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How to learn vocab in a foreign language?


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When I learn languages, I quickly understand how the language works and all that.

However, I never have enough vocab because I just can't manage to keep it in my head.

So what I need is a way of memorizing vocab that is fast and not too tiring to the brain. Please don't tell me to listen to it, it works a bit better than reading it many times but it is still not effective.

I currently take memory supplements.

Just an end note, I see I have a problem whenever I have to memorize anything by heart which affects my exam grades. "Uh, what's tan60 and cos45 again? And how do you test for carbon dioxide?" are common questions that I can't answer as they rely on memory.

Thanks if you answer peeps!

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to quote my Russian teacher: "write the living god out of the words" AKA write and say the words over and over until you can do it without thinking. It's tedious without question but it works. 

There is no easy way to learn words as far as I know. I'm still trying to find an short cut method but for now I write out words until they become second nature. Even words as long and complex as "осматривать достопримечательности" can be learned in this manner. I think I spent maybe 2 minutes on this word and can literally spell/pronounce this word on cue. 

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Short term memory or long term memory?

For short term, like preparing for a vocab quiz 5 minutes before the test (uh...), I find writing the words down on a piece of paper multiple times enough.

For long term, I try to use words in my daily conversation.  In my Mandarin B HL class, my classmates and I always crack jokes using new and old vocabulary, so maybe you could get you and your classmates to do this too.  Put a fun twist on it...we all realize how childish/bookworm/nerdy/etc. this is, but that's one point that adds to the comedic value.

For the memorization issue you have, not all things require memorization; you need to memorize the fundamentals and then extrapolate.  For example, the cosX and sinX can easily be found if you memorize the unit circle, which is pretty straightforward.  If you have trouble with it, copy it a few times (or print out a circle with all the values left blank).  Then memorize tanX = sinX / cosX

Edited by DJT
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