5-step System to Learn German Vocabulary
Our goal is to create a framework that allows you to consistently add German words to your vocabulary and that—if you stick with it—will inevitably lead to success.
- Collection
- Translation
- Processing
- Practice
- Repetition
Let’s go over them one by one.
1. Collect unknown vocabulary.
The first step in widening your Wortschatz (German for “word pool,” literally word treasure) is to find German words that make sense to add to your knowledge.
In the beginning, this will, of course, be most of them. You can either find relevant vocabulary by using existing German vocabulary lists or by exposing yourself to content and opportunities where new stuff is likely to come up (more on that below).
What’s important is that you write down any word you are unfamiliar with or anything in your own language that comes to mind that you would like to or need to say in German. That’s what the notebook is for. Make it your one-stop tool for German vocab study.
2. Look up the meanings of unknown words.
If you are a diligent student (which I am sure you are), you should be able to put together a long German vocabulary list in no time. Now you need to find translations for the words (both German and your own language) to memorize their meanings.
- Input them into your study tools.
Now that you have your language pairs, they need to become part of your study system. Depending on what you are using, this can mean writing flashcards or importing a file into your memorization app.
Anki, for example, allows you to import a .csv file with German words in one column and their counterparts in the other. From there, the software will automatically create flashcards with the language pairs on the front and back.
To do so, merely input your word pairs into a spreadsheet and when saving, choose “Text CSV” as the file format. Pick UTF-8 for the character set and make note of the field and text dividers. You will have to match the settings inside Anki for the software to properly process your word pairs.
Whichever method you choose, just make sure everything gets added to your study system (no word left behind!).
4. Practice regularly.
The most important part for attaining your goal of fluency is, of course, to actually learn the things you are collecting. What good are the best tools in the world if you don’t use them?
To ensure consistent study, it’s best to make it a habit. Find some time in your day where you will study your vocabulary and set a fixed appointment.
Early in the morning, right before lunch, whenever is good for you. Ten minutes consistently every day is better than an hour once a week on Fridays.
5. Rinse and repeat.
The rest of the process for how to memorize German vocabulary is just repetition. If you can, add vocabulary to your notebook daily. Even just five extra words per day (easily found in a 5-minute podcast) results in 150 new additions to your German vocabulary in a month.
At that rate, you would arrive at our target number of 1,300 words in just 8.5 months! If you are not getting faster, that is (which you will). Plus by using some of the resources below, you will be able to add large chunks of German knowledge to your curriculum in one fell swoop and cut down on that time considerably!
To make the whole process less tedious, I find it best to designate one day at the end of the week for translation and word processing. Sunday night works well. That way you can collect new words every day for a whole week and then batch input them into the system. It also leaves you free to concentrate on studying vocab during weekdays, thereby creating fewer excuses not to do it.
However, the key is to adhere to this process consistently. If you do, attaining a large German vocabulary should pose no problem at all. Expose yourself to new words, collect them, find their counterparts and study. Easy peasy.
6.Embrace the familiar with cognates
Even if you are not aware of it, German has a lot of words that are very easy to recognize. These are called cognates. It’s a term that describes words that have been “borrowed” from other languages or share the same root and are therefore very similar.
Because of their common heritage, German and English have a lot of these.
7. Talk it out with a language partner
As soon as you can communicate even a little in your new language you should get yourself a German language partner. Talking to people, especially about your normal life, will yield a plethora of useful words and phrases and bolster you vocabulary list immensely.
8. Watch movies and TV (you know you want to)
After print media you can branch out to moving pictures. Check out the resources on German dubbed movies and how to watch German TV online. Use subtitles to catch words you don’t understand and their spelling.
9. Other sources of German vocabulary
If you are advanced enough to talk to natives, read and watch material in German, you can switch to whichever form of language consumption you prefer. There are podcasts, German radio, songs in German and so much more. Have some fun with it!
