The 500 most common Arabic words

These are the first 500 of a graded list of 2500, in the order a corpus of everyday writing says you will actually meet them. Learning them in this order is the fastest route to understanding most of what you read.

Meanings are given in English on this page. In the app they appear in your own language, translated on your device.

#	Word	Type	Meaning
1	في	Prepositions	in, at, within
2	من	Prepositions	from, of; than
3	على	Prepositions	on, over; upon
4	أن	Conjunctions	that (introducing a clause)
5	كان	Verbs	to be
6	هذا	Pronouns	this
7	الذي	Pronouns	who, that, which
8	إلى	Prepositions	to, towards
9	لا	Particles	no; not
10	و	Conjunctions	and
11	ما	Pronouns	what; that which; not
12	عن	Prepositions	about, concerning; away from
13	ل	Prepositions	to, for; belonging to
14	مع	Prepositions	with, together with, accompanied by, in the company of
15	كل	Determiners	every, each; all
16	ب	Prepositions	with, by (means of); in, at
17	ذلك	Pronouns	that (demonstrative pronoun)
18	أو	Conjunctions	indicates an inclusive disjunction
19	هو	Pronouns	he (subject pronoun)
20	بعد	Prepositions	after
21	عام	Nouns	year; general, public
22	قال	Verbs	to say
23	إن	Conjunctions	if; indeed
24	بين	Prepositions	between, among
25	آخر	Adjectives	other, another; last
26	لم	Particles	not (negating past tense)
27	تم	Verbs	to be fulfilled, to be completed
28	عمل	Verbs	to work, perform
29	قبل	Prepositions	before; prior to
30	يا	Particles	O; hey; you
31	قد	Particles	already (with past); may, might (with present)
32	حتى	Prepositions	until, as far as, to the point of, even up to
33	هي	Pronouns	she (subject pronoun)
34	كما	Conjunctions	as, just as; likewise
35	يوم	Nouns	day
36	غير	Nouns	other than, non-, un-
37	أي	Determiners	which, what; any
38	أول	Adjectives	first
39	خلال	Prepositions	during, in the course of
40	شيء	Nouns	thing
41	قام	Verbs	to stand up (to rise from lying or sitting position)
42	أيضا	Adverbs	also
43	حيث	Conjunctions	where, since, whereas
44	أنا	Pronouns	I (first person singular subject pronoun)
45	نفس	Nouns	self, same; soul
46	اليوم	Adverbs	today
47	لكن	Conjunctions	but, however
48	جديد	Adjectives	new
49	مثل	Verbs	to portray, to play, to present
50	بعض	Nouns	some, part
51	أحد	Adjectives	more acute, sharper, more cutting
52	أكثر	Adverbs	more
53	عالم	Nouns	world
54	سنة	Nouns	a common, habitual, popularized, or enforced practice
55	كبير	Adjectives	big, large
56	إذا	Conjunctions	when, when it is that; as soon as; if
57	واحد	Pronouns	someone
58	ليس	Particles	Used to negate verbs
59	محمد	Adjectives	commendable, laudable, praised, praiseworthy
60	هناك	Adverbs	there
61	وقت	Nouns	time (as an abstract concept)
62	أمر	Nouns	order, command, instruction
63	مدينة	Nouns	town, city
64	ولا	Conjunctions	For non-idiomatic uses, see وَ (wa) and لَا (lā)
65	دولة	Nouns	state (sovereign polity)
66	ثم	Conjunctions	then, afterward, subsequently
67	أمكن	Verbs	to enable (someone مِن (min) something)
68	عند	Prepositions	near, with, at the house of
69	إنسي	Adjectives	human, belonging or relative to humans or human being
70	لدى	Prepositions	at, near
71	جميع	Adjectives	whole, entire, all
72	ولكن	Conjunctions	but, however
73	رئيس	Nouns	boss, chief, leader
74	عدد	Nouns	number
75	شخص	Verbs	to rise, to tower up
76	منطقة	Nouns	zone
77	رجل	Nouns	pedestrian, traveler on foot
78	سعودي	Adjectives	Saudi
79	أنت	Pronouns	you; thou (masculine singular subject pronoun)
80	موقع	Nouns	site, position, emplacement, place, spot, scene, locus
81	منذ	Prepositions	denotes the time at which an occurrence started
82	وجد	Nouns	strong emotion, strong enthusiasm, affection, fancy
83	حدث	Nouns	novelty, innovation
84	كثير	Adjectives	many, much, numerous
85	إلا	Conjunctions	except (for), save (for), but (for), barring
86	لأن	Conjunctions	because, on the grounds that, for
87	حول	Prepositions	around
88	عندما	Conjunctions	when, while
89	فقط	Adverbs	only, no more
90	طريق	Nouns	way, road, path, track, street
91	الآن	Adverbs	now
92	لو	Conjunctions	if (contrary to fact)
93	عاد	Verbs	to return, to go back, to come back
94	علم	Nouns	sign, token, mark, badge
95	حياة	Nouns	life
96	قوة	Nouns	power, strength, might, force
97	هنا	Adverbs	here, in this place
98	حق	Nouns	equity
99	تكون	Verbs	to be established, to be created, to be formed
100	شركة	Nouns	company (a business)
101	هل	Particles	introduces a positive yes-no question
102	عربية	Nouns	Arab woman
103	كيف	Adverbs	how
104	ملك	Verbs	to take in possession, to take over, to acquire
105	أراد	Verbs	to want, will
106	وهى	Verbs	to be or become weak or fragile
107	عربي	Adjectives	Arab
108	ابن	Nouns	son
109	بدأ	Verbs	to begin
110	خاصة	Adverbs	especially, particularly, in particular
111	مجموعة	Nouns	collection, compilation, anthology
112	تحت	Prepositions	under
113	حالة	Prepositions	during
114	سوري	Adjectives	Syrian
115	مرة	Adverbs	once
116	أكبر	Adjectives	greater; greatest
117	متحد	Adjectives	united
118	أب	Verbs	to put the hand to (as "to the sword")
119	نظام	Nouns	system
120	امرأة	Nouns	woman
121	بلد	Nouns	country, land, homeland
122	حال	Prepositions	during, right after, immediately upon
123	فيلم	Nouns	film, movie
124	طفل	Nouns	child (a minor)
125	قدم	Adverbs	time long past, old times
126	أجل	Adverbs	yes, indeed, no doubt
127	نظر	Nouns	seeing, eyesight, vision
128	عملية	Nouns	work, action, activity
129	فقد	Verbs	to lose, to misplace, to miss
130	جدا	Adverbs	very
131	ساعة	Nouns	hour (unit of time)
132	وضع	Verbs	to put; to lay; to place; to set; to position
133	أرض	Nouns	earth, land
134	مكان	Nouns	place, location, position
135	ثان	Adjectives	second
136	دون	Prepositions	below
137	سياسي	Adjectives	political
138	عبر	Prepositions	across
139	وجب	Verbs	to be necessary, have to be
140	أمريكي	Adjectives	American
141	بما	Conjunctions	with what, with which
142	عديد	Adjectives	numerous, many
143	صلى	Verbs	to pray
144	دولي	Adjectives	international
145	استطاع	Verbs	to be able to, to be capable of, can
146	عمر	Verbs	to fill with life, to cause to thrive
147	بسبب	Prepositions	because of
148	دين	Nouns	religion, creed, credo, faith, conviction, belief
149	أصبح	Verbs	to enter upon morning
150	مصر	Nouns	border, boundary, limit, march, neighboring territory
151	حرب	Nouns	war
152	حد	Verbs	to prevent, to restrain, to check, to hinder
153	لن	Adverbs	not (future)
154	ظهر	Verbs	to be outward, to be external, on the surface
155	مصري	Adjectives	Egyptian
156	أم	Conjunctions	indicates an exclusive disjunction introduced with أَ
157	حين	Prepositions	at the time of, upon
158	حكومة	Nouns	government
159	مجلس	Nouns	seat
160	كتب	Verbs	to draw (figures)
161	برنامج	Nouns	agenda
162	سابق	Adjectives	previous, preceding, prior
163	سيد	Nouns	master, lord, prince
164	قانون	Nouns	canon
165	سبب	Nouns	cable, rope
166	عرف	Verbs	to be familiar with
167	مركز	Nouns	place where the flag is planted in the ground
168	هم	Pronouns	they (masculine plural subject pronoun)
169	نوع	Nouns	type, variety
170	بحث	Nouns	search, quest
171	كتاب	Nouns	book
172	مسلم	Adjectives	Muslim
173	فعل	Nouns	activity, action, work
174	أفضل	Verbs	to do a favor for, to oblige
175	حكم	Nouns	sentence, judgment
176	مما	Pronouns	from what
177	شعر	Nouns	hair
178	عشر	Numbers	-teen
179	فيديو	Nouns	video
180	طالب	Nouns	seeker, pursuer
181	أحب	Adjectives	dearer; dearest, favourite
182	شهر	Verbs	to spread, to make known, to divulge
183	صور	Verbs	to form, to create
184	ولاية	Nouns	province, governorate
185	عرض	Verbs	to broaden, to widen, to enlarge
186	وزير	Nouns	minister, cabinet minister
187	بل	Conjunctions	but; rather
188	صغير	Adjectives	small
189	ذكر	Verbs	to mention
190	ضد	Prepositions	against
191	حصل	Verbs	to happen, to come to existence, to befall
192	اسم	Nouns	name
193	كلمة	Nouns	speech, utterance, statement
194	إنسان	Nouns	human
195	جزء	Nouns	component, constituent
196	مليون	Numbers	million
197	مشكلة	Nouns	problem, difficulty
198	خاص	Adjectives	special
199	هدف	Nouns	target, object, aim, end
200	علاقة	Nouns	relationship, kinship
201	ولد	Verbs	to assist in childbirth (as a midwife)
202	أمن	Verbs	to reassure
203	ألف	Numbers	thousand
204	زال	Verbs	to go away, withdraw
205	قتل	Verbs	to kill, to slay, to murder
206	ثلاثة	Numbers	three
207	لما	Conjunctions	when; (in the past only)
208	ماض	Adjectives	sharp
209	بيت	Nouns	house, building
210	مشروع	Adjectives	kosher
211	دور	Nouns	role
212	لقد	Particles	emphatic particle
213	أما	Conjunctions	as for
214	ترك	Verbs	to leave, to relinquish
215	وقع	Verbs	to fall down, to fall
216	عسكري	Nouns	soldier
217	تاريخ	Nouns	date, time
218	عضو	Nouns	organ
219	رغم	Verbs	to force, to compel
220	ذات	Nouns	being, essence, substance, nature
221	قصة	Nouns	story, tale, relation
222	بدون	Prepositions	without
223	عاش	Verbs	to live, to be alive
224	عين	Nouns	eye (organ)
225	داخل	Prepositions	inside
226	حديث	Nouns	recent event, fresh news
227	حزب	Nouns	political party
228	خدمة	Nouns	service, favour
229	حميد	Adjectives	praiseworthy
230	جميل	Adjectives	beautiful
231	أقل	Adjectives	fewer, less; fewest, least
232	فترة	Nouns	interval, a while, a period of time
233	نحن	Pronouns	we (subject pronoun)
234	نحو	Prepositions	towards, in the direction of, after, in accordance with
235	جامعة	Nouns	university, academy
236	شكل	Nouns	likeness, resemblance, semblance
237	ماء	Nouns	water
238	تابع	Verbs	to continue, carry on
239	طلب	Verbs	to search, to look
240	شيخ	Nouns	old man
241	جانب	Prepositions	beside
242	حسن	Verbs	to improve, to ameliorate, to better, to polish
243	خارج	Prepositions	outside, out of
244	جعل	Verbs	to make: to create
245	لغة	Nouns	language
246	حي	Nouns	organism, living being
247	دولار	Nouns	dollar
248	جيش	Nouns	an army, a military force
249	سلام	Nouns	peace
250	يعني	Interjections	in other words, actually, namely, to wit, kind of
251	حركة	Nouns	instance noun of حَرُكَ (ḥaruka): an instance of
252	إسلامي	Adjectives	of, relating to, associated with
253	اتحاد	Nouns	union
254	نار	Nouns	fire
255	فريق	Nouns	team
256	نهاية	Nouns	end (“extreme part of something”)
257	صورة	Nouns	form, shape, figure
258	شعب	Verbs	to gather, unite
259	أيمن	Adjectives	used comparatively: more on the right
260	أعلى	Adjectives	higher; highest
261	دعا	Verbs	to call
262	نتيجة	Nouns	result
263	وجود	Nouns	existence
264	جيد	Adjectives	of good quality, excellent, approvable
265	عامل	Nouns	worker, workman, laborer
266	مختلف	Adjectives	different
267	رسمي	Adjectives	official, legitimate
268	سيارة	Nouns	automobile, car, motorcar
269	كامل	Adjectives	complete, full
270	قرار	Nouns	decision
271	اعتقد	Verbs	to believe in; to have faith in
272	مصدر	Nouns	starting point, point of origin
273	بدا	Verbs	to appear
274	اعتبر	Verbs	to take example, to take warning, to learn a lesson
275	وطني	Adjectives	national
276	حاول	Verbs	to try
277	خبر	Nouns	report, message, notification
278	صحيح	Adjectives	complete, perfect, whole
279	أمام	Prepositions	before, in front of, in the presence of
280	رقم	Nouns	numeral, number, figure
281	موضوع	Adjectives	invented, constructed
282	مجال	Nouns	field (area of specialty)
283	وزارة	Nouns	the office, responsibility, or burden of a minister
284	ضمن	Prepositions	inside, within, among
285	دخل	Verbs	to enter, go in, come in
286	معلومات	Nouns	information, data, facts, details
287	أتى	Verbs	to come
288	قضية	Nouns	case, lawsuit
289	رئيسي	Adjectives	main, chief, principal, leading, cardinal
290	مباراة	Nouns	contest, match
291	مجتمع	Nouns	place of assembly
292	أخير	Adjectives	last, final
293	بحر	Nouns	sea
294	شرطة	Nouns	police
295	عالمية	Nouns	universality
296	ثالث	Adjectives	third
297	شخصية	Nouns	personality
298	حقيقة	Nouns	truth, reality
299	وجه	Verbs	to raise to eminence, to distinguish, to honor
300	منظمة	Nouns	organization (an organized group of people)
301	قديم	Adjectives	old, ancient
302	أخذ	Verbs	to take
303	نهى	Verbs	to forbid
304	طريقة	Nouns	manner, mode, means
305	طويل	Adjectives	long, tall
306	استخدم	Verbs	to use
307	بداية	Nouns	beginning, start
308	شاهد	Nouns	evidence, piece of evidence
309	بينما	Conjunctions	while
310	صباح	Nouns	the time from sunrise to noon, morning
311	عدة	Nouns	number
312	جزيرة	Nouns	island
313	منزل	Nouns	house, dwelling
314	مدرسة	Nouns	school, academy
315	جمع	Verbs	to gather, to assemble, to keep together, to collect
316	رد	Verbs	to return, to bring back, to put back
317	فيما	Conjunctions	while
318	استخدام	Nouns	use, employment
319	دعم	Verbs	to support
320	أدى	Verbs	to bring, to convey, to deliver
321	عائلة	Nouns	family
322	محلي	Adjectives	local, regional, native, national
323	أعلن	Verbs	to publish, to publicize, to reveal to the public
324	عيد	Verbs	to hold a feast
325	عدم	Nouns	non-existence, nothingness
326	جهاز	Nouns	equipment, device, appliances, outfit, gear, rig
327	مادة	Nouns	matter, stuff, material, substance
328	ال	Determiners	the
329	ذهب	Verbs	to go, to travel
330	رسالة	Nouns	letter
331	أرى	Verbs	to show
332	قناة	Nouns	channel, canal
333	صوت	Nouns	a sound (of a thing, an animal, and so on)
334	خير	Nouns	goodness, good
335	لعب	Nouns	game
336	مال	Verbs	to bend, bend down
337	نشر	Verbs	to spread about, make publicly known, communicate
338	دائما	Adverbs	always
339	سلطة	Nouns	power, strength
340	حقيقي	Adjectives	true, real, actual
341	بناء	Nouns	building, construction (act of)
342	خمسة	Numbers	five
343	شاب	Verbs	to be grey-haired, to grow grey hair
344	مؤسسة	Nouns	foundation, establishment
345	قائمة	Nouns	list
346	فرصة	Nouns	chance, occasion, opportunity
347	مملكة	Nouns	kingdom
348	فوق	Prepositions	above, on top of
349	مارس	Verbs	to practice (to engage in)
350	فلسطيني	Adjectives	Palestinian
351	ودى	Verbs	to let come up, to bring near
352	تحدث	Verbs	to speak, to talk
353	قسم	Verbs	to divide
354	أربعة	Numbers	four
355	موجود	Adjectives	existing
356	كثيرا	Adverbs	a lot; many; much
357	سؤال	Nouns	question
358	مستوى	Nouns	level
359	تعلم	Nouns	action of learning
360	بعيد	Prepositions	shortly after, soon after
361	عراق	Nouns	a double suture that is at the lower end of a waterskin
362	عقد	Verbs	to tie, knit, make a knot
363	احتاج	Verbs	to need
364	وحيد	Adjectives	alone
365	خط	Nouns	line
366	لذلك	Adverbs	therefore
367	لهذا	Adverbs	therefore
368	م	Adverbs	AD
369	أسبوع	Nouns	week (unit of time)
370	شرق	Verbs	to become lit from the sun (of a place)
371	صاحب	Nouns	associate, companion, comrade, friend
372	عظيم	Adjectives	magnificent, grandiose
373	قدر	Nouns	fate, destiny
374	ثانية	Nouns	second (unit of time)
375	قلب	Nouns	heart (organ)
376	لاعب	Verbs	to play with (someone), to have fun with (someone)
377	اختلف	Verbs	to differ (عَنْ (ʕan) from)
378	إدارة	Nouns	turning, turning around, turning over
379	أسود	Adjectives	more liberal, more generous; most liberal, most generous
380	لكم	Verbs	to punch, to box
381	فكرة	Nouns	thought, reflection
382	صديق	Adjectives	always truthful, veracious
383	ممكن	Adjectives	possible
384	جنب	Nouns	side, flank, half of the body
385	وقف	Nouns	stopping, halting
386	مات	Verbs	to be empty, to be or become unoccupied
387	أثناء	Prepositions	during, in the course of
388	سوف	Particles	added to an imperfect (present) verb form to express
389	واقع	Verbs	to attack, to fight with
390	وصل	Nouns	union; connection
391	سعيد	Adjectives	happy, cheerful, joyous
392	درجة	Nouns	stair, step
393	دفع	Nouns	pay, payment
394	وفق	Prepositions	according to
395	انتهى	Verbs	to end
396	قادم	Adjectives	coming, approaching
397	رائع	Adjectives	great, wonderful
398	حساب	Nouns	account
399	جاء	Verbs	to come
400	فكر	Nouns	thinking
401	فضل	Nouns	grace
402	تعرف	Verbs	to become acquainted, with, to meet
403	فرنسي	Adjectives	French
404	دوري	Adjectives	cyclical, periodic
405	كذلك	Adverbs	Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see كَـ
406	لعبة	Nouns	toy, plaything
407	وسط	Prepositions	amidst, midst, at the center of, in the middle of
408	تعليم	Nouns	teaching, education
409	كم	Adverbs	how many?
410	سمح	Verbs	act kindly
411	نقطة	Nouns	dot, point
412	أطلق	Verbs	to free, to liberate, to emancipate
413	واضح	Adjectives	clear
414	فهم	Verbs	to understand
415	لجنة	Nouns	committee, commission, council
416	باب	Nouns	door, gate
417	مر	Adjectives	bitter
418	بلغ	Verbs	to inform
419	سبيل	Nouns	way, path, road
420	قوي	Adjectives	strong, powerful, mighty
421	حسب	Prepositions	according to, per, by
422	لماذا	Adverbs	why
423	روس	Nouns	Russians (plural)
424	مكتب	Nouns	desk
425	أمة	Nouns	community, people, nation
426	رسول	Nouns	messenger; emissary; envoy; delegate
427	بواسطة	Prepositions	by means of, using, with
428	صعب	Verbs	to be hard, difficult
429	شمال	Nouns	left hand
430	قليل	Adjectives	few, little
431	وهم	Nouns	imagination, fancy
432	يد	Nouns	an appendage of a body (as of an animal)
433	مهمة	Nouns	important matter
434	دراسة	Nouns	flail
435	تطبيق	Nouns	application, implementation
436	معروف	Adjectives	known
437	مواطن	Nouns	citizen; national
438	تقرير	Nouns	establishment
439	مدني	Adjectives	urban
440	سمع	Verbs	to hear
441	جرى	Verbs	to run (to move quickly as a river), to flow
442	أبيض	Adjectives	white
443	نقل	Verbs	to transport, bring from one place to another
444	أشار	Verbs	to point, to point out, to indicate
445	حمل	Verbs	to carry (to transport by lifting), to transport
446	شارع	Nouns	street
447	ماذا	Pronouns	what
448	وطنية	Nouns	nationalism
449	سن	Nouns	tooth, tusk, fang
450	سوى	Verbs	to equalize
451	دقيقة	Nouns	minute (unit of time)
452	قطع	Verbs	to cut, to break
453	صدر	Nouns	a bust, a bosom
454	فتاة	Nouns	female adolescent, youth, juvenile; young girl
455	أهل	Nouns	family, household; people, kinfolk, relations
456	اتصال	Nouns	union
457	شارك	Verbs	to share, to participate
458	شبكة	Nouns	net, fishing net
459	سلاح	Nouns	weapon, arm
460	صالح	Adjectives	in good condition, sound, whole
461	تعرض	Nouns	exposure
462	كريم	Adjectives	noble, noble-minded, beneficent, kind, gracious
463	حصول	Nouns	happening
464	فرد	Adjectives	alone, single
465	أثر	Nouns	trace, vestige
466	عزيز	Adjectives	powerful, mighty
467	تقدم	Nouns	preeminence
468	قائد	Nouns	leader
469	فتح	Verbs	to open (“to make something accessible”)
470	بلا	Prepositions	without
471	عال	Verbs	to provide for, to sustain
472	صحيفة	Nouns	newspaper
473	جريمة	Nouns	crime, transgression, offense, fault
474	عالمي	Adjectives	world, worldwide, global
475	وصول	Nouns	arrival
476	تحقيق	Nouns	securing, fulfillment, achievement
477	مرض	Nouns	disease, sickness, illness
478	كرة	Nouns	ball
479	هيئة	Nouns	form, shape
480	دم	Nouns	ointment, salve, unguent, liniment
481	مساء	Adverbs	in the evening
482	مرحلة	Nouns	phase, stage
483	قرية	Nouns	any populated area or the community thereof
484	لحظة	Nouns	moment, instant
485	ثلاث	Adverbs	three at a time, in a group of three, in threes
486	ربما	Adverbs	perhaps, maybe
487	سياسة	Nouns	administration, management
488	دخول	Nouns	entering
489	اقتصادي	Adjectives	economic
490	سجل	Verbs	to register, enter, make an entry
491	صنع	Verbs	to do, to make
492	نائب	Nouns	representative, delegate
493	باسم	Nouns	smiler: someone who smiles
494	إذ	Conjunctions	and then
495	يوما	Adverbs	once (in the past), once upon a time
496	نبي	Nouns	prophet
497	دليل	Nouns	sign, indication, proof, demonstration, evidence
498	ولي	Nouns	one of the most beautiful Names of God: The Protector
499	سريع	Adjectives	fast (capable of moving with speed)
500	أساسي	Adjectives	fundamental, basic

All 500 A1 words are on this page, free, with no sign-up.

The rest of the list

A2A2 Beginner: 500 more wordsخارجية · اجتماعي · عشرة · سوق · لبن
B1B1 Intermediate: 750 more wordsكون · معا · مهرجان · إنشاء · دب
B2B2 Upper intermediate: 750 more wordsتأكيد · حجة · إيجاد · جان · حاسوب

A2 to B2 are part of Oqou Pro, in the app, where you can also send any word straight into spaced review and meet it again on the day you are about to forget it.

Where this comes from

The order is measured: it comes from how often each word appears in a large corpus, counted across all the forms of a word rather than each form separately, so a verb is ranked where you really meet it. The band edges are a convention rather than a measurement. Nothing says word 501 is harder than word 500; the levels are cut where established graded reader series cut theirs.

wordfreq 3.1 (frequency order) + en.wiktionary via kaikki.org (part of speech, gender, gloss). Corpus read on 2026-09-16.

Questions

Where does the order come from?

From how often each word appears in a large corpus of everyday writing. Frequency is counted across all the forms of a word and attributed to the dictionary form, so a verb is ranked where a reader really meets it rather than being spread thinly over a dozen endings.

Why are these lists shorter than the ones with 5,000 or 10,000 words?

Because past about 2,500 a frequency rank stops meaning much. Rank 6,000 in a web corpus is not a harder word, it is a word that happens to be common in journalism. Established graded reader series top out near 2,500 headwords for the same reason.

Is every word in the list a real dictionary word?

Yes. Every headword is checked against the language's own Wiktionary entry, which is where the part of speech, the gender and the meaning come from. That check is what removes the proper nouns, single letters and corpus noise that raw frequency lists are full of.

Do I need the app?

Not for this page. The A1 list is free here and free in the app. A2 to B2 are part of Oqou Pro, and the app is also where a word can go from a list into a review queue, which is the part a page cannot do.

Has a native speaker checked these?

Not yet. The frequency order and the part of speech are mechanical, and the meanings come from a dictionary rather than being written by hand, but nothing here has been through native review. If you spot a meaning that is technically right and practically useless, we would like to hear about it.