5 Effective Ways to Improve Your Vietnamese Vocabulary

Do you find it difficult to memorize Vietnamese vocabulary, especially when there are many words and phrases that are just slightly different? Well, nothing is difficult if you have a strong will and a strategic learning system. 

Start incorporating these tips into your study routine to expand your vocabulary while enhancing your other Vietnamese language skills. 

Keep a notebook to note new Vietnamese vocabulary

Keeping a well-organized vocabulary notebook can help you quickly categorize words and phrases that are similar or related to the same topic, enabling your brain to systematically form connections between them, enhancing your memory and comprehension ability. One habit that we consistently see exhibited by many of the top students at Vietnamese Language Studies is carrying a small notebook and a pen, or pencil, everywhere they go and at all times. Doing this allows them to quickly jot down the new vocabulary, especially slangs, encountered in daily conversations.

Journaling

Whether writing individual sentences or a long paragraph, a narrative or a fictional story, all you need to do is incorporate the newly learned Vietnamese vocabulary into some forms of writing. Writing forces us to slow down just enough for our brain to comprehend the meaning and usage of each word individually and in relation to other words, improving information retention. 

Repeating

Learning new Vietnamese vocabulary and keeping them in the back of your mind won’t do you any good unless you have a photographic memory. After learning a new word or phrase, please use it right away! Studies suggest that the number of repetitions needed to learn a new word is 10 to 15 times. If you repeat the words continuously over a period of days, they’ll go into your long term memory. 

Conversing

Don’t forget that the purpose of learning a language is to communicate with others, not keep it in your notebook. Practice makes perfect and mistakes are the best teachers. So, don’t be afraid to go out there and talk with people, especially the local Vietnamese people. You’ll be amazed at how much you can expand your Vietnamese vocabulary. If you aren’t sure about how the local people would possibly react when they hear you speaking Vietnamese and what to do in that kind of situation, check out  

Playing games

Incorporating games and other activities such as word puzzles, anagrams, songs, and movies is a great way to amp up your interest in learning Vietnamese and fire your neurons in ways that help improve your memory. 

Whether you’re self-taught or taking Vietnamese lessons, don’t forget to have fun. Experience different learning strategies, choose what works best for you  and enjoy the process.