Semantic Primes: A Simple Guide to NSM’s 65 Universal Concepts

by | Oct 28, 2025 | Semantic SEO | 0 comments

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Semantic primes are the basic building blocks of meaning in every language. They work as a “starter kit” for human meaning: the same core words appear in English, Japanese, and every other language researchers have tested. Linguists Anna Wierzbicka and Cliff Goddard have spent decades researching these 65 concepts, and they report that the concepts appear in every language tested. Languages sound different, but they share the same set of concepts and assemble them in their own ways.

The following list is the inventory of 65 semantic primes from Natural Semantic Metalanguage (NSM), as established through decades of cross-linguistic research by Anna Wierzbicka, Cliff Goddard, and the NSM community (current as of 2025).

Semantic primes are the fundamental building blocks of meaning that, according to NSM, exist in every human language. These universal concepts form the foundation of Natural Semantic Metalanguage and provide a framework for understanding how meaning works across languages and cultures.

The list groups the semantic primes into semantic categories. Each prime appears as its canonical English exponent, and NSM researchers report exact equivalents in all tested languages.

Complete list of 65 semantic primes (NSM framework)

Grid infographic of the 65 semantic primes grouped by category, with capitalized examples such as I, YOU, GOOD, BAD, NOW and IF.
CategorySemantic Primes
1. SubstantivesI, YOU, SOMEONE, PEOPLE, SOMETHING/THING, BODY
2. Relational substantivesKIND, PART
3. DeterminersTHIS, THE SAME, OTHER~ELSE
4. QuantifiersONE, TWO, SOME, ALL, MUCH~MANY, LITTLE~FEW
5. EvaluatorsGOOD, BAD
6. DescriptorsBIG, SMALL
7. Mental predicatesTHINK, KNOW, WANT, DON’T WANT, FEEL, SEE, HEAR
8. SpeechSAY, WORDS, TRUE
9. Actions, events, movementDO, HAPPEN, MOVE
10. Existence, possessionBE (THERE IS), HAVE
11. Life and deathLIVE, DIE
12. TimeWHEN~TIME, NOW, BEFORE, AFTER, A LONG TIME, A SHORT TIME, FOR SOME TIME, MOMENT
13. SpaceWHERE~PLACE, HERE, ABOVE, BELOW~UNDER, FAR, NEAR, SIDE, INSIDE, TOUCH (CONTACT)
14. Logical conceptsNOT, MAYBE, CAN, BECAUSE, IF
15. Intensifier, augmentorVERY, MORE
16. SimilarityLIKE~AS~WAY

Notes on notation

  • CAPITALS mark the prime, the concept that the English word expresses.
  • ~ means “alternants.” For example, MUCH~MANY stands for “much” (mass) or “many” (count).
  • DON’T WANT is a single prime. It does not combine negation with WANT.
  • BE (THERE IS) is the existential prime. It does not act as a copula.
  • TOUCH refers to physical contact. It does not mean emotional “touching.”

What makes these semantic primes universal?

Infographic of the four properties of semantic primes: indefinable, universal, lexicalized and productive, each with a one-line meaning.

NSM researchers describe these 65 semantic primes as the irreducible core of human language and thought. They claim the primes are:

  • Indefinable: Semantic primes cannot be paraphrased using simpler terms, so they are conceptually fundamental
  • Universal: Every semantic prime is present in every natural language studied
  • Lexicalized: Each semantic prime has a word or fixed expression in each language
  • Productive: Semantic primes can combine to express any meaning in any language

Official source

Goddard, C., & Wierzbicka, A. (2018). “Minimal English and how it can add to Global English.” In Minimal English for a Global World, Palgrave.

Also available at: NSM Primes

Cross-linguistic research on semantic primes

Researchers tested the semantic primes inventory in over 30 languages, including Polish, Russian, English, Spanish, French, Italian, Swedish, Danish, Malay, Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, Lao, Mbula, Yankunytjatjara, Arrernte, Ewe, and others. This cross-linguistic testing supports the claim that these semantic primes represent universal human concepts.

Applications of semantic primes

Hub-and-spoke diagram linking semantic primes to semantic SEO, entity SEO, cross-cultural communication, natural language processing and language teaching.

Semantic primes apply to these areas:

  • Semantic SEO: Understanding the fundamental meaning units that might underlie how search engines interpret content
  • Entity SEO: Building topical authority by connecting concepts through universal semantic relationships
  • Cross-cultural communication: Creating messages that work across language barriers
  • Natural Language Processing: Developing AI systems that understand meaning at a fundamental level
  • Language teaching: Teaching vocabulary through universal concepts without relying on translation

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