Learning a foreign language — particularly as an adult — can be frustrating. Learning the vocabulary is half the battle, which means improving your memory. There are plenty of memory tricks you can use, but repetition is hands-down the most popular method. If you can consistently see, hear and write a word, it will eventually become ingrained in your memory. Following are some unique tips for memorizing foreign language vocabulary.
Use Post-It Notes One of the best ways to memorize foreign language vocabulary is to start with the objects you see and use every day. Grab your vocabulary textbook and a packet of Post-It notes and start sticking them on various objects in your home. The desk, a mirror, your refrigerator, a potted plant, the bed and everything else can serve as your study buddies. Just write the word in the foreign language on your Post-It and you’ll see it each time you use or see that object. It won’t feel like studying, but it will be far more effective.
Read Children’s Books Another great way to memorize foreign language vocabulary is by reading children’s books. You can find them online or even in your local library written in multiple languages, and they use sufficiently simple vocabulary that you won’t have trouble reading most of the words. When you run across a word you don’t know or can’t remember, have a foreign language dictionary handy to look it up.
Watch Foreign Films Often, hearing words spoken in a foreign language will help you memorize vocabulary. Most film stores and rental shops have a foreign film section from which you can choose multiple titles. Take them home and watch them over and over again, looking for context clues to help you figure out what’s being said. If you’re trying to learn Spanish, you can also watch the Spanish channel on television. I’ve found that talk shows in Spanish are often more entertaining and it is usually easy to figure out the gist of what people are saying.
Find a Friend If you have a friend who is fluent (or close to fluent) in the foreign language for which you’re trying to memorize vocabulary, make a rule that you can only speak to one another in that language when you’re together. If you don’t recognize a word, let your friend tell you the meaning in English, then continue the dialogue speaking the foreign language. This is incredibly helpful because you’ll not only hear the words, but also the ways in which you are used.
Think in the Foreign Language This is an interesting concept put forth by a professor at Yale University. He says that if you can think in a foreign language, you’ll be able to speak it more quickly. For example, if you’re trying to learn Spanish vocabulary, instead of saying to yourself, “I’m so thirsty,” think, “Tengo mucha sed. This might take some getting used to, but if you’re talking with people in a foreign language, you might start thinking that way on your own.
Set Vocabulary to Music The final unique way to memorize foreign language vocabulary is by setting it to music. Many children learn small foreign language phrases through songs, which means you can, too. For example, if you are trying to learn German, you might set your vocabulary to a rapid waltz.
