Learning vocabulary is a great challenge in language learning. It doesn’t matter how easy the language is, there are still thousands of words to learn. How should  you do it? In this post I’m going to summarize the answers to that question given by a wide range of language learners here, putting those responses in the context of Afghanistan and the resources that we have available to us.

How should you study vocabulary? There is not one answer to that question. It depends on your learning style. You can take the full inventory, but my guess is that there are two crucial factors.

The first factor is whether you are extroverted  or introverted. If interacting with people gives you energy, pick an interactive way to learn vocabulary. If it wears you out, find a way that gives you some alone time. The best study technique is the one that you actually do.

The second factor is whether you are a visual, aural, or tactile learner, or whether you learn best with a combination of stimuli. You want to choose a modality that helps you learn.

Studying in private

• Flashcards are a popular approach. (It’s hard to argue with those numbers. I’ve learned more than 4,000 words in three years, in less than ten minutes per day.) You can get started with Anki today.
  • Some people like to be prompted by an image. This is certainly better for picturable items, though it is time-consuming.
  • Some IAM members have put audio recordings into their Anki decks, so that they’re prompted by the sound of the word.
  • Several people recommending learning the word as part of a phrase. Certainly an example sentence can help.
• The next three points are ways to review vocabulary in context, without flashcards: through listening to recordings, watching videos, or reading.
  • Listen to recordings or watching videos. Particularly if you are an aural learner, this can be helpful. Develop the habit of listening to recordings on a daily or weekly basis.
  • You can learn by reading new texts. You can review by reading familiar texts over and over.
  • Listening and reading. One person suggests reading along while listening to an audio book. This strikes me as a fairly difficult activity, but it’s not impossible if you can get ahold of some recordings.
• Some points to keep in mind
  • Half the trouble here is finding appropriate texts. You could start with some simple stories, or some (harder) news texts.
  • Note down words or grammar that you’ve forgotten, so you can go back with it later (perhaps with a teacher). I write down the name of the audio file and the time of the unfamiliar word, for instance.
  • If everything in the text or recording is familiar, you’re still developing fluency, so it’s a win-win.

Learning with others

• Context is always helpful, so learning and reinforcing vocabulary by interacting with people is a great thing to do.
  • Keep a notebook handy so that you can write down new words and phrases
  • Try to repeat a new word soon after you hear it
  • Be sensitive to the way people echo your speech
• You can have intentional conversation practice outside of the language classroom
  • Hire a conversation partner to speak with for an hour or two a week. It’s more natural to control the subject of a conversation if it’s not just a social visit.
  • You can trade an hour of English for an hour of Dari/Pashtu/Uzbek conversation.

General tips

• You’ve got to beat it into your brain with lots of repetitions. Whatever you do, do it consistently so that you get the reps in.
• Mnemonics are very helpful, especially if you’re learning words out of context.

Quirky methods

• Develop the habit of describing the world around you—silently! You’ll be surprised at how much you don’t know how to say. Take notes of what you need to learn. You’re also rehearsing the words that you do know.
• One person suggests learning from music lyrics. This is not impossible with Dari, but music can use elevated grammar and vocabulary, and most of it is romantic. Unless you routinely deal with star-crossed lovers, this might not be the most efficient way!
• Some people write out labels for everything in the house and the office. This limits the domain of vocabulary, but it’s a great way to refresh those words.