Learning Spanish can seem like a daunting endeavor, especially considering all of the vocabulary you need to learn. But don’t worry; here is a list of five tricks to make sure the Spanish vocabulary words you learn will stick in your head:
1. Always Carry A Notebook
One of the first steps to improving your vocabulary recall is to make note of new words that you hear. One way to do this is to carry around a small notebook that you can use to write down any vocabulary words. Next time you see or hear unfamiliar words on TV, in a conversation, in a newspaper, or on a street sign, write them down in your notebook. Then you can look them up in a dictionary later. If you get a pocket-sized notebook, you can carry it around wherever you go, and using this method will also let you see how fast your vocabulary is growing.
2. Engage Your Senses
To really remember vocabulary, you need to experience the words multiple ways: through sight, sound, and even movement. When practicing vocabulary, use as many senses as possible. Write each vocabulary word ten times while saying it out loud, or draw a picture of each word and write its meaning below.
3. Make It Fun
You’re more likely to remember and learn vocabulary if you make it fun. Play games with yourself– set a timer and see how many words you can remember in a minute, or label all of the objects in a room in your new language. Compete with a friend to see who can remember and write words the fastest, or play Pictionary or hangman in your new language.
4. Relate It To What You Already Know
Research shows that connecting new concepts to previously learned ones can help you learn them better. To do this, make associations for yourself between your Spanish vocabulary and other things– the more ridiculous, the better! For example, to remember the meaning of buscar , picture yourself looking for a bus or car in the parking lot. For alguien, remember, “I’ll get in anyone’s car.”