While without grammar little can be conveyed, without vocabulary, nothing can be conveyed. - David Wilkins, British linguist

1. WAYS TO
BUILD YOUR
VOCABULARY
IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE
10
Image © Chris-Håvard Berge | Flickr

2. While without grammar little can be conveyed,
without vocabulary, nothing can be conveyed.
- David Wilkins, British linguist
“
”

3. There is a long held assumption that
grammar is more important than
vocabulary when learning a new language.

4. But linguistic research has demonstrated that
vocabulary is actually more fundamental
than grammar.
(Barcroft, 2004; Lewis, 2002; Wilkins, 1972)

5. Author Keith Folse knew the perfect Japanese
structure to ask: “Excuse me, where is the ____?”

6. Author Keith Folse knew the perfect Japanese
structure to ask: “Excuse me, where is the ____?”
What he didn’t know was the word for flour.
Image © David Pacey | Flickr

7. Author Keith Folse knew the perfect Japanese
structure to ask: “Excuse me, where is the ____?”
What he didn’t know was the word for flour.
Image © David Pacey | Flickr
After consulting a Japanese friend for the
translation, what he actually ended up
with was the word for flower.
Image © Swaminathan | Flickr

8. Sometimes, one word can make
all the difference.

9. So, how can you
build your vocabulary
in a foreign language?
What resources do you
need?
What’s the best way to
memorize it?
We have a few
suggestions!
Image © Jennifer Steen Booher | Flickr

10. Use Language-Learning Software
1

11. Language-learning
software can be a
very effective
vocabulary builder,
especially for
beginners!
Image © Jeff Geerling | Flickr

12. Image © phip_s | Flickr
Put down the index cards.
Most software programs come
with hundreds of common
words and phrases, so you
can spend less time making
flashcards and spend more
time actually learning.

13. If you’re in search of a
program, sign up for a
free trial of Transparent
Language Online, which
presents thousands of
vocabulary words in a
suite of interactive
activities that will help
you learn them
quicker and retain
them longer.

14. If you’re in search of a
program, sign up for a
free trial of Transparent
Language Online, which
presents thousands of
vocabulary words in a
suite of interactive
activities that will help
you learn them
quicker and retain
them longer.
(Pitch over, we swear!)

15. Study Cognates & False Cognates
2

16. Chances are, you already know dozens (if not
hundreds or more!) of words in your new
language, but you just don’t realize it.

17. Chances are, you already know dozens (if not
hundreds or more!) of words in your new
language, but you just don’t realize it.
HOW?

18. Chances are, you already know dozens (if not
hundreds or more!) of words in your new
language, but you just don’t realize it.
HOW?
They’re called cognates.

19. Cognates are words with the same etymological origin, AKA
they sound the same (or very similar) in both languages.
Image © Doblonaut | Flickr

20. Cognates are words with the same etymological origin, AKA
they sound the same (or very similar) in both languages.
Recognize any words on this
Spanish sign?
Image © Doblonaut | Flickr

21. Take time to memorize the cognates in the
language you’re learning. A Google search for
“[language]-English cognates” should lead you
in the right direction.

22. Beware, though! You should also search for
and memorize false cognates, or words
that sound the same but actually have
very different meanings.

23. Beware, though! You should also search for
and memorize false cognates, or words
that sound the same but actually have
very different meanings.
In Spanish, for example, embarazada
does not mean embarrassed… it
means pregnant! Now that mix up
could be embarrassing!
Image © clappstar | flickr

24. Study Synonym Pairs
3

25. Cognates are extremely easy to memorize. But if
you’re beyond the beginner level, you probably
know most of them. What’s next?

26. Cognates are extremely easy to memorize. But if
you’re beyond the beginner level, you probably
know most of them. What’s next?
Synonyms and antonyms!

27. Learning synonyms may seem like
duplicated effort. If you know the word for
“funny,” you should be all set, right?
Image © Don LaVange | Flickr

28. Learning synonyms may seem like
duplicated effort. If you know the word for
“funny,” you should be all set, right?
Image © Don LaVange | Flickr
But what if someone tells
you: That was…
hilarious
amusing
entertaining
silly
hysterical
?

29. When you learn a new word, use a thesaurus to
discover its synonyms. This practice will increase
your understanding of the word and add variety
to your vocabulary.
Image © mrd00dman | Flickr

30. Study Prefixes & Suffixes
4

31. Another trick to significantly expand your
vocabulary is to study common prefixes and
suffixes in the target language.

32. For example, if you know the Spanish prefix “con” (with) and
the verb “vivir” (to live), deciphering the new verb “convivir” (to
live together) becomes a lot easier.
Image © Brent and Amanda I | Flickr

33. Each prefix and suffix you learn opens the
door to hundreds of new words, yielding a
huge return on your investment in your
vocabulary.

34. Read, Read, & Read Some More
5

35. The more you read, the more vocabulary you’ll
be exposed to. Read actively, not passively, to
absorb as many new words as possible.
Image © Shutterhacks | Flickr

36. The more you read, the more vocabulary you’ll
be exposed to. Read actively, not passively, to
absorb as many new words as possible.
Image © Shutterhacks | Flickr
Don’t rush.

37. The more you read, the more vocabulary you’ll
be exposed to. Read actively, not passively, to
absorb as many new words as possible.
Image © Shutterhacks | Flickr
Don’t rush.
Highlight unfamiliar words and
look them up in a dictionary.

38. The more you read, the more vocabulary you’ll
be exposed to. Read actively, not passively, to
absorb as many new words as possible.
Image © Shutterhacks | Flickr
Don’t rush.
Highlight unfamiliar words and
look them up in a dictionary.
Revisit the word in the context
of the sentence.

39. Read a variety of materials, from short stories and
novels to newspapers and blogs, to acquire vocabulary
at varying levels of difficulty and a wide range of topics.
Image © Ol.v!er[H2vPk] | Flickr

40. Separate your leisurely reading from your
active, vocabulary-building reading.
Image © Chad Kainz | Flickr

41. Separate your leisurely reading from your
active, vocabulary-building reading.
When reading to boost your vocab,
limit yourself. Stick to just a few pages of
a novel, one news story, one magazine
article, etc. and really take your time.
Image © Chad Kainz | Flickr

42. Keep a Journal in the
Target Language6

43. Keeping a journal in your target language is the
perfect way to find words you didn’t even know
that you didn’t know. (What a mouthful!)
Image © Walt Stoneburner | Flickr

44. Take a few minutes to
write about your day.
Want to mention
something you did or
experienced, but don’t
know how? That’s
probably a word you’ll
want to know in the
future, so look it up!
Image © Refracted Moments | Flickr

45. Image © photosteve101 | Flickr
Highlight the new words in each entry. At the end of
the week, flip through your old entries and review
these new words to keep them fresh in your memory.

46. Investigate Word Origins7

47. If you struggle less with finding new vocabulary
and more with just remembering it, try your
hand at a little etymology!
Image © Trish Hartmann | Flickr

48. It may help to associate a new vocabulary word
with its origins.
Image © William Warby | Flickr
For example, the English word
“hippopotamus” is derived from
the Greek words “ippos” (horse)
and “potamas” (river).

49. It may help to associate a new vocabulary word
with its origins.
Image © William Warby | Flickr
For example, the English word
“hippopotamus” is derived from
the Greek words “ippos” (horse)
and “potamas” (river).
Associating “hippopotamus”
with “river horse” gives you a
strong visual, and may help
you recall the word more
easily.

50. Looking up the origins or literal meanings
of words and expressions will paint a
mental picture that you can look back
on, rather than just relying on rote
memorization.

51. Follow Native Speakers
on Twitter8

52. Looking for slang, idioms, informal
expressions, abbreviations, and all of that
juicy stuff you’ll never find in a
dictionary?

53. Looking for slang, idioms, informal
expressions, abbreviations, and all of that
juicy stuff you’ll never find in a
dictionary?
Check Twitter!

54. Follow politicians, athletes, musicians, actors, or
everyday native speakers of your target language
and see what they’re saying.
Look up unfamiliar words, or expressions that don’t
quite make sense.
Image © Adam Fagen | Flickr

55. For example, the
Portuguese
expression “Escrevo
o que eu tô te
falando.” literally
means “Write down
what I’m telling
you.”
That’s a little
strange, right? If you
look it up, you’ll find
that it’s actually
used to say “Mark
my words.”

56. Watching and interacting with
native speakers on an informal
platform like Twitter will give your
vocabulary a much-needed boost
in the colloquial department.

57. Learn a “Word of the Day”9

58. Use a word-a-day calendar or
online Word of the Day service to
learn one new word each day!

59. Transparent Language offers Word of the Day
services in 25 different languages, so you can
discover a unique word each day!

60. Listen to Music10

61. Similar to how exploring word origins helps you
build vocabulary by providing strong mental
images, listening to music gives you something
memorable to associate with a new word.

62. Have you ever noticed your brain’s seemingly
endless capacity for song lyrics? Think of how many
songs you have memorized in there!
Image © Roadsidepictures | Flickr

63. Search YouTube, Pandora, Spotify, last.fm, etc.
for music you enjoy in your target language
and look up the lyrics.
Image © eldeeem | Flickr

64. Pick one song at a time, and look up all of
the unfamiliar vocabulary in the lyrics. With
enough listens, those new words and phrases
will be engrained in your mind, just like
your favorite songs in your native language.

65. Vocabulary building should be a goal
for language learners of all levels.
The greater your vocabulary in a language,
the better you will understand others and
express yourself.
Use these tips to get started, and never
stop acquiring new vocabulary!

66. Ready to build your vocabulary?
Sign up for a free trial of Transparent Language Online and learn
thousands of new vocabulary words and phrases in 100+ languages!
TRY IT FREE