Background: The emphasis on vocabulary instruction in math class es has gained momentum in recent years. Mathematics vocabulary instruction enables students to comprehend and understand mathematical concepts. Most of the study and research findings on integrating or incorporating vocabulary instruction in math classes focus on high school and middle school students. As Math is the foundation for science and engineering, training on math concepts begins at school and extends to the college level. Methods: The study draws on a simple percentage method to understand students’ proficiency in math vocabulary, their difficulties in comprehending the word problems and integrating vocabulary instruction into Math classes. An online questionnaire survey was distributed among first-year undergraduate engineering students in Chennai to identify students’ exposure to math vocabulary and their views on integrating vocabulary instruction into the math classroom. The primary data collected through an online survey is analyzed using R studio. Results and Discussion: As the students come from different backgrounds, the level of understanding the math vocabulary, new or unfamiliar words from real-life experience, adds complexity in the teaching-learning process. Given the system of education with a prescribed time (classes) for completion of the syllabus, both the students and teachers may find it challenging to focus on math vocabulary instruction. The research paper highlights the importance of learning math vocabulary for first-year engineering students and integrating vocabulary instruction into the math classroom. © 2020, Research Publication. All rights reserved.