Key Vocabulary for DELE C1

Updated: June 2026

The C1 level requires a broad, precise, and varied vocabulary. It is not enough to know the words: you must know how to use them in the appropriate context, with the correct register, and combined with the appropriate collocations. This article presents the most frequent lexical fields in DELE C1, advanced connectors, idiomatic expressions, and keys about the register.

Essential Lexical Fields

Politics and Society

• Legislation, regulations, decree, amendment, promulgate
• Citizenship, suffrage, seat, coalition, mandate
• Inequality, social gap, marginalization, integration
• Public policies, benefits, subsidy, taxation
• Immigration, reception, rooting, regularization

Environment

• Sustainability, ecological footprint, emissions, discharges
• Renewable energies, energy transition, decarbonization
• Biodiversity, ecosystem, deforestation, desertification
• Waste, recycling, circular economy, obsolescence
• Climate change, global warming, greenhouse effect

Technology and Communication

• Artificial intelligence, algorithm, automation, digitalization
• Cybersecurity, privacy, personal data, encryption
• Digital divide, digital literacy, connectivity
• Social networks, misinformation, viralization, influencer
• Innovation, entrepreneurship, startup, scalability

Health and Well-being

• Health system, primary care, specialist, refer
• Prevention, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis
• Mental health, emotional well-being, stress, anxiety
• Healthy habits, sedentary lifestyle, nutrition, addiction
• Clinical research, trial, vaccine, pandemic

Education and Culture

• Educational system, curriculum, competencies, evaluation
• Continuous training, training, qualification, accreditation
• Cultural heritage, identity, diversity, interculturality
• Publishing industry, dissemination, patronage, cultural subsidy
• Educational gap, school dropout, inclusion, equity

Economy and Work

• Labor market, unemployment rate, precariousness, work-life balance
• Productivity, competitiveness, inflation, recession
• Telecommuting, flexibility, workday, agreement
• Entrepreneurship, self-employed, investment, profitability
• Globalization, outsourcing, foreign trade, tariffs

Advanced Discourse Connectors

Organization of Discourse

• With respect to / Regarding / In relation to
• That said / Given the above / Taking into account
• Next / Subsequently / Immediately after

Addition and Emphasis

• Moreover / Furthermore / Even
• It is worth noting / It is important to underline / It is worth mentioning
• Not in vain / In fact / Indeed

Contrast and Concession

• Although / Even when / Despite
• Nevertheless / Even so / Regardless
• Far from / Instead of / In front of

Cause and Consequence

• By virtue of / As a result of / Due to
• Hence (+subj.) / Reason why / Motive for
• This translates to / This leads to / This entails

Reformulation and Exemplification

• That is / In other words / To put it another way
• Namely / Specifically / For example
• Let it serve as an example / It suffices to mention / Let it be a sample

Frequent Idiomatic Expressions

In DELE C1, it is common to find idiomatic expressions both in comprehension texts and in response options:

• To be up to date with: to be informed about something
• To take for granted: to assume something without questioning it
• To highlight: to evidence, to show clearly
• To emphasize: to insist, to stress
• To carry out: to perform, to execute
• To take into account: to consider
• In broad strokes: generally, without going into details
• To the extent that: as long as, provided that
• In the long run: over time, in the long term
• To make the most of: to take advantage of
• To be at stake: to be at risk
• To give rise to: to provoke, to cause
• To echo: to spread, to repeat information
• To lay the foundations of: to establish the fundamentals
• To overlook: to ignore, not to pay attention

Differences in Register

DELE C1 assesses your ability to adapt the register to the context. Here are equivalences between informal and formal registers:

Frequent Collocations

Collocations are common combinations of words. Knowing them gives you naturalness:

• To adopt measures / to make decisions / to assume responsibilities
• To raise a problem / to address an issue / to resolve a conflict
• To reach an agreement / to come to a consensus / to achieve a goal
• To play a role / to exert an influence / to fulfill a function
• To arouse interest / to generate controversy / to awaken expectations

Tips to Expand Your Vocabulary

1. Read quality press: El País, El Mundo, La Vanguardia, BBC Mundo
2. Take notes in context: Do not write down isolated words; write down the complete sentence
3. Use spaced repetition: Review new vocabulary at increasing intervals
4. Practice actively: Use new words in your writing and conversations
5. Group by fields: Organize vocabulary by themes, not alphabetically

Also read: Reading comprehension strategies for DELE C1 where you will find more tips on vocabulary in context.