1. Learn the word in its context

Rather than learning a word on its own, why not learn it in a phrase form? This might help you to effectively remember it. I can tell you that many people memorize French vocabulary lists and yet still can’t put a single phrase together! Learning vocabulary in its context will make the words easier to apply in real life scenarios. So whenever you learn a new word, think: how can I put this into a sentence?

2. Use flashcards

Of course, there is the good old flashcards technique. Flashcards are wonderful because you can make them colorful and creative (rather than revising a long boring list of words from a textbook). It is easier to learn one word at a time rather than a list of 30.

On the front of the card have a word in French, and on the back, write down the words’ meaning in English. Test yourself. And I would encourage you again to try to put each word into a sentence.

3. Take advantage of Apps

Brainscape and Memrise are some of the most well-known apps for this. Technology is wonderful because there are now apps that are specifically designed to help you memorize French vocabulary. This means you can learn on the go or whenever you have a free 10 minutes for some studying. Drops, Duolingo.

4. Read!

This one probably sounds obvious but many people forget to actually do it regularly! When you are reading you will be constantly exposed to new words. I’m not saying you will remember every single word you come across but you can look up the unfamiliar ones that come up more frequently and memorize them. You can choose what to read- but don’t choose something that is too challenging or too easy. Here’s a good guide.

5. Repetition

You are much more likely to remember a word if you say it or look at it more than once. So repeat, repeat, repeat until you know you have memorized the word by heart, without having to look at it written down!

6. Test yourself, but in random order

Testing yourself on what you can remember is essential, but try to learn lists or flashcards of vocabulary in totally random orders, so that you are certain you are actually learning the words, rather than memorizing them for the order they are in! I was guilty of doing this in school! Don’t make the same mistake.

7. Say the words you learn out loud

The wonderful thing about saying words out loud is that you are more likely to remember them and you get to practice the pronunciation of them. Try to really get the sounds right. Even better, during the day you can try to find ways to use the words you have learnt as much as possible (by creating phrases and in general trying to think in French).

If you need help remember you can have one-to-one tuition with French à La Carte. In a comfortable environment you can practice your speaking skills.

8. Learn the vocabulary you actually need to learn

There are literally thousands of words in the French language (it is estimated 135,000) !, but thankfully you don’t have to learn all of them (not even natives use all of them!). So focus on the words you will use most frequently! Memrise has actually put together a collection of the most common 5000 French words. It might be worth taking a look.

9. Set a goal

Setting realistic goals is a good way to make sure you keep in touch with your French learning. Why not set a goal to learn a certain amount of words a day? Only you know what you are capable of. Say you learn 10 new words a day: at the end of the week you will have learnt 70 new words! At the end of a month around 300. Not bad!

10. Listen to French

It is also so important to listen to French regularly. Many people memorize things better through listening. You have many options: Netflix, movies, YouTube channels, podcasts and audio books. Wherever possible, turn on the subtitles in French so that you can match the spoken words with the written. Note down any vocabulary you were unfamiliar with as you watch along.

Learn Vocabulary with French à La Carte - In person in Paris or online

Communicative Approach to Build up Your Confidence

Spoken French is a key point for us. From ordering food in a restaurant for beginners to being able to converse about different topics of your interest for more advanced levels, conversational French is a priority.

If you are looking for private French lessons to interact with locals while traveling in France, you can contact us for more information.

10 Tips to Memorise French Vocabulary Efficiently