How to learn vocabulary so you actually remember it

You learn a new word on Monday. By Friday, it's gone. Sound familiar? Forgetting is not a sign that you are bad at languages. It's simply how memory works. The good news is that a few research-backed techniques can dramatically improve how much vocabulary you keep.

Use spaced repetition

The psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus showed in the 1880s that we forget new information very quickly unless we review it. The most efficient way to review is to do it just before you would forget: after one day, then three days, then a week, then a month. Each review strengthens the memory and makes the next gap longer.

Flashcard apps do this scheduling for you, but a simple paper system works too. Our vocabulary flashcards let you mark the words you already know, so you can focus your reviews on the ones you're still learning.

Learn words in context, not in lists

A word on its own is hard to remember and hard to use. A word in a sentence comes with grammar, meaning and a situation attached. Instead of memorizing deadline = date limit, learn The deadline for the report is Friday. When you need the word later, the whole sentence comes back with it.

Learn the words that go together

Native speakers don't just know words. They know which words go together. These partnerships are called collocations. For example, we say heavy rain (not strong rain), make a decision (not do a decision) and highly recommended (not very recommended). Whenever you learn a new noun, note a verb and an adjective that often go with it.

Test yourself instead of rereading

Rereading a word list feels productive, but it isn't very effective. Trying to remember a word, even if you fail, creates a much stronger memory. Cover the definition and try to recall it. Use the word in a new sentence. This effort, called retrieval practice, is one of the most reliable findings in learning research.

Say it out loud

Words you have only read stay passive: you recognize them, but you can't use them. Say new words out loud, use them in conversation the same day and write them in a sentence about your own life. The more ways you use a word, the more connections your brain makes.

Be selective

You don't need to learn every word you see. Focus on words that are frequent, because you see them again and again, and useful for you, because they relate to your job, your studies or your interests. A relatively small number of very common words make up most of what we read and hear every day, so a focused list goes a long way.

A simple daily routine: learn five new words in context, review yesterday's words, and use at least three words from this week in a sentence about your day.