Memory techniques can vastly speed up language learning. This is especially true for remembering long vocabulary lists, where using mnemonics rather than rote learning can mean getting through a lot more words in a day. You will also find higher accuracy the following day as fewer newly learned words drop off than with traditional learning. This shortens the overall time for both cramming and long-term learning.
For this blog I look at a sample group of Spanish fruits and vegetables and explain how you can remember them using memory techniques and recall if a word is masculine or feminine. I also touch on how you can remember the new words for the longer run by using spaced repetition.
To learn a list of language vocabulary, follow these 3 steps:
1. Gather and sort the information:
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- Get all the words together
- Think about any grammatical rules and understand them
- Google how each word sounds
- Consider if remembering the words in a certain order would assist
- For Spanish (as there is masculine and feminine),separate these words into those two lists
2. Use image association mnemonics and place the new words in a memory palace for languages.
Image association:
For each word visualise an object or objects that represent it and make another image that represents how the foreign word sounds. Place the objects for one word in one location in a memory palace. See below for examples.
Why a memory palace:
There are three reasons I would likely use a memory palace for language vocabulary like this.
First, being in a memory palace helps my brain get an extra association. This assists your brain to find the right word, almost like bringing up the right computer “file”.
Second, this file also identifies they are feminine words. You look at the word in your mind and depending on where it is you know if it is masculine or feminine.
Thirdly, memory palaces act as a complete file you can access anytime. This is great if you are somewhere bored and you want to do something productive and can’t look at any other device. You may be surprised how often this happens, for example when waiting your turn, taking a walk or trying to get to sleep.
At this point, if you don’t know how to use a memory palace check out this blog, and this video.
Note – if you prefer not to use a memory palace:
You can also memorize without a memory palace if you prefer, you just do the same visualisation image association technique without attaching it to a place. When you go back over your remembered information you just try to see the image you are remembering (ie: an apple) to help you get the corresponding foreign word.
To remember the words are feminine without a palace you can add another clue in the image. For example all feminine fruits were up high in the air and all masculine down on the ground. There are lots of tricks like this, think fire and ice, black and white or colour.
3. Used spaced repetition for long term learning.
Once the information is in your short-term memory you want to make sure you go back over it so it moves to long run learning. For this you can either make a note yourself and run back through the information periodically or use an app to assist you. I am a big fan of Anki for my review, I will be making a video shortly to explain Anki further.
Below is an example of steps 1,2 and 3 in action.
Step 1:
I’ve collected a short list of Spanish vocabulary (fruits and vegetables) and sorted them, and have decided to do feminine words in a palace first. I read through the list to get a feel and to see repeating word sounds, noting the grammar, that feminine is La beforehand and ends in a (generally) as well. I also oogle how to say the words as I am more interested in speaking rather than writing, and I note the pronunciation next to the words.
Step 2:
I choose my palace, someone’s place that will remind me the words are feminine. My mum’s house, or a feminine friend I know. Then I run through the list making associations. I say each foreign word and think what the components sound like to me and select an image for each component, and then attach those images to the meaning in a story. This happens in a new location for each word.
These are my associations, with my accent, they are chosen to try to help me find the right pronunciation. You would likely have completely different images that would spring to mind.
- Apple (la manzana) – mahn-SAH-nah
At the front steps to this house: I see a man who is under an umbrella which is blocking his face. The ‘u’ in umbrella reminds to pronounce it mahn not man. His face is blocked from full view so I cant see if my friend sara is there. As I look closer I say “nah” which means no in Australia. My friend Sara is not there, but I see there is a big apple instead.
- Orange (la naranja) –nah-RAHN-hah
At the front door there is a big orange, I go to stick a straw in to drink from it. The orange comes alive and animated and says Nah, runs away and karate kicks me saying Ha.
- Strawberry (la fresa) – FREH-sah
Inside the door there is a sideboard. I see my friend Freya in a freezer holding a plate of strawberries.
- Lettuce (la lechuga) leh-CHOO-gah
On the couch edge I see a lettuce, I chew a bit of it, and realise I am biting the head of a Galah (an iconic Australian cockatoo), you could instead use something else you know, like Lady Gaga.
- Cauliflower (la coliflor) koh-lee-flor
This one is pretty easy. I am up to my friend’s carpet for the next palace location, I see Cauli in florets on the floor. The first part is slightly pronounced more like call (in my accent) but with a bit of care this should be fine.
Step 3:
Spaced repletion helps to solidify your new learning and over time move it to long term memory. Once it is in your long term memory you no longer necessarily “see” the images anymore, you just now know the word.
First on the day of memorization you will need to go through it a few times, if there are errors check that your image matches the foreign word. You might want to google the pronunciation again to see if you are still saying it correctly and adjust any images accordingly. Initially I had the strawberries in the freezer only, and needed to change it to add Freya to get the start of the word right.
The following day run over this list again and then in a few days time, in a week and so on.
Using some flashcard repetition software like Anki takes the guesswork out and uses data to tell you what word to recap and when, depending on how easy you found it in the past.
That is it! Practicing these memory techniques for language learning makes remembering lists of new vocabulary super easy.
My YouTube channel also has a video explaining this blog Memory hacks – how to remember any language faster – Spanish.
As a professional memory coach in Australia, I help language learners like you with personalised memory training for languages. Book a session here.
