When speaking about conversation, the larger your vocabulary, the more you know, and the easier it will be to get across what you want to communicate. One of the most common questions that people have is how to increase this number. This is of particular concern with Spanish learners,people learning Spanish, and there is a tendency to learn a new list of words, and then rapidly forget them imediately. The question is, what is the quickest way to increase ones Spanish vocabulary without going crazy?
The answer is not that clear, but there are some tips and tricks for helping your new vocabulary stay more efficiently.
Tip number 1…READ!
Finding literature such as magazines and books is astonishingly effortless these days. Whatever you do, avoid textbooks at all costs. They are dull and will suck all of the life-force motivation out of you in about 10 seconds. Magazines are the most fun, and the trick is to read and try to figure out the meaning of new words by the context they are written in. Magazines also have pictures, which can facilitate greatly in this. Try and keep your Spanish dictionary away also. These tend to do the same thing as textbooks do. Instead, make a list of new words to look up, and do it once or twice a week all at once.
Tip number 2…Use the words!
Yes it can be difficult, but make use of those new words you are learning. Otherwise, why bother. There are more things in life that are more fulfilling than wasting time. Make a goal of using a new word at least 10 times during the day. Don’t worry if you make a ton of mistakes using them either, who cares! Remember the 10 times a day rule? This brings us to tip number three.
Tip number 3… Engage in conversations!
Find another student, If possible, a native Spanish speaker to talk with. If you have ever heard of something called “total immersion”, this is what it is. Only speaking the foreign language, this is by far the most efficient way to retain new words. Go on Facebook and make some friends with people in a Spanish speaking country and start conversing either by email or messaging. Anything you can do to use your skills will improve your vocabulary.
These three tips alone should help your Spanish vocabulary develop rather quickly, but be careful not to get caught up in the I-am-building-my-vocabulary mania. Do not cram your brain with stuff you do not really need to know. If you are learning for a specific purpose, concentrate on the vocabulary which fits that purpose. At the end of the day though, you must make it fun or game over!
