All 2-Letter Words in Scrabble: Complete List and Tips
All 107 valid 2-letter Scrabble words (TWL) with tips on when to use them. Master parallel plays, tile dumps, and rack management with this reference.
There are 107 valid 2-letter words in the TWL (Tournament Word List) used in North American Scrabble, and 127 in the international SOWPODS dictionary. Memorizing this list is the most effective single step you can take to improve your Scrabble score — more impactful than any strategy tip, because 2-letter words unlock an entire category of play that most beginners miss entirely.
For a searchable, filterable version, use our 2-letter words reference page.
The Complete TWL 2-Letter Word List
All Vowels and Common Words
These are the words most players already know:
AA (rough lava), AB (abdominal muscle), AD, AE (one, Scottish), AG (agriculture), AH, AI (3-toed sloth), AL (Indian tree), AM, AN, AR (letter R), AS, AT, AW, AX, AY (yes)
BA (soul in Egyptian myth), BE, BI, BO (body odor), BY
DA (father), DE (of), DO
ED (past tense suffix), EF (letter F), EH, EL (elevated railway), EM (printer’s unit), EN (half em), ER, ES (letter S), ET (past tense of eat), EW (interjection), EX
FA (musical note), FE (Hebrew letter)
GI (judo uniform), GO
HA, HE, HI, HM (interjection), HO
ID, IF, IN, IS, IT
JO (sweetheart, Scottish)
KA (spirit in Egyptian myth), KI (life force, variant of QI)
LA (musical note), LI (Chinese unit of distance), LO (look)
MA, ME, MI (musical note), MM (interjection), MO (moment), MU (Greek letter), MY
NA (no, dialectal), NE (born as), NO, NU (Greek letter)
OD (overdose), OE (Scottish grandchild/whirlwind), OF, OH, OI (interjection), OM (sacred syllable), ON, OP (operation), OR, OS (bone), OW, OX, OY (interjection)
PA, PE (Hebrew letter), PI (Greek letter)
QI (life force)
RE (musical note)
SH (interjection), SI (musical note), SO
TA (thank you, British), TI (musical note), TO
UH, UM, UN (one), UP, UR (earliest), US, UT (musical note)
WE, WO (variant of WOE)
XI (Greek letter), XU (Vietnamese currency unit)
YA (you), YE (you, archaic), YO
ZA (pizza), ZEK — wait, ZEK is 3 letters. ZA only for 2-letter Z words in TWL.
The High-Value 2-Letter Words
Knowing the full list is useful, but these are the ones that directly change how you play high-point tiles:
QI — 11 points. The only 2-letter Q word in TWL. This is your lifeline when you draw Q without a U. Place Q on a double or triple letter score and QI becomes 22 or 33 points from just two tiles.
XI — 9 points. Places the X (8 points) in tight spaces and opens parallel play possibilities.
XU — 9 points. Same value as XI. Useful when XI is already on the board or the position calls for a U.
AX — 9 points. Most players know this one, but forget it is 2 letters and can hook onto existing words.
EX — 9 points. Hooks onto the ends of many words. EX before S (EXS is not valid — EX cannot be pluralized this way, but check the board configuration).
ZA — 11 points. Pizza in informal usage. One of the most important 2-letter words to know because Z (10 points) is otherwise very hard to play efficiently. Place Z on a double letter score and ZA scores 21 points.
OX — 9 points. Classic and useful. Many players overlook that it plays in tight parallel positions.
JO — 9 points. The only 2-letter J word in TWL. Worth knowing by heart. J (8 points) without JO and JIN forces awkward plays.
Grouping by Difficulty
Beginner — You Probably Know These
AA, AB, AD, AH, AM, AN, AS, AT, AW, AX, AY, BE, BY, DO, EH, EX, GO, HA, HE, HI, HO, IF, IN, IS, IT, LA, LO, MA, ME, MI, MY, NO, OF, OH, ON, OR, OW, OX, OY, PA, PI, RE, SO, TO, UH, UM, UP, US, WE, YO
Intermediate — Worth Memorizing Specifically for Scrabble
AA (lava type), AE, AI (sloth), AL, AR (letter name), BA (Egyptian soul), BI, BO, DA, DE, ED, EF, EL, EM, EN, ER, ES, ET, FA, FE, GI, HM, ID, JO, KA, KI, LI, MM, MO, MU, NA, NE, NU, OD, OE, OI, OM, OP, OS, PE, QI, SH, SI, TA, TI, UN, UR, UT, WO, XU, XI, YA, YE, ZA
Advanced — Obscure but Valid (Know These for Challenges)
OI (interjection — valid in TWL), SH (valid — can challenge opponents who doubt it), MM (valid interjection), HM (valid interjection), WO (valid variant), UT (musical note — valid, older form of DO), UR (earliest, arcane — valid), LI (Chinese unit — valid in SOWPODS, check TWL carefully before playing)
How to Use 2-Letter Words in Play
Parallel Plays
The primary use of 2-letter words is enabling parallel plays — placing a word alongside an existing word to score multiple mini-words simultaneously. Example: if TONE is on the board, you can play STAR directly below it to form ST, TA, OR simultaneously. Each 2-letter word scores independently, adding 8–20 extra points to a play you would have made anyway.
This is impossible without knowing your 2-letter words. A player who knows all 107 words sees plays that are completely invisible to a player who only knows 20.
Tile Dumps
When your rack is unbalanced — too many vowels (AAEIUOO) or an awkward consonant pile — 2-letter words let you dump one or two tiles while still scoring. Playing EE or OO is not valid (they are not in the list), but AA is. AI, OE, and AE handle triple-vowel dumps. Knowing these gets you out of a blocked rack faster than any other technique.
Hooking
Adding a 2-letter word to the end or beginning of an existing word is called “hooking.” If CARE is on the board, you can play S both to make CARES and to form a new 2-letter word extending off the end. If ETA is on the board, can you play something before it to make a valid prefix? Knowing the full 2-letter list lets you spot these hooks immediately.
End-Game Precision
In the final turns, when only 1–3 tiles remain on the rack, 2-letter words are often the only plays available. Players who know the full list score 4–12 extra points on closing moves; players who don’t know them often pass or score nothing with their remaining tiles.
2-Letter Words in Words With Friends
Words With Friends uses a slightly different dictionary than Scrabble. Most TWL 2-letter words are valid in WWF, but there are differences. QI is valid in WWF. ZA is valid in WWF. OI is valid in WWF. A handful of obscure TWL words are not accepted by WWF’s word checker. When in doubt, use our word unscrambler to verify before committing to a play.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many 2-letter words are valid in Scrabble?
The TWL (North American Scrabble) dictionary has 107 valid 2-letter words. The international SOWPODS dictionary, used in most countries outside North America, has 127 valid 2-letter words. The difference includes words like DA, GI, KI, LI, and a few others that SOWPODS accepts but TWL does not.
Is QI a valid 2-letter Scrabble word?
Yes, QI is valid in both TWL and SOWPODS. It refers to the vital life force in Chinese philosophy. QI scores 11 points (Q=10, I=1) and is the only 2-letter Q word, making it essential vocabulary for anyone who plays Scrabble seriously. Without knowing QI, drawing the Q with no U available is almost always a wasted turn.
Is ZA a valid Scrabble word?
Yes, ZA is a valid TWL and SOWPODS word. It is informal slang for pizza and scores 11 points (Z=10, A=1). ZA is one of the most useful high-value 2-letter words because Z is otherwise difficult to play in tight board positions. On a double letter score, ZA scores 21 points from just two tiles.
What is the highest-scoring 2-letter Scrabble word?
QI and ZA both score 11 points in base value (before board multipliers). On a double letter score square on Q or Z, QI scores 21 points and ZA scores 21 points. On a triple letter score, they each score 31 points. Placed to hit two premium squares simultaneously, these words can score over 50 points.
Are 2-letter words allowed in casual Scrabble?
Yes. All valid dictionary words are allowed in Scrabble regardless of length, including 2-letter words. If your opponent challenges a 2-letter word and it is valid in the agreed dictionary, you keep your play and your opponent loses their turn. The only time 2-letter words cause disputes is when players are using different dictionaries (TWL vs. SOWPODS).
For the full interactive list with definitions and point values, use our 2-letter words reference. For finding valid plays from any set of letters, use the Scrabble word finder.
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