STEP vocabulary list: the 600 most frequent words
A free list of the 600 English words that come up most often in STEP, Saudi Arabia's Standardized Test of English Proficiency from Qiyas (ETEC). The words are split into 3 levels of 200 (basic, intermediate and advanced) and 60 lessons, and each word has an English synonym, its meaning in Arabic and an example sentence.
Each level has its own page with all of its words. To learn them with flashcards, pronunciation and STEP-style exercises, use the interactive version (Arabic interface).
Basic level: 200 words
The first 20 words of the basic level, with an English synonym, the Arabic meaning and an example sentence. See all 200 basic words.
| Word | Synonym | Meaning (Arabic) | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| have | own | يمتلك | I have two sisters. |
| do | perform | يفعل | I must do my homework. |
| will | shall | سوف | She will arrive tonight. |
| say | tell | يقول | Please say your name. |
| go | move | يذهب | We'll go hiking. |
| can | able | يستطيع | You can play tennis. |
| know | understand | يعرف | I don't know him. |
| get | obtain | يحصل على | Let's get groceries. |
| think | believe | يفكر | Think again about it. |
| make | create | يصنع | She makes great cookies. |
| time | period | وقت | Manage your time. |
| see | look | يرى | See the sunset. |
| other | different | آخر | Any other questions? |
| good | great | جيد | Eat for good health. |
| people | persons | الناس | People are chatting in the park. |
| year | period | عام | This year has been challenging. |
| take | grab | يأخذ | Please take a seat. |
| come | arrive | يأتي | Come to the party tonight. |
| work | labor | يعمل | I need to work on my project. |
| use | utilize | يستخدم | Can I use your pen? |
Intermediate level: 200 words
The first 20 words of the intermediate level, with an English synonym, the Arabic meaning and an example sentence. See all 200 intermediate words.
| Word | Synonym | Meaning (Arabic) | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| turn | rotate | ينعطف | Turn left at the traffic signal. |
| few | several | قليل | Only a few people attended the event. |
| bring | fetch | يحضر | Can you bring some snacks to the party? |
| move | relocate | يتحرك | I plan to move to a new city next year. |
| fact | truth | حقيقة | The fact is, hard work pays off. |
| area | region | منطقة | The park is a popular recreation area. |
| provide | supply | يمد | Can you provide more details about the project? |
| large | big | كبير | The elephant is a large animal. |
| information | data | معلومة | The library is a great source of information. |
| order | request | طلب | Please place an order for the supplies. |
| government | authorities | حكومة | The government is implementing new policies. |
| issue | matter | قضية | Environmental conservation is a critical issue. |
| market | bazaar | سوق | The farmers' market is open on weekends. |
| build | construct | يبني | They plan to build a new school. |
| hold | host | يعقد | The company will hold a conference next month. |
| service | assistance | خدمة | The restaurant provides excellent customer service. |
| believe | trust | يؤمن | I believe in the power of positive thinking. |
| increase | raise | يزيد | The company plans to increase production. |
| plan | scheme | خطة | Let's create a detailed plan for the event. |
| result | outcome | نتيجة | Hard work often leads to a positive result. |
Advanced level: 200 words
The first 20 words of the advanced level, with an English synonym, the Arabic meaning and an example sentence. See all 200 advanced words.
| Word | Synonym | Meaning (Arabic) | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| reveal | expose | يكشف | The magician will reveal a surprise. |
| percentage | proportion | نسبة | I ate a small percentage of the cake. |
| status | condition | حالة | My status is happy with a new toy. |
| decline | decrease | ينخفض | Sales declined sharply last year. |
| launch | start | يطلق | We'll launch colorful balloons. |
| consumer | buyer | مستهلك | A consumer buys things from the store. |
| institution | establishment | مؤسسة | The library is an institution for reading. |
| eventually | finally | في النهاية | Practice, and you'll get better eventually. |
| sector | field | قطاع | Farming is part of the agricultural sector. |
| ensure | guarantee | يضمن | I'll ensure you have a seat. |
| satisfy | fulfill | يُشبع | A yummy snack will satisfy hunger. |
| chief | leader | رئيس | The chief makes important decisions. |
| surface | top | سطح | The cat sat on the warm surface |
| procedure | process | إجراء | Following the procedure ensures smoothness. |
| global | worldwide | عالمي | Learning about countries is a global experience. |
| struggle | effort | كفاح | Climbing the big hill was a struggle. |
| extent | degree | حد | The extent of the forest surprised us. |
| contrast | difference | تباين | The black cat contrasts with the white one. |
| reality | truth | الواقع | The reality is, we finish homework. |
| conflict | dispute | صراع | The conflict was resolved with a friendly talk. |
Frequently asked questions
Which words are on this STEP vocabulary list?
The 600 words that appear most often in the STEP test, chosen so you recognise a word the moment you see it in the exam.
How is the list organised?
In 3 levels of 200 words (basic, intermediate and advanced), split into 60 lessons. Start with the basic level and move up.
Are the meanings in English?
Each word has an English synonym and an English example sentence. The meaning itself is given in Arabic, since the list is made for Arabic-speaking STEP candidates.
Is the list free?
Yes. All the words, meanings and examples are free, and there is also a free PDF of the list on the interactive page.