The complete list — all 107 two-letter Scrabble words
Every word here is valid in official North American tournament Scrabble (TWL/NWL, updated through 2023). Point values use standard tile values.
AA2 ptsrough, cindery lava
AB4 ptsabdominal muscle (informal)
AD3 ptsadvertisement
AE2 ptsone (Scottish)
AG3 ptsagriculture (informal)
AH5 ptsexclamation of surprise or pleasure
AI2 ptsthree-toed sloth
AL2 ptsEast Indian tree
AM4 ptsfirst person singular of "be"
AN2 ptsindefinite article before vowel sounds
AR2 ptsthe letter R
AS2 ptsto the same degree
AT2 ptsin the position of
AW5 ptsexclamation of disappointment
AX9 ptschopping tool; to dismiss
AY5 ptsexclamation of distress; variant of "aye"
BA4 ptseternal soul (Egyptian mythology)
BE4 ptsto exist
BI4 ptsbisexual (informal)
BO4 ptspal, buddy (informal)
BY7 ptsnear; past; as a result of
DA3 ptsfather (informal)
DE3 ptsof (used in names)
DO3 ptsto perform; first note of musical scale
ED3 ptseducation (informal)
EF5 ptsthe letter F
EH5 ptsexclamation requesting repetition
EL2 ptselevated railroad
EM4 ptsthe letter M; typographic em unit
EN2 ptsthe letter N; typographic en unit
ER2 ptshesitation sound (TWL valid)
ES2 ptsthe letter S
ET2 ptspast tense of "eat" (dialectal)
EW5 ptsexclamation of disgust
EX9 ptsformer partner; the letter X
FA5 ptsfourth note of the musical scale
FE5 ptsHebrew letter (17th)
GI3 ptsjudo or karate uniform
GO3 ptsto move; board game from Japan
HA5 ptsexclamation of triumph or surprise
HE5 ptsthird person singular male pronoun
HI5 ptsgreeting; informal hello
HM7 ptssound of thoughtful hesitation
HO5 ptsexclamation of surprise or laughter
ID3 ptsFreudian primitive mental component
IF5 ptson the condition that; uncertainty
IN2 ptswithin; inside
IS2 ptsthird person singular of "be"
IT2 ptsthird person neuter pronoun
JO9 ptssweetheart (Scottish)
KA6 ptsspiritual double (Egyptian mythology)
KI6 ptslife force (Japanese; variant of qi)
LA2 ptssixth note of the musical scale
LI2 ptsChinese unit of distance
LO2 ptsbehold! (archaic exclamation)
MA4 ptsmother (informal)
ME4 ptsfirst person singular pronoun (objective)
MI4 ptsthird note of the musical scale
MM6 ptssound of agreement or pleasure
MO4 ptsa moment (informal)
MU4 ptsGreek letter (12th)
MY7 ptsfirst person possessive pronoun
NA2 ptsno (informal, chiefly Scottish)
NE2 ptsborn as; formerly known as
NO2 ptsnegative reply; Japanese theatrical form
NU2 ptsGreek letter (13th)
OD3 ptsto overdose; hypothetical force
OE2 ptswhirlwind off the Faeroe Islands
OF5 ptsbelonging to; made from
OH5 ptsexclamation of surprise or understanding
OI2 ptsexclamation used to attract attention (British)
OM4 ptssacred Hindu syllable used in meditation
ON2 ptstouching the surface of; activated
OP4 ptsoperation (informal); op art
OR2 ptsconjunction of alternatives; heraldic gold
OS2 ptsbone (plural of os); mouth
OW5 ptsexclamation of pain
OX9 ptscastrated bull used as draft animal
OY5 ptsexclamation of dismay or pain (Yiddish)
PA4 ptsfather (informal)
PE4 ptsHebrew letter (17th); variant of "peh"
PI4 ptsGreek letter (16th); mathematical constant 3.14…
PO4 ptschamber pot (informal, British)
QI11 ptslife force or energy (Chinese philosophy)
RE2 ptssecond note of the musical scale; regarding
SH5 ptscommand for silence
SI2 ptsseventh note of the musical scale (variant of ti)
SO2 ptsin the way described; fifth musical note
TA2 ptsthank you (British informal)
TI2 ptsseventh note of the musical scale
TO2 ptsin the direction of; preposition
UH5 ptsexclamation of hesitation
UM4 ptshesitation sound while speaking
UN2 ptsone (dialectal)
UP4 ptsin a higher position; to increase
UT2 ptsfirst note of the medieval musical scale
WE5 ptsfirst person plural pronoun
WO5 ptsvariant of "woe" (archaic)
XI9 ptsGreek letter (14th)
XU9 ptsmonetary unit of Vietnam (1/100 dong)
YA5 ptsyou (informal)
YE5 ptssecond person plural pronoun (archaic)
YO5 ptsexclamation used as a greeting
ZA11 ptspizza (informal slang)
Why two-letter words are the most powerful tool in Scrabble
Two-letter words unlock parallel plays — the technique of placing a word alongside an existing word to form multiple new words in a single turn. A skilled player can easily score 40–60 points from a simple 4-letter word by creating three or four two-letter words simultaneously. Beginners who know the full two-letter list consistently outscore those who don't, even with equal tile draws.
Parallel plays multiply your score
Playing alongside existing tiles to create multiple two-letter words in one turn is the fastest path to high scores in mid-game.
Dump high-value tiles safely
ZA, QI, XI, AX, OX let you play Z, Q, X tiles for big points when no longer words fit. Don't miss these power plays.
Hook onto triple-letter squares
A two-letter word that lands a J, X, or Z on a triple-letter square while hooking another word can easily score 50+ points.
Start with the vowel-heavy ones
AA, AE, AI, OE, OI give you ways to play two vowels at once when your rack is vowel-heavy. Critical for rack management.
The highest-point two-letter words
When you need maximum points from just two tiles, these are your go-to plays:
QI11 ptslife force
ZA11 ptspizza
XI9 ptsGreek letter
XU9 ptsVietnamese currency
OX9 ptsdraft bull
AX9 ptschopping tool
EX9 ptsformer partner
JO9 ptssweetheart
Frequently asked questions
There are 107 valid two-letter words in the Official Tournament Word List (TWL/NWL) used in North American Scrabble. SOWPODS (used in international play) has 127 two-letter words.
ZA and QI both score 11 points. ZA is pizza slang (Z=10, A=1) and QI is the life force from Chinese philosophy (Q=10, I=1). XI also scores 9 points. These are the power plays for the Z, Q, and X tiles.
Yes. QI is valid in both TWL (North American) and SOWPODS (international) Scrabble. It's one of the most important words to know because it lets you play the Q tile without needing a U — scoring 11 points in just two letters.
Yes. ZA was officially added to the dictionary and is valid in tournament play. It's informal slang for pizza. Many competitive players have won games by playing ZA on a triple-word score for 33+ points.
Group them by starting letter and focus on the unusual ones first — AA, AE, AI, OE, OI, QI, XI, XU, ZA. These are the ones opponents won't challenge. Then learn the musical notes (DO, RE, MI, FA, SO, LA, TI) and the letter names (EF, EL, EM, EN, AR, ES). Practice one group per week in actual games.
Check any word against your tiles
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