How to Learn Vocabulary in Foreign Language

Learning a new language could be intimidating at first and you have no idea where to start. There are thousands of words to learn, and hundreds more idioms and phrases you need to understand.

Take a step back and understand that it will take some time. You cannot learn a language in one sitting and it's probably going to take years, but you have to start somewhere and commit to it.

Here's a guide for you on how you can start building your foreign vocabulary.

1. Learn the Words That Matter First

You won't be able to memorize thousands of new words immediately and not all the words in a new language will be of use to you. Focus on the words that matter to you first.

You should start by learning high-frequency words. These are words that are used most often in everyday writing and speech, different from academic and technical words. High-frequency words are in simple greetings and phrases such as "Good evening" and "How much does this cost?"

These words and phrases are introduced in beginner-level textbooks and courses, but you can also look them up online. For example, if you wanna know what those are in the Italian language, simply search "What are the most common Italian words?" and you'd see a list among the top results. This works for most other languages.

2. Learn the Words in Context

Do not try to learn words in isolation. Look for sentences and phrases that use them so you'd understand the spirit of the word, not just its blunt translation in your native language.

You can learn words in context the best by reading books in that language, reading the news, listening to podcasts, and watching movies.

Start by reading and watching nursery rhymes as they use the most easily understandable words and phrases. Learn from media marketed to children first. Once you already have a good grasp of high-frequency words, you can move on to watching movies in that foreign language that are marketed to young adults or older.

3. Make Flash Cards and Keep on Reviewing

Use good old classic flash cards. This is especially useful in learning languages that use different scripts such as Chinese and Arabic.

Write the foreign word on one side of each card and its translation in your native language on the other. Keep on reviewing your flashcards from time to time, maybe fifteen to thirty minutes daily. Do them in short but frequent bursts.

Don't make the mistake of ignoring the cards you feel like you've already memorized. The chances of you forgetting them are still quite high especially when you're a beginner. Make sure you always get the chance to review all the words more than once.

4. Dissect the Words

An effective way to get a good understanding of a new language is to learn root words and affixes. This way you could guess the meaning of new words without consulting a dictionary.

In the English language, for example, the root word "FORM" means shape. It is the root word of conFORM, FORMation, reFORM. Each word has a different meaning, but in one way or another, they all pertain to "shape".

5. Practice the Language

It's easier to remember the language when you use it.

Communicate with a friend who speaks it or try thinking in that language. When you're watching a movie in your native language, try translating the dialogues to the language you're trying to learn and say it out loud. Do this as often as you can.