Kerstin Cable 30/12/2022 Kerstin Cable 30/12/2022

The Best Ways to Memorize Vocabulary in a Foreign Language

When it comes to language learning, vocabulary is a different kind of monster. Instead of jumping out to scare you (like grammar), it hides until you figure out the right trick to help you learn. The most frustrating part is that what works for someone else might not work as well for you.

But if that’s the case, what can you do to find a method that truly helps you memorize new vocabulary in a foreign language? In this article, I’m sharing my best language learning tips and ideas…plus a brand new FREEBIE so click through to find out more.

Do any of these describe your relationship with vocabulary?

* I keep forgetting new words.

* I don’t like using lists, flashcards, etc.

* I feel like I’m not making progress because I don’t know enough words.

But if that’s the case, what can you do to find a method that truly helps you learn new vocabulary?

Why are you learning?

All language learners have a reason for why they’re learning a language in the first place, usually requirement and/or enjoyment.

But what’s your motivation for learning a particular set of vocabulary words?

Maybe you’re still working on the basics or using a list of words to learn from a textbook or an app. Either way, it’s not the most exciting material. In some cases, it might not even seem useful.

One of the benefits of learning as an adult is that you can choose exactly what you want to learn next. You can focus on vocab for more interesting topics or ignore words you’ll probably never use. Even if you’re having trouble learning essentials like numbers or directions, you can put them in a context that’s important to you.

Give Your Vocab Meaning Any Way You Can

You might not care about a list of numbers in a textbook. But you do want to know how to say dates and times, and knowing numbers can also save you money.

A snapshot from my old life, representing my university on the road in Kazan.

Back when I was a regular business traveller, I spent a good amount of time in Kazakhstan and Russia. These are not places where a regular taxi will give you the best deal. Most people just stand at the side of the road, flag down a car, and haggle for the cost of a ride.

I’m a people person and ever curious about everyone’s cars, so for me this sounded like heaven! The only problem was that I spoke no Russian at all.

After several half-bungled negotiations ("Holiday Inn...Ulitsa Shevchenko! Hundred Tenge??") and some support from local colleagues, I picked up the expression “tri sti” for 300.

From then on, every single ride in Kazakhstan AND Russia had to cost me 300 of whatever their local currency was. I simply couldn’t agree on a different amount! 😄In Kazakhstan this may have been driving a bargain...in Russia I was more like their best paying customer, every single time.

After a few months of this, I did start picking up Russian and the motivation to learn numbers was top of my list.

What’s your motivation to learn these words?

How can you see yourself using them? Most textbooks will at least give some sample dialogues, but it’s just WAY cooler to say your own birthday in your new language.

In addition to making note of your motivation, it helps to understand learning vocabulary as a process or a system that includes three stages:

1. Growing vocabulary (figuring out what words you need or want to learn, selecting your sources, and taking good notes)

1. Memorizing vocabulary (strategies to make your words stickier so you don’t forget them easily)

1. Revising or reviewing vocabulary (using new words or testing yourself regularly so that they become anchored in your long-term memory)

Not sure what you should learn?

Before you even start trying to memorize new words, you have to figure out which ones you should try to learn. Once you’ve covered basics like greetings, colors, directions, etc., it’s easy to feel a little unsure about where to go next.

There are a few different options you can choose to start feeling more in-control of your vocabulary learning:

Download My Topic List for Beginners

Using a list that is already created can save you quite a bit of time when you're busy. It's perfect for you right at the start of learning a new language.

My vocabulary checklist for beginners is different from most lists because it gives you topics and skills. This is more useful than just a list of words, and it will help you create a solid foundation without getting bored.

Create your own list of words

What do you want to talk about in your target language?

Consider your interests and hobbies as well as things you’d usually talk to your friends or coworkers about. Consider both individual words and expressions.

One great way to go about this is to choose a topic and do a mind map or create a quick list of every word or expression you can think of that relates to your topic. Then, edit your list and translate the words into your target language.

If you want to add on more vocab to your list, try searching social media with your translated words as well.

Learn more vocabulary from what you enjoy

You can also choose to create a list based on the things you watch, read, and listen to in your target language.

Here are a two great apps that help you understand and find resources in your target language:

Lingq for books, articles, videos, and podcasts with transcripts
Yabla for native videos designed to work for language learners

Learn more about Yabla with this full review

Pay attention when you listen or read something in your target language. Is there a word that keeps coming up when you listen to songs or watch your favourite tv series? Put it on your list. Do you have a book you’d like to read in your target language? Go through and write down all the words you don’t know to start learning them.

Most importantly, remember that you should always have a solid system for compiling new words and expressions.

Switch up your language learning methods

Even if you’ve got a great list of words to learn, it doesn’t help if you can’t remember them. This is especially true for abstract vocabulary. You can’t see the word for "brave", so how are you supposed to remember it in another language?

Luckily, there are 4 different methods that can help you learn both the simple words and the more difficult ones.

The Post-it Method

For words like "coffee" and “door”, it’s easy to write the word in your target language onto a post-it note and stick it on the actual object.

But what do you do for those abstract words?

You can still write them on post-its, but you’ll have to get a little creative on where you place them. Think of quirky places that have some sort of connection to the idea. For instance, you might decide to put a post-it with the translation for "awake" on your coffee cup.

As a bonus, the added creativity involved in connecting the abstract concept to the object will help you remember even more as you have to spend time contemplating the word.

The Language Play Method

In addition to associating abstract words with an object, you can also use the linguistic characteristics of the word you’re trying to remember. Link the word you’re trying to learn with similar sounds or spellings or take the time to look into where it came from.

Quick tip: Google the word you’re learning and "etymology" together, and you’ll find out more about its history.

You can use rhyme or look at the cognates of a word, or the parts of a word that borrow or share origins with another language you already know.

Chunks of Language

In this method, also called "chunking", the idea is to study chunks of language rather than individual words. That might mean choosing to learn short sentences or phrases, such as “I’m so hungry” or “Where is the bathroom?”

This can be even more helpful if you’re trying to learn abstract words because you can connect those words to a sentence you might actually use or remember.

Examples of the concept in music and art

Have you ever learned a new word only to suddenly see or hear it everywhere you go? If so, it probably made you more likely to remember the word later on.

Seeking out examples in music, movies, or even advertisements can help reinforce words that might otherwise slip your mind.

Final Tips to Keep in Mind

Don’t beat yourself up for forgetting something.

The leading scientific theory is that humans tend to halve their memory of newly learned knowledge in a matter of days or weeks unless they consciously review the learned material. This is known as the forgetting curve.

In other words, you simply can’t expect to remember everything all the time. Even native speakers forget words in their native language from time to time.

By the way, if you're interested in my best tips for learning grammar (and why memorizing is NOT among them), don't miss this blog article full of grammar boosts.

Remember to continue reviewing and revising your vocab list.

You might find that some words still give you trouble, so you need to make use of a few different methods if you want to learn them. If there are words that you find difficult to remember, it is okay to also decide that some of the words on your list might not be as important as you thought.

True fact: If a word is important enough, it will make sure that you remember it!

Make sure to apply what you’re learning.

You should always make a conscious effort to use a few new words outside of dedicated study sessions. This might mean actively using new words in conversation, using your vocabulary list to search social media or find new hashtags to follow, or looking for news articles about related topics.

Above all, don’t worry about your level when you’re trying to learn vocab. As long as you’ve got a handle on the basics using new words in sentences and questions, you can learn any vocabulary words you want. After all, you never stop learning new words.

Kerstin Cable 20/03/2017 Kerstin Cable 20/03/2017

How To Create The Best Vocabulary Learning Technique In Any Language

How can you make sure that your memory is always sharp - even when you're learning important vocabulary?

Here are a few important points that will help you set up your language learning routine. The concept always remains the same: You need to acquire, memorize and review your words until they go in

How can you make sure that your memory is always sharp - even when you're learning important vocabulary?

Here are a few important points that will help you set up your language learning routine. The concept always remains the same: You need to acquire, memorize and review your words until they go in.

Follow The Vocab Flow: Acquire, Memorize, Review

There are three steps that I want to take you through about vocabulary. These steps don't make up a method, but they will teach you how to think about vocabulary.

1) You Can Learn a Language Without Frequent Word Lists

The first step is growing (or acquiring) your vocabulary, and this one is about organization. You need to know where to find the words. Some learners use frequency lists for this, but in reality your new vocabulary is all around you.

It's more helpful to you if you think about which words matter the most to you and what you will want to talk about. For example, in Welsh I learnt the word for "self-employed" really early because a lot of new friends at the Eisteddfod asked me what I do. That is not a word you'll find in frequent word lists, but it's definitely one I need.

2) How to Memorize Vocabulary With Ease

There are lots of methods for memorizing vocabulary. For me, two core steps work best: First of all, I examine my vocab lists and start looking for patterns. Words are made up of different components, and many of those components repeat in language.

My background in having learnt Latin and many other languages comes in very handy here. For example, look out for prefixes, for example I started seeing more words that started in cefn in Welsh, so I looked up the meaning of cefn by itself and started to see a pattern in how all those words connect.

Related Blog Article: What Gets Easier When You Study More Languages?

If you're a German learner, check out this interesting explanation of how the prefixes work and what many of them mean.

If you don't want to observe your words themselves, you can also check out word association and even Memory Palaces. Connect your words to something that is meaningful and vibrant for you - this works with phone numbers and grammar rules too. Pretty much anything. In The Vocab Cookbook, I described some of these methods step-by-step so you can practice memorization immediately.

3) You Can Train Yourself to Remember Vocabulary

No matter how well you memorize a word, your brain might forget it at some point. This isn't a failure - in fact, it's normal.

All language learners recognise that forgetting is part of this learning process. The forgetting curve isn't so easy to control, either. Sometimes a word can stay in your mind for a week or two, just to disappear after another week. This is why good systems work on the spaced repetition system (SRS), meaning you will need to revisit words many times over...but you also get a break in between.

Great online systems that are built on SRS abound, and you will find that most flashcard apps are built on it. My personal system is first based on handwriting and working away from screens. But for the stubborn words, I also add in a Memrise course in which I curate the words to be the most efficient use of my time.

But every now and then, I trail off and just study everything. Make it your own and "do you" -- it's one of my favourite rules!

What's Your Best Vocabulary Learning System?

You don't have to follow every single step and become a slave to my method.

Instead, experiment through finding a style that you can set once and use for ANY language you'll ever want to learn.

Kerstin Cable 06/02/2017 Kerstin Cable 06/02/2017

Writing: The Magic Skill for Better Memory and Focus in Any Language

Writing in another language is so deep, focused and beneficial. It can be a little difficult to build a writing habit at first, I know. But with a clear focus on fluency and a few simple steps to break down your practice, this is not something you'll want to miss out on. Check out these simple tips - they work for any level.

Writing in another language is so deep, focused and beneficial - think Deep Work by Cal Newport. It can be a little difficult to build a writing habit at first, I know. But with a clear focus on fluency and a few simple steps to break down your practice, this is not something you'll want to miss out on.

Do You Like Videos?

Check out my Fluent Friday video on this topic, click here to find it in my Facebook community.

So how should you effectively build the writing skill into your language learning routine? Let's jump right in and examine the best ways to get going.

And remember: As long as you're doing it, there's no way you're doing it wrong. (Click here to tweet this)

1. Practice At The Right Level

In case you've been focused on speaking practice and audio courses, you might not be familiar with writing routines yet. There are several levels you can use for getting started.

>>> Word Level Practice

My husband is a sporadic German learner who loves using apps, and recently I got him to try out Memrise in addition to Duolingo. The difference was surprising. Both offer a course for complete beginners, yet he quickly noticed that Memrise felt "a lot tougher, more like a challenge". There are several differences, but a key observation is that Memrise makes its users write their vocabulary words a lot more.

We cannot solve the problem of spelling without knowing something about how the rest of language works. (David Crystal)

Writing words makes you pay attention to spelling, to how the sounds connect and how pronunciation influences how a word looks. The coolest thing about core language skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) is that you never practice one in isolation.

>>> Chunk and Sentence Level Practice

Done with words? Start putting them together! If you want to become that language expert who can say anything they like...if you want to break free from templates and stock sentences...nothing will be nicer than writing your own!

Start with simple gap filling exercises that you can find in any textbook, and then get creative! If you can write "good" into this gap, how else could the sentence look? What if there was a feminine word here?

Write your first small pieces, core sentences like a journalist: What happens when, why, how? Who is involved?

>>> Transcription Level Practice

Next it's time to start writing what you hear. For this method, you need a small and comprehensible audio source. Try a song, a short video clip with subtitles, or perhaps Glossika audio packages. This is important: There must be a correct (official) transcript that you can use as an answer key.

Listen to the recording and write down what you hear. Pause it as many times. Be as accurate as you can possibly be. And when you're done, it's the moment of truth: Check the answer key, analyze your mistakes, and correct what you've written.

My colleague Ron Gullekson has written a guide to transcription on Languagesurfer.com, which is worth bookmarking!

2. Use Writing To Boost Accuracy

You probably know that "fluency" is a tough one to define. For me, the following definition from Keith Johnson's book "An Introduction to Foreign Language Learning and Teaching" sums it up best: Fluency is a mix of rapidity and accuracy in another language. So your speaking practice is giving you rapidity, and you need to boost your accuracy too.

In conversation and especially in speaking practice, you can get away with a lot. The purpose of your speaking practice is to keep moving, to make yourself more flexible and recover swiftly from forgotten words and wrong grammar. Speaking practice is about developing that rapid sense of "fluency", of handling a real chat in another language.

In writing practice, there is no place to hide. This is where you train your accuracy, the linguistic skill that you need for true fluency, confidence, and ultimately for coming anywhere near the level that you dream of achieving.

3. Write By Hand, Boost Your Memory

Working with pen and paper offers you lots of extra advantages when it comes to organizing and tracking your language progress. There are the simple benefits, like tracking visible progress on paper and resting your eyes after many screen hours.

But even beyond those things, handwriting is also scientifically proven to aid memory many times over. Do you keep forgetting vocab? Get yourself a handwritten list. Need to nail down core phrases for your next conversation? Jot them on a card.

For more details on why this works, check out The Miraculous Benefits of Keeping a Language Notebook. And make sure you hop on the Fluent Newsletter today so you're the first to know when my brand new language tracker goes live and you can print & use it at home!

4. Get The Most Out of Every Error

Since writing is a practice that really brings out your hidden weaknesses, it's easy to abandon your practice after you get the first feedback. I feel it all the time when someone writes a friendly comment on my Instagram feed, correcting my Welsh. It's embarrassing!

If you're trying to learn another language, you'll already know one thing. Embarrassment is not just necessary. It is WELCOME. Start learning from your mistakes in this simple way: After you receive a correction, go back and rewrite what you have previously written. Make that text as pure and lovely as you intended. Heck, go ahead and post it online!

I find that correcting my mistakes in writing is one of the most satisfying things in language learning. It's rewarding because you can feel yourself learning.

5. Aim For Exams

Writing big, long, connected pieces of prose is a very advanced language skill. If you're able to put together a postcard, a simple letter or a short description of something, congratulations. You're a language learner who's mastered everything you need for core communication.

To grow your writing practice, my top advice is to work with the exam sets for levels B1 and upwards. These exams get more demanding for language writers, while the lower levels are too easy to master and wouldn't help you catch all your errors.

For corrections of advanced writing, try a good and specialised italki tutor, a translator from ProZ, or an academic proofreader.

The Bottom Line

You might not enjoy the slow pace of writing practice at first, but that's because writing in another language is a routine that delivers real focus. Focus takes effort, but in the end, you will start developing a huge sense of progress and achievement in your target language. Your core skills will appreciate the little lift you're giving them, and those new memory connections are invaluable.