Tips for Vocabulary Building (That Actually Stick)
1. Start With Your Words
Based on the principles of meaningful learning (Ausubel, 1963)
Rather than memorizing a generic “top 1,000 words” list, begin with words that actually matter to you. According to Ausubel’s theory of meaningful learning, people retain new knowledge better when it connects to existing mental structures. So if you’re constantly talking about coffee, books, or your dog—start there. Make a list of 50 high-frequency words from your own life, and then supplement it with a curated high-frequency list in your target language.
2. Use Flashcards with Spaced Repetition
Backed by spacing effect research (Ebbinghaus, 1885; Cepeda et al., 2006)
Spaced repetition is one of the most robust memory strategies in cognitive science. It works by re-exposing you to information right before you’re about to forget it, strengthening your long-term recall.
Apps like Anki or Quizlet implement this automatically. Just make sure your cards are rich, not boring. Instead of just “Word → Translation,” add:
Example sentences (deepens contextual understanding)
Images or mnemonics (dual coding theory; Paivio, 1991)
Audio clips (phonological loop reinforcement; Baddeley, 2003)
The more modalities you engage, the better your brain retains the word.
3. Learn in Context, Not Isolation
Informed by Krashen’s Input Hypothesis (1985) and the Depth of Processing Framework (Craik & Tulving, 1975)
Seeing a word in context—through books, captions, music, or native content—helps encode it more deeply. This is because your brain doesn’t just store the word itself—it also stores how it was used, why it mattered, and what it meant in that moment.
This is called deep processing, and it’s far more effective than shallow repetition. Krashen also emphasizes that comprehensible input (material slightly above your current level) is key to acquiring language naturally.
So read texts that almost make sense. Watch videos you mostly understand. Let words surprise you in real settings.
4. Retrieve, Don’t Just Review
The Testing Effect (Roediger & Karpicke, 2006)
Here’s a wild fact: trying to recall a word—even if you fail—is more effective than rereading it ten times. This is known as the testing effect, and it’s one of the most powerful tools in your memory toolkit.
So instead of flipping through flashcards passively, try:
Writing journal entries from memory
Describing your room in your target language
Quizzing yourself with “blank” cards
Using new words in speech, even if awkwardly
Struggling to retrieve something strengthens the neural pathway. Struggle is good!
5. Mix It Up! (Interleaving)
Supported by interleaved practice research (Birnbaum et al., 2013)
Your brain learns best when it’s a little unstable. If you review vocab in the same order, the same way, every day—it gets too comfortable. Interleaving (mixing different topics, word types, or activities) forces your brain to stay alert and adapt.
For vocab review, this might look like:
Randomizing your flashcard order
Mixing grammar and vocab tasks in one session
Reviewing adjectives, then verbs, then nouns
Practicing reading, then writing, then speaking
It feels harder—but that’s what makes it more effective.
6. Track Your “Sticky” and “Slippery” Words
Metacognitive regulation (Flavell, 1979)
Not all words are equally learnable. Some will click instantly; others will slide right off your brain. Instead of fighting that, track it. Create a “sticky” list (words you remember easily) and a “slippery” list (words you keep forgetting).
This builds your metacognitive awareness—the ability to monitor your learning process and adapt. Research shows that learners who actively reflect on their performance learn more efficiently (Dunlosky & Rawson, 2012).
Use your “slippery” list to create extra review challenges, mnemonics, or visual cues that make those words more memorable.
7. Immerse Yourself—And Make It Personal
Grounded in embodied cognition (Barsalou, 2008) and meaningful learning theory (Ausubel, 1963)
One of the biggest vocabulary mistakes people make is trying to memorize words in isolation, pulled from a random list. Sure, “apple, table, chair” are common—but are they you?
Immersion is more than just surrounding yourself with the language—it’s about embedding new words in real-life, emotional, and meaningful experiences. Cognitive science shows that when you learn something through personal relevance and rich sensory context, your brain encodes it more deeply and retrieves it more easily. This is tied to the theory of embodied cognition, which suggests we learn best when new knowledge is linked to real-world perception and action (Barsalou, 2008).
So instead of memorizing a stock photo of a random “dog,” use a picture of your dog. Don’t just learn the word for “interesting”—connect it to a memory, a favorite book, or a moment when you used it.
Even better: build little stories out of your new words. If you’re learning five new words today (like book, coffee, morning, cold, quiet), turn them into a one-sentence story: “This morning, I drank coffee and read a quiet book in the cold.” That’s how the brain wants to learn—through association and narrative.
Research bonus: According to the dual coding theory (Paivio, 1991), combining text with images leads to stronger recall—especially when the image has emotional or personal meaning.
This also connects to Krashen’s idea of compelling input—the more interesting and relevant the material is, the faster and more naturally you acquire it (Krashen, 1994).
So yes, immersion is key—but only when it's your world you're immersing into.
Here is a useful video!
References
Ausubel, D. P. (1963). The Psychology of Meaningful Verbal Learning. Grune & Stratton.
Baddeley, A. (2003). Working memory: Looking back and looking forward. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 4(10), 829–839. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn1201
Birnbaum, M. S., Kornell, N., Bjork, E. L., & Bjork, R. A. (2013). Why interleaving enhances inductive learning: The roles of discrimination and retrieval. Memory & Cognition, 41(3), 392–402. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13421-012-0272-7
Cepeda, N. J., Pashler, H., Vul, E., Wixted, J. T., & Rohrer, D. (2006). Distributed practice in verbal recall tasks: A review and quantitative synthesis. Psychological Bulletin, 132(3), 354–380. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.132.3.354
Craik, F. I. M., & Tulving, E. (1975). Depth of processing and the retention of words in episodic memory. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 104(3), 268–294. https://doi.org/10.1037/0096-3445.104.3.268
Dunlosky, J., & Rawson, K. A. (2012). Overconfidence produces underachievement: Inaccurate self evaluations undermine students’ learning and retention. Learning and Instruction, 22(4), 271–280. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2011.08.003
Flavell, J. H. (1979). Metacognition and cognitive monitoring: A new area of cognitive–developmental inquiry. American Psychologist, 34(10), 906–911. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.34.10.906
Krashen, S. D. (1985). The Input Hypothesis: Issues and Implications. Longman.
Paivio, A. (1991). Dual coding theory: Retrospect and current status. Canadian Journal of Psychology, 45(3), 255–287. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0084295
Roediger, H. L., & Karpicke, J. D. (2006). Test-enhanced learning: Taking memory tests improves long-term retention. Psychological Science, 17(3), 249–255. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2006.01693.x
