English vocabulary guide
Interstellar
Vocabulary-Rich — Its subtitles contain a comparatively high share of advanced or rare vocabulary, making it better suited to confident learners.
- Vocabulary size
- 1,723
- Word occurrences
- 12,970
- IMDb rating
- ★ 8.7
Vocabulary profile by level
The percentages show unique vocabulary items and phrases found in the available English subtitles.
Useful vocabulary from Interstellar
Frequently occurring intermediate, advanced, and phrasal vocabulary with real subtitle examples.
| Level | Vocabulary | Occurrences | Subtitle example |
|---|---|---|---|
| B1 | brand | 49 | Brand! Help! |
| B1 | planet | 25 | Miller's and Dr. Mann's planets both orbit it. |
| Rare | romilly | 24 | Romilly? Hey, you okay? |
| A2 | come back | 20 | Oh, that sounds cheerful. - Lazarus came back from the dead. |
| B2 | datum | 18 | Data transmission back through the Wormhole is rudimentary. |
| B2 | mission | 15 | Explaining how the Apollo missions were faked to bankrupt the Soviet Union. |
| B1 | dot | 12 | Dot. Dot. |
| A2 | get back | 12 | Get your butt back in bed, Murph. Heh. |
| Rare | panting | 10 | (PANTING) Sorry, Murph. Go back to bed. |
| B1 | fuel | 9 | Pull thrusters back. Fuel cells one, two, three. |
How to study with this movie
Preview the vocabulary above, watch a short scene with English subtitles, and replay it without pausing. Save complete expressions rather than isolated words. These figures describe subtitle vocabulary; accent, delivery speed, sound mixing, and story familiarity also affect comprehension.
More popular movies for learning English
How difficult is Interstellar in English?
Interstellar: 55.9% A1–A2 vocabulary; 19.9% B2, C1, and rare vocabulary. Vocabulary size: 1,658.
Unique vocabulary
- For A2 learners: 32.8% of unique vocabulary is above A2 or marked rare. Expect substantial preparation; start with short scenes and English subtitles.
- For B1 learners: 19.9% of unique vocabulary is above B1 or marked rare. Preview recurring words and use English subtitles.
- For B2 learners: 14.3% of unique vocabulary is above B2 or marked rare. Preview recurring words and use English subtitles.
11.3% Unclassified. Unclassified vocabulary has no reliable level assignment.
Vocabulary weighted by word occurrences
88.8% A1–A2 vocabulary; 4.6% B2, C1, and rare vocabulary; 3.2% 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
- brand (B1): 49 occurrences in available subtitles.
Subtitle example:
Brand! Help!
- planet (B1): 25 occurrences in available subtitles.
Subtitle example:
Miller's and Dr. Mann's planets both orbit it.
- romilly (rare): 24 occurrences in available subtitles.
Subtitle example:
Romilly? Hey, you okay?
- datum (B2): 18 occurrences in available subtitles.
Subtitle example:
Data transmission back through the Wormhole is rudimentary.
- mission (B2): 15 occurrences in available subtitles.
Subtitle example:
Explaining how the Apollo missions were faked to bankrupt the Soviet Union.
Compare with titles in similar genres
- The Martian: 19.9% B2, C1, and rare vocabulary (0.1 percentage points more than Interstellar).
- Prospect: 21.8% B2, C1, and rare vocabulary (1.9 percentage points more than Interstellar).
- A.I. Artificial Intelligence: 16.7% B2, C1, and rare vocabulary (3.2 percentage points less than Interstellar).
A short study session
- Prepare. Review three recurring terms below. Write your own sentence for each and check its meaning against the subtitle example. brand, planet, romilly.
- Listen and check. Choose a two-minute conversation. Listen without subtitles and note who wants what. Replay with English subtitles, then without them. Compare the actual pronunciation, word linking, and pace with what you expected; vocabulary percentages do not measure accents or listening speed.
- Use the language. Write or say four sentences answering this prompt. Include two terms you reviewed. Revisit them tomorrow and one week later. Writing prompt: Explain a decision that puts family responsibilities and the mission in conflict.
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: