Two-letter words are some of the most valuable tools in your vocabulary for word games. They let you form new words in tight spaces, build off existing tiles, and rack up extra points on parallel plays. Here’s a rundown of the most useful ones.
Vowel-friendly words
aa – a type of rough, cindery lava
ai – a three-toed sloth
ea – a river (archaic/dialect)
oe – a whirlwind
oi – an exclamation
Everyday short words
am, an, as, at, be, by, do, go, he, if, in, is, it, me, my, no, of, on, or, so, to, up, us, we
These are the words most players already know, but they’re worth keeping in mind because they’re often the difference between a stuck rack and a scoring play.
High-value or lesser-known plays
qi – life force energy (one of the few words that use Q without U)
za – slang for pizza
xi, xu – a Greek letter and a Vietnamese currency unit, both valid plays for the tricky X
jo – a sweetheart (Scots dialect)
ka – a person’s spirit, in ancient Egyptian belief
Why they matter
Beyond their point value, two-letter words are the building blocks of parallel plays, placing a word next to an existing one so that new short words form alongside it. Mastering this list can turn a mediocre rack into several extra points per turn.
Not sure if a word is valid, or want to see what else your letters can form? Try our word unscrambler, just type in your letters and see every possibility.