Explore Movie Vocabulary
Learn English with movies. Discover how much of a movie’s vocabulary you already know and review unfamiliar words before watching.
The Asphalt Jungle
Unique vocabulary and phrases by level
How difficult is The Asphalt Jungle in English?
The Asphalt Jungle: 64.3% A1–A2 vocabulary; 14.8% B2, C1, and rare vocabulary. Vocabulary size: 1,467.
Unique vocabulary
- For A2 learners: 26.9% of unique vocabulary is above A2 or marked rare. Expect substantial preparation; start with short scenes and English subtitles.
- For B1 learners: 14.8% of unique vocabulary is above B1 or marked rare. Preview recurring words and use English subtitles.
- For B2 learners: 9.8% of unique vocabulary is above B2 or marked rare. Try a short scene and check your comprehension; the vocabulary offers a relatively accessible starting point.
8.8% Unclassified. Unclassified vocabulary has no reliable level assignment.
Vocabulary weighted by word occurrences
93.2% A1–A2 vocabulary; 2.5% B2, C1, and rare vocabulary; 2.0% Unclassified.
This counts repeated eligible words. Phrases are excluded from this calculation to avoid counting their component words twice.
Recurring words and phrases to preview
- cop (B2): 9 occurrences in available subtitles.
English meaning: An informal word for a police officer.
Subtitle example:
Yeah. Can you imagine, raiding the Regal? The cops must have all gone crazy.
- doll (C1): 9 occurrences in available subtitles.
Subtitle example:
Wasn't that where Doll worked? - Yeah.
- get in (B2): 9 occurrences in available subtitles.
English meaning: To enter a place or vehicle; in some contexts, to arrive.
Subtitle example:
Get in touch with the best fences in the Midwest...
- fence (B2): 8 occurrences in available subtitles.
Subtitle example:
I could tell them that I'd fence the stuff myself, you see?
- hooligan (rare): 8 occurrences in available subtitles.
Subtitle example:
A smalltime hooligan, who's crazy for horses.
Compare with titles in similar genres
- Confidential Report: 14.8% B2, C1, and rare vocabulary (0.0 percentage points less than The Asphalt Jungle).
- Brute Force: 14.7% B2, C1, and rare vocabulary (0.1 percentage points less than The Asphalt Jungle).
- The Big Heat: 15.1% B2, C1, and rare vocabulary (0.3 percentage points more than The Asphalt Jungle).
These percentages describe vocabulary, not the proportion of dialogue you will understand. CEFR labels are estimates, not official film ratings. Accent, speed, songs, context, and your own vocabulary also affect comprehension. Repeated occurrences may include repeated dialogue or lyrics.
How we estimate vocabulary difficulty · Evidence generated: