Honestly, not as many as people think. You can start having real conversations with around 1,000 to 2,000 words. That’s enough for daily life things like talking about yourself, asking questions, understanding simple replies. If you reach about 3,000 to 5,000 words, you’ll feel much more comfortable. You can express ideas better, understand more, and not get stuck so often. Fluency doesn’t mean knowing thousands of rare words. It’s more about using simple words smoothly and confidently. A person with 1,500 words who speaks clearly can communicate better than someone who knows 5,000 words but hesitates all the time. So don’t stress about big numbers. Focus on common words, use them every day, and your speaking will grow naturally.