēpan | verb |
| 134 | let | OE lǣtan | verb |
| 135 | help | OE helpan | verb |
| 136 | show | OE scēawian | verb |
| 137 | hear | OE hīeran | verb |
| 138 | feel | OE fēlan | verb |
| 139 | leave | OE lǣfan | verb |
| 140 | bring | OE bringan | verb |
| 141 | begin | OE beginnan | verb |
| 142 | seem | Old Norse sœma | verb |
| 143 | mean | OE mǣnan | verb |
| 144 | set | OE settan | verb |
| 145 | run | OE rinnan / iernan | verb |
| 146 | move | French/Latin — exclude | — |
| 146 | start | OE styrtan | verb |
| 147 | hold | OE healdan | verb |
| 148 | stand | OE standan | verb |
| 149 | under | OE under | preposition |
| 150 | ever | OE ǣfre | adverb |
| 151 | without | OE wiþūtan | preposition |
| 152 | both | Old Norse báðir / Germanic | determiner |
| 153 | few | OE fēawe | determiner/adj. |
| 154 | many | OE maniġ | determiner |
| 155 | such | OE swylc | determiner |
| 156 | each | OE ǣlc | determiner |
| 157 | nothing | OE elements | pronoun |
| 158 | anything | OE elements | pronoun |
| 159 | why | OE hwȳ | adverb |
| 160 | before | OE beforan | prep./adv. |
| 161 | while | OE hwīl | conjunction/noun |
| 162 | through | OE þurh | preposition |
| 163 | around | ultimately Germanic construction | prep./adv. |
| 164 | together | OE tōgædere | adverb |
| 165 | next | OE nēhsta | adjective |
| 166 | better | OE betera | adjective |
| 167 | best | OE betst | adjective |
| 168 | small | OE smæl | adjective |
| 169 | young | OE geong | adjective |
| 170 | hard | OE heard | adj./adv. |
| 171 | far | OE feorr | adverb/adj. |
| 172 | left | OE lyft / lǣfan | adj./verb |
| 173 | end | OE ende | noun/verb |
| 174 | word | OE word | noun |
| 175 | name | OE nama | noun |
| 176 | water | OE wæter | noun |
| 177 | room | OE rūm | noun |
| 178 | mother | OE mōdor | noun |
| 179 | father | OE fæder | noun |
| 180 | child | OE ċild | noun |
| 181 | body | OE bodig | noun |
| 182 | side | OE sīde | noun |
| 183 | mind | OE gemynd | noun |
| 184 | eye | OE ēage | noun |
| 185 | face | French/Latin — exclude | — |
| 185 | heart | OE heorte | noun |
| 186 | door | OE duru | noun |
| 187 | land | OE land | noun |
| 188 | book | OE bōc | noun |
| 189 | week | OE wice | noun |
| 190 | today | OE tō dæge | noun/adverb |
| 191 | morning | OE morgen | noun |
| 192 | night | already #125 — replace with month | OE mōnaþ |
| 193 | money | French/Latin — exclude | — |
| 193 | woman | OE wīfmann | noun |
| 194 | boy | probably Germanic | noun |
| 195 | girl | Middle English, probably Germanic | noun |
| 196 | friend | OE frēond | noun |
| 197 | love | OE lufu | noun/verb |
| 198 | read | OE rǣdan | verb |
| 199 | write | OE wrītan | verb |
| 200 | eat | OE etan | verb |
|
201 |
ask |
OE āscian |
Verb |
|
202 |
call |
Old Norse kalla |
Verb |
|
203 |
try |
OF trier |
Exclude—French |
|
203 |
talk |
Middle English talken, Germanic |
Verb |
|
204 |
turn |
OE turnian, from Latin tornare |
Exclude—Latin |
|
204 |
play |
OE plegian |
Verb |
|
205 |
live |
OE libban |
Verb |
|
206 |
believe |
OE gelȳfan |
Verb |
|
207 |
happen |
Middle English hap+ -en, from Norse happ |
Verb |
|
208 |
write |
Already #199 |
— |
|
208 |
sit |
OE sittan |
Verb |
|
209 |
meet |
OE mētan |
Verb |
|
210 |
lose |
OE losian |
Verb |
|
211 |
pay |
OF paier |
Exclude—French |
|
211 |
buy |
OE bycgan |
Verb |
|
212 |
send |
OE sendan |
Verb |
|
213 |
build |
OE byldan |
Verb |
|
214 |
stay |
OF ester |
Exclude—French |
|
214 |
fall |
OE feallan |
Verb |
|
215 |
cut |
Middle English cutten, probably Germanic |
Verb |
|
216 |
reach |
OE rǣcan |
Verb |
|
217 |
kill |
Middle English killen, probably Germanic |
Verb |
|
218 |
walk |
OE wealcan |
Verb |
|
219 |
die |
Old Norse deyja |
Verb |
|
220 |
grow |
OE grōwan |
Verb |
|
221 |
open |
OE openian |
Verb |
|
222 |
close |
OF clos |
Exclude—French |
|
222 |
win |
OE winnan |
Verb |
|
223 |
learn |
OE leornian |
Verb |
|
224 |
change |
OF changier |
Exclude—French |
|
224 |
lead |
OE lǣdan |
Verb |
|
225 |
understand |
OE understandan |
Verb |
|
226 |
watch |
OE wæccan |
Verb |
|
227 |
follow |
OE folgian |
Verb |
|
228 |
stop |
OE stoppian |
Verb |
|
229 |
speak |
OE sprecan |
Verb |
|
230 |
spend |
OE spendan, from Latin expendere |
Exclude—Latin |
|
230 |
break |
OE brecan |
Verb |
|
231 |
draw |
OE dragan |
Verb |
|
232 |
eat |
Already #200 |
— |
|
232 |
drink |
OE drincan |
Verb |
|
233 |
sleep |
OE slǣpan |
Verb |
|
234 |
drive |
OE drīfan |
Verb |
|
235 |
ride |
OE rīdan |
Verb |
|
236 |
sing |
OE singan |
Verb |
|
237 |
laugh |
OE hliehhan |
Verb |
|
238 |
cry |
OF crier |
Exclude—French |
|
238 |
smile |
Middle English smilen, Germanic |
Verb |
|
239 |
carry |
OF carier |
Exclude—French |
|
239 |
throw |
OE þrāwan |
Verb |
|
240 |
catch |
OF cachier |
Exclude—French |
|
240 |
choose |
OE ċēosan |
Verb |
|
241 |
wear |
OE werian |
Verb |
|
242 |
sell |
OE sellan |
Verb |
|
243 |
teach |
OE tǣcan |
Verb |
|
244 |
forget |
OE forgietan |
Verb |
|
245 |
forgive |
OE forgiefan |
Verb |
|
246 |
hope |
OE hopian |
Verb |
|
247 |
wish |
OE wȳscan |
Verb |
|
248 |
fear |
OE fǣr |
Noun/verb |
|
249 |
hate |
OE hatian |
Verb |
|
250 |
care |
OE caru |
Noun/verb |
|
251 |
family |
Latin familia, via French |
Exclude—Romance |
|
251 |
wife |
OE wīf |
Noun |
|
252 |
husband |
Old Norse húsbóndi |
Noun |
|
253 |
son |
OE sunu |
Noun |
|
254 |
daughter |
OE dohtor |
Noun |
|
255 |
brother |
OE brōþor |
Noun |
|
256 |
sister |
OE sweostor |
Noun |
|
257 |
baby |
Middle English babi, uncertain origin |
Noun |
|
258 |
wife |
Already #251 |
— |
|
258 |
king |
OE cyning |
Noun |
|
259 |
queen |
OE cwēn |
Noun |
|
260 |
folk |
OE folc |
Noun |
|
261 |
town |
OE tūn |
Noun |
|
262 |
street |
OE strǣt, from Latin strata |
Exclude—Latin |
|
262 |
road |
OE rād |
Noun |
|
263 |
school |
OE scōl, from Latin/Greek |
Exclude—Greek |
|
263 |
shop |
OE sceoppa |
Noun |
|
264 |
church |
OE ċiriċe, ultimately Greek |
Exclude—Greek |
|
264 |
farm |
OF ferme, from Latin |
Exclude—Romance |
|
264 |
field |
OE feld |
Noun |
|
265 |
ground |
OE grund |
Noun |
|
266 |
earth |
OE eorþe |
Noun |
|
267 |
sea |
OE sǣ |
Noun |
|
268 |
river |
OF riviere |
Exclude—French |
|
268 |
lake |
OE lacu |
Noun |
|
269 |
hill |
OE hyll |
Noun |
|
270 |
mountain |
OF montaigne |
Exclude—French |
|
270 |
tree |
OE trēow |
Noun |
|
271 |
wood |
OE wudu |
Noun |
|
272 |
leaf |
OE lēaf |
Noun |
|
273 |
flower |
OF flour |
Exclude—French |
|
273 |
grass |
OE græs |
Noun |
|
274 |
sun |
OE sunne |
Noun |
|
275 |
moon |
OE mōna |
Noun |
|
276 |
star |
OE steorra |
Noun |
|
277 |
sky |
Old Norse ský |
Noun |
|
278 |
wind |
OE wind |
Noun |
|
279 |
rain |
OE regn |
Noun |
|
280 |
snow |
OE snāw |
Noun |
|
281 |
fire |
OE fȳr |
Noun |
|
282 |
ice |
OE īs |
Noun |
|
283 |
stone |
OE stān |
Noun |
|
284 |
sand |
OE sand |
Noun |
|
285 |
fish |
OE fisc |
Noun |
|
286 |
bird |
OE brid |
Noun |
|
287 |
dog |
OE docga |
Noun |
|
288 |
cat |
OE catt, ultimately uncertain |
Noun |
|
289 |
horse |
OE hors |
Noun |
|
290 |
cow |
OE cū |
Noun |
|
291 |
sheep |
OE scēap |
Noun |
|
292 |
black |
OE blæc |
Adjective |
|
293 |
white |
OE hwīt |
Adjective |
|
294 |
red |
OE rēad |
Adjective |
|
295 |
green |
OE grēne |
Adjective |
|
296 |
blue |
OF bleu, Germanic root |
Germanic ultimately, via French |
|
297 |
dark |
OE deorc |
Adjective |
|
298 |
light |
OE lēoht |
Adjective/noun |
|
299 |
cold |
OE ċeald |
Adjective |
|
300 |
hot |
OE hāt |
Adjective |