Explore Movie Vocabulary
Learn English with movies. Discover how much of a movie’s vocabulary you already know and review unfamiliar words before watching.
House of Cards
Is House of Cards difficult to watch in English? Explore its vocabulary difficulty, estimated English level, and unfamiliar words before watching.
Unique vocabulary and phrases by level
How difficult is House of Cards in English?
House of Cards: 23.1% A1–A2 vocabulary; 40.1% B2, C1, and rare vocabulary. Vocabulary size: 11,969.
Unique vocabulary
- For A2 learners: 52.5% of unique vocabulary is above A2 or marked rare. Expect substantial preparation; start with short scenes and English subtitles.
- For B1 learners: 40.1% of unique vocabulary is above B1 or marked rare. Expect substantial preparation; start with short scenes and English subtitles.
- For B2 learners: 33.5% of unique vocabulary is above B2 or marked rare. Expect substantial preparation; start with short scenes and English subtitles.
24.4% Unclassified. Unclassified vocabulary has no reliable level assignment.
Vocabulary weighted by word occurrences
90.5% A1–A2 vocabulary; 3.5% B2, C1, and rare vocabulary; 2.5% Unclassified.
This counts repeated eligible words. Phrases are excluded from this calculation to avoid counting their component words twice.
Subtitle coverage: 73 of 73 episodes; the profile describes only available subtitles.
Recurring words and phrases to preview
- vote (B1): 314 occurrences in available subtitles.
Subtitle example:
the, uh-- and then we'd vote, and if--
- whatever (B1): 197 occurrences in available subtitles.
English meaning: Anything that is needed or possible; also an informal expression of indifference.
Subtitle example:
I applaud whatever you want to do,
- campaign (B1): 190 occurrences in available subtitles.
Subtitle example:
It's insensitive to campaign during a catastrophe this big.
- support (B1): 184 occurrences in available subtitles.
Subtitle example:
To support the president in the path that he's chosen.
- trust (B1): 165 occurrences in available subtitles.
English meaning: To believe someone is honest or that something is reliable.
Subtitle example:
I knew you shouldn't trust that woman.
Compare with titles in similar genres
- Oz: 40.5% B2, C1, and rare vocabulary (0.4 percentage points more than House of Cards).
- The Wire: 39.6% B2, C1, and rare vocabulary (0.5 percentage points less than House of Cards).
- Fargo: 38.5% B2, C1, and rare vocabulary (1.6 percentage points less than House of Cards).
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: