Commands, Small Talk and N-400 Vocabulary
This post will be divided into three sections of vocabulary types you should be familiar with while preparing for the Naturalization Test.
#1. Commands for the Naturalization Interview:
This is exactly what the title suggests. They are the usual commands that an applicant may hear during his/her naturalization interview at USCIS.
#2. Small talk Vocabulary:
At the beginning of the interview, the officer might first engage you in some simple small talk most often questions about everyday life. This is designed to be friendly, to make you feel comfortable and to see if you understand basic English.
#3. N400 Vocabulary:
This is the official list of vocabulary based on the N-400 form. Here, we have listed the most frequently used words and phrases during the naturalization interview with its meaning.
# Commands for the Naturalization Interview
1. Please be seated.
2. Please hand me your passport.
3. Read this sentence.
4. Please follow me.
5. Please print your name.
6. Write this sentence here.
7. Raise your right hand.
8. Please remain standing.
9. Sign your name here.
10. Please wait her
# Small Talk Vocabulary with Sample Responses!
Weather
1. How’s the weather today?
– Sample response: It is a nice sunny day.
2. Is it raining/snowing outside?
-Sample response: Yes, there was a light snow.
3. How do you like the weather today?
-Sample response: I love the rain/snow/sun.
Transportation
1. How did you come here today?
-Sample response: I took the the light rail.
2. Did it take you very long to get here?
-Sample response: Yes, it took me one hour.
3. Did it take you long to find a parking spot?
-Sample response: No, I found the parking spot quickly.
4. Did you have any problems getting here?
-Sample response: No, I followed the GPS.
5. How was the traffic?
-Sample response: It was flowing nicely.
6. Did you come by bus or by car?
-Sample response: I came by car.
Other General Talk
1. Have you been waiting a long time to talk to me today?
-Sample response: I have been waiting for 20 minutes.
2. How was your weekend?
-Sample response: My weekend was great, I went to my community church.
3. How are you?
-Sample response: I am doing great, thank you! And you?
4. Did you study for the citizenship test?
-Sample response: Yes I studied every day for the past month.
5. Do you feel well prepared for your test today?
-Sample response: Yes
6. Do you have any questions?
-Sample response: No, I’m ready for the test today.
7. Do you have plans for the weekend?
-Sample response: Yes, I have a family picnic.
# N-400 Vocabulary list and its meaning
Advocate: Agree with and tell others about an idea.
Alien: Not a citizen of the United States.
Arrested: Taken to jail by the police.
Bear arms: To own or use a gun.
Civilian: A person who is not in the military.
Claim: To say that something is true.
Country of Nationality: The country where you are currently a citizen or national.
Court-martialed: Go to a military court.
Crime: an action that breaks the law.
Deploy: To move soldiers or other military to a new place so they can be ready.
Detention facility: A jail or prison where people wait before they go to court and have a trial.
Disability: A problem with your body or mind that prevents you from doing things that other people can do (for example blindness or deafness).
Discharged: A soldier leaves the military and stops being a soldier.
Divorce: Legally stop being married
Fail: Not pass a test; not complete or do something. Examples: “I failed my test,” means “I did not pass.”
False: not true.
File a tax return: Send tax papers to the government.
Forcing sexual contact or relations: Touching the male or female parts of the body when someone doesn’t want it.
Fraudulent: To make people believe a lie so you can get something you want.
Gamble: Pay money to guess who will win at sports or games so that you can try to get more money.
Genocide: Killing a whole group or race of people because of their religion, race, or other reason.
Guerrilla group: A group of people who use weapons against or attack the military, police or government.
Habitual drunkard: A person who regularly drinks too much alcohol (gets drunk).
Immigration benefit: Things that can help you because you are a documented immigrant, like being able to work and live in the United States.
Insurgent organization: A group of people that uses weapons to fight a government.
Jail: A building where police take people who are arrested for breaking the law.
Labor camp: A jail or prison where the prisoners have to do a lot of difficult work.
Legally incompetent: Can’t make decisions for yourself because you have mental problems.
Lie: To say things that are not true.
Marital Status: Whether you are legally married, single, divorced or widowed.
Married: Having a husband or wife. This means legally married. You can be legally married even if you don’t currently live with your husband or wife.
Mental institution: A hospital for people with mental health problems.
Military unit: A group of people that work for a government to fight in a war; they may do this work on land, in boats or in airplanes.
Militia: An army that does not work for a government.
Misleading: Causes a person to believe something that is not true to get something that you want.
Misrepresentation: To lie about who you are or something you did so that you can get something you want.
Noncombatant: Not fighting.
Nonresident: A person who does not live in a specific place.
Obtain: To get something.
Overdue: Late.
Owe: Have a debt; be required to pay. Examples: “I got a loan from the bank.
Paramilitary unit: A group of people who act like the military, but do not work for a government.
Persecute: To hurt someone badly, or unfairly, often because of religion or political beliefs
Prison: A building where criminals must stay as punishment for breaking the law.
Police unit: A group of people who work for a government to catch people who break the law
Prison camp: A jail or prison for enemy soldiers or other military during a war.
Probation: A time when a person who has broken the law gets out of prison early but is required to regularly report to the police.
Public benefit: Money from the government for things that can help you such as food stamps, housing assistance, or Social Security payments.
Rebel group: A group of people who fight a government or other group with power.
Register: Sign up.
Resident: A person who lives in a specific place.
Single: Not married now and never married before.
Self-defense unit: A group of people who work to protect a place if another group comes to fight them with weapons.
Smuggle: To secretly and illegally bring something into or out of a state or country.
Spouse: The person you are married to; your husband or wife.
Stationed: A soldier stays in one place for some time as part of their job.
Title of nobility: A position given by a King or Queen.
Torture: Badly hurt someone for punishment or to get information.
Vigilante unit: A group of people who act like the police, but are not the police.
Weapon: Something used to fight such as a gun, knife, or bomb.
Widowed: Your marital status if your husband or wife died and you have not married again.
Applicants are encouraged to be familiar with all these three sections of vocabulary lists. This will help you be confident during your naturalization interview. The sample answers provided in the small talk vocabulary section will vary. Try preparing with few different types of responses.
Good Luck!