Think your memory isn't good enough to learn a language? Think again, and try these 10 memory-boosting tips that will help you learn a language faster and retain it longer.

1. Must-Try
10
Memory
Boosters for
Language Learners

2. When it comes
to languages,
your memory is
like a suitcase.
Image © Gideon | flickr

3. Image © Shockingly Tasty | flickr
You want to fit as much in there
as you possibly can.

4. But you also want to be able to
access the contents quickly
and easily.
Image © body_pixel | flickr

5. Fortunately, there are a few things everyone can do to
optimize how they pack and unpack a language within
their memory.
Image © Cea. | flickr

6. CHUNKING

7. The average person can store between
4-7 items in their short-term memory at
any given time. Push that limit with
the chunking technique.
Image © InSapphoWeTrust | flickr

8. By grouping together several
smaller items into one larger,
more meaningful item, you’ll
be able to store more
information.
Image © InSapphoWeTrust | flickr

9. Focus on learning meaningful chunks of a
language as a whole, rather than dissecting and
memorizing the individual parts.1

10. Take the expression
“to pay out of
pocket.”
It may seem easier to break
it down into its parts, but that
will not help you establish
the meaning. It’s better to
learn idioms and
collocations as whole
chunks.
Image © danielmoyle | flickr

11. Image © certified su | flickr
The more chunks you acquire, the more you’ll
begin to recognize grammar patterns.

12. MNEMONIC DEVICES

13. Paint vivid illustrations in
your mind to link a new
foreign word to its meaning
in your native language.
Image © katerha | flickr

14. Image © brunosan | flickr
Take the German word for parachute: Fallschirm.

15. Image © William Warby | flickr
The word looks and sounds a bit like “fall chimp,”
which presents a unique, memorable visual.
Next time you need to think of the German word
for parachute, you’ll picture a chimp in freefall!

16. TAKE A HIKE

17. Improving your memory isn’t all about creative
brain tricks. Lifestyle changes, like exercising more
often, have considerable effects on brain health.
Image © timtak | flickr

18. Exercising one hour a day, three days each
week reduces the cognitive and biological
effects of aging and improves memory.2
Image © Ed Yourdon | flickr

19. Get out there, go for a walk, take a hike, ride your
bike, or join a gym. Take care of your body, and your
memory and language skills will follow.

20. CATCH SOME Z’S

21. While on the subject of lifestyle changes,
getting a solid 7-8 hours of sleep each night
works wonders for your memory.
Image © Morgaine | flickr

22. While you sleep, your brain commits new
information into your memory through a
process called memory consolidation.3
Image © Elaine with Grey Cats | flickr

23. Newly learned material, such as a list of
vocabulary words, is very vulnerable at first.
Memory consolidation strengthens connections
in the brain, preserving new information to be
used when you wake.3
Image © thebittenword.com | flickr

24. So catch some z’s and give your brain a
chance to store that new language-y
goodness you’re learning.
Image © ingodibella | flickr

25. DON’T CRAM

26. If you’re learning
for a specific
deadline, like
before a test or a
trip overseas, you
may be tempted
to cram the night
before.
Image © liewfc| flickr

27. If you’re learning
for a specific
deadline, like
before a test or a
trip overseas, you
may be tempted
to cram the night
before.
Image © liewfc| flickr
DON’T!

28. Image © cstrom | flickr
Cramming too much information at once forces you
to commit it to your short-term memory instead of
your long-term memory, from which it could be pulled
much later on down the road… like when you
actually need it.

29. You may be able to
regurgitate the words for
50 fruits and veggies on a
quiz the next morning, but
that information will
disappear shortly
thereafter. When you
actually need to buy
bananas at the market
someday, you may find
yourself at a loss.
Image © keepon | flickr

30. Language learning
is not a race. Take it slow
and learn (and review!) only
one new grammar rule or a
dozen vocab words at a time.
Image © IvanWalsh.com | flickr

31. FOCUS

32. Even if you’re a great
multi tasker, language
learning requires
extreme focus.
Image © Jeffrey Beall | flickr

33. No matter how much sleep you get or
how creative your visualization techniques
are, you’ll never remember what you’re
learning if you don’t pay attention to it in
the first place.

34. Avoid studying in
distracting environments.
Turn off the TV, put in ear
plugs, shut the door to
your office, turn off your
phone, close the blinds,
and just focus.
Image © Emilian Robert Vicol | flickr

35. RELATE NEW TO OLD

36. When learning a new word or grammar rule,
think about how it relates to parts of the
language you already know.
Image © katerha | flickr

37. By establishing a connection between newly learned
information and existing memories, you can increase
your chances of remembering it.
Image © Bruce Guenter | flickr

38. Relate new target language terms to terms
in your native language.
For example, the French
expression “quand on
parle du loup” (speak
of the wolf) is used the
same way as the English
expressions “speak of the
devil.” There’s an easy
connection to establish
this new expression in
your memory.
Image © Serge Melki | flickr

39. Or, relate new target language terms to
target language terms you know well.
For example, the Spanish word for
“scarecrow” is espantapájaros, which is
much easier to remember when you relate
it to the more common Spanish words
“espantar” (to scare) and “pájaros” (birds).
Image © Peter Pearson | flickr

40. SAY IT OUT LOUD

41. According to a study in the Journal of
Experimental Psychology4, speaking a word out
loud improves your ability to remember the word
by increasing its distinctiveness.
Image © SparkCBC | flickr

42. That doesn’t mean you can read an entire passage
out loud and memorize it. That approach lacks that
distinctiveness we mentioned. But voicing the key
words will help you remember them.
Image © photosteve101 | flickr

43. Considering you’re
learning a new language,
practicing your speaking
and pronunciation skills is a
must, so this really kills two
birds with one stone!
Image © darrenleno | flickr

44. TEACH

45. One of the best ways to make sure you
understand a grammar concept that
you’ve been studying? Try explaining it
to someone else.
Image © Tulane Public Relations | flickr

46. Teaching language
concepts to your child,
friend, or sibling gives
you an opportunity for
active repetition, and it’s
a big confidence
booster.
Image © udeyismail | flickr

47. Not to mention it gives you someone to use the
language with! This relationship will help you
build fun, lasting memories of learning the
language, which will also improve retention.

48. RINSE AND REPEAT

49. Here’s the truth you may not want to hear:

50. Here’s the truth you may not want to hear:
(Are you ready for it?)

51. Here’s the truth you may not want to hear:
(Are you ready for it?)
REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW!

52. Yes, that requires a lot of effort and time on your part. But
repetition moves information from short-term to long-term
memory. So don’t take that flashcard from the stack until you’ve
used it successfully several times.
Image © xikita | flickr

53. Use these 10 techniques
to pack your memory
well. That way you’ll
have the language with
you on your next trip
overseas, where you
can put it to good use.
Image © emmamccleary | flickr

54. Want to build and maintain your
language skills for the long haul?
Sign up for a free trial of Transparent Language Online and test out
our Learned Vocab Refresh system, designed to help you
memorize and sustain words and phrases over time!
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