Let's Learn Important Places Vocabulary

Image of all of the places icons that are featured on this page

These building and other places vocabulary is common but often English students don't know all of the words. I've tried to include a wide variety of places in this list.

The video let's you hear the names of the places vocabulary words pronounced in American English.

There is a pause after each word—that's where you should practice by saying the word out loud yourself.


Hear the building and other places vocabulary pronounced

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Places Vocabulary Defined

The descriptions below will help you practice your English further.

Illustration of the exterior of a 24-hour minimart store

24-hour mini mart:  a small grocery store that is open every hour of the day.

Illustration of a car shop dealership and garage

car dealership / garage:  a place where you can buy cars and also have them repaired.

Illustration of the exterior of a burger shop

burger shop / burger joint: a place the sells hamburgers and French fries as the main specialty. A "burger joint" is used in informal American English.

Illustration of a clock tower

clock tower:  a tall building with a clock near the top which chimes (makes a sound for each hour at the beginning of each hour of the day).

Illustration of the exterior of a church

church:  a religious place of worship for Christians.

Illustration of a bus in front of a bus station

bus station:  a place where different buses stop and pick-up/drop-off passengers going to different destinations.

Illustration of the exterior of a clothing store


clothing shop / clothing store:  a store that sells clothes and/or accessories.

Illustration of an apartment building

apartment building / apartments:  a place that has various individual apartment units for different individuals and families.

Illustration of the exterior of an aquarium

aquarium:  a building where people can visit to see animals and plants that live in the water.

Illustration of a bank building

bank:  a business where people keep money, borrow money, etc. 

ATM:  (Automatic Teller Machine) a machine that allows customers to automatically access their bank accounts and withdraw or deposit money, pay bills, etc.

Illustration of the outside of a bowling alley building

bowling alley:  a place where people go to do bowling - a game where players try to knock down bowling pins with a bowling ball to score points.

Illustration of the exterior of a highrise hotel

hotel:  a building with individual rooms and suites where guests can stay overnight to sleep, eat and bathe. Hotels also frequently have rooms for business meetings and events (e.g., wedding receptions, conferences).

Illustration of a coffee shop exterior

coffee house / coffee shop:  a place where coffee (and usually other non-alcoholic beverages) are served. Usually light foods (sweet pastries, breads or sandwiches) are also served.

Illustration of the exterior of a hospital

hospital:  a place where people go to be treated for illnesses, injuries or health problems and/or have medical tests and procedures to prevent sicknesses.

Illustration of a high-rise building

high-rise building:  a very tall building such as an apartment building or office building with many floors. High-rises are often buildings that have many different businesses inside the same building (e.g., stores, doctors offices, businesses and apartments). High rises are normally found in city-centers to maximize the small amount of land in the city.

Note: Really tall buildings are called skyscrapers. A skyscraper normally has more than 40-50 floors and typically more than 100 floors.

Illustration of a grocery store exterior

grocery store:  a place where you can buy food and other supplies.

Illustration of a gas station

gas station:  a place where you can buy gas (gasoline). Note: we say "gas" station not "petrol" station in American English.

Illustration of a flower shop

flower shop / florist:  A place to purchase flowers and other plants.  (Note: a flower shop is a small shop. A "nursery" is a place that sells larger plants like trees and shrubs as well as flowers.

Illustration of a fire station with fireman and fire truck

fire station:  a place where fire fighters, fire trucks and other equipment are located.

Image of a farm with barn and horse and cow in the barn yard

farm:  a place with lots of land where animals are raised and crops are grown.

Illustration of a shopping mall building exterior

department store:  a large store that is owned by the same company that has different "departments" selling various types of items (e.g., women's clothing department, men's shoe department, housewares department, lingerie department).  (Note: this is different than a shopping mall which has different stores owned by different companies).

Illustration of a multi-story public parking garage

parking garage: a building that has parking spots where drivers pay to keep their car in a parking space/spot.

Illustration of a playground with slide, swings, jungle gym and other equipment.

playground:  an area for children with equipment they can play or climb on (e.g., swings, slides, jungle gym).

Illustration of a school exterior

school:  a building with classrooms where children learn. In American English we have:  pre-school (<5 years), kindergarten (5 years), elementary school (6 - 11/12 years), middle school (11/12 - 14/15 years) and high school.

Illustration of a single-family home with garage

house / single family home: a separate building where one family lives. Usually there is a yard in the front and back and a driveway with a garage for a car(s).

Illustration of laundromat

laundromat:  a place with many different machines (that require coin money) to wash and dry clothes.

Illustration of a mosque an minaret

mosque:  A building that is used for Muslim religious services.

Illustration of a restaurant exterior

restaurant:  a place where food and drinks are served.

Illustration of a pet clinic

pet clinic / veterinarian's:  a hospital or doctor's office for animals (pets).

Illustration of a pet shop

pet shop:  a place to buy food and supplies (e.g., toys, beds, clothing, leashes, collars, aquariums) for animals. Many pet shops also sell pets (e.g., fish, rodents, dogs, cats, rabbits, snakes).

Illustration of a temple

temple:  a building for religious services (e.g., Buddhist / Hindu / Mormon / Jewish temples).

Illustration of a train station and train.

train station:  a place where trains pick-up and drop-off passengers.

Your turn to practice places vocabulary

To practice, write your answers to the questions on a separate piece of paper. Or practice speaking out loud to yourself or with a speaking partner. These are excellent ways to help remember this vocabulary.

  • Which places did you go to today?
  • Do you work at one of these places?
  • Do you live in an apartment or house?
  • Which places have you never been to?

These are just some sample questions you could answer to practice these different places vocabulary but you can write about anything you'd like.


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