1.Learn the most common words of your target language first. The 300 most frequently used words represent about 65% of the words of a language and the 2000 most common give you about 90%. So there’s no point in wasting your time learning more complicated words when you begin your language learning journey.

2.Use flash cards! They’re simple and effective. What’s not to love? I suggest making digital flashcards because they’re quicker to make and you’d be able to use them anywhere.

3.Practice often. Learning vocabulary means being able to say and write the word as well as recognize the word when you see or hear it. So even after you’ve learned words, seek out opportunities where you can apply them in a real life setting. This means chatting in your target language online through video chat or text message or in real life through a conversation club. You may even write journal entries in your target language.

4.Use spaced repetition. You retain information better when you learn it periodically. So rather than spending half an hour review your flashcards and then not touching them for a month, it’s better to review then in shorter intervals every day or every other day.

5.Read children’s books. Reading is another great way of learning words and recognizing them in a context. For beginners, children’s books in your target language are a great way to start. When you get better, start reading your favorite books or even the news in the language you’re learning.