3 questions to make vocab stick
嗨 Chinese learners,
Some of you have asked me how I make vocabulary stick so today I’ll share a method that has been very effective in turning passive vocabulary into active vocabulary I can use when speaking.
Like many learners, I tried to memorize a boatload of new words at once with little context or application. However, I soon hit a roadblock.
Despite knowing a lot of words superficially, I struggled to use them in sentences or real-life conversations. This disconnect led to a frustrating cycle: the more words I “learned”, the more overwhelmed I felt.
The words I learned weren't sticking.
In practice, especially during conversations, I found it difficult to recall them or construct meaningful sentences. This led to embarrassing moments where I froze mid-conversation, unable to express my thoughts effectively. It was a disheartening experience, making me feel as though I wasn’t progressing at all.
The Power Of Roleplaying
The problem with jumping straight to having conversations with native speakers is that there is no preparation. This is why many learners are hesitant to make mistakes in front of others. Moreover speaking with native speakers is not always a possibility.
After a lot of frustration, I figured out an easy solution to this problem that I could do anytime without the need to speak with native speakers: roleplaying.
Instead of merely memorizing words, I began to actively incorporate them into roleplaying scenarios to help me prepare for real conversations.
In the same way we prepare before we give a presentation, I prepare in private to build confidence before speaking in public.
Similar to how athletes use visualization to help them prepare for competitions, I use roleplaying and questions to help me prepare for real-life conversations.
To help me roleplay, there are 3 important questions I ask myself every time I learn a new word or phrase that I want to remember deeply.
Let’s dive in.
1. “How would you describe or define this word using only Chinese?”
I like to ask this question because it forces me to convert my passive vocabulary into active vocabulary.
Often, I will come across a cool new word, look up the definition and the learning stops there. I’ve only “learned” the word passively.
Adding the extra step of challenging myself to define or describe the word using only Chinese forces me to actively recall the meaning of this word and other words I’ve learned in the past to convey a message.
For example, when I learned the idiom 迫不及待 (which means “can’t wait for” or “itching to do something” in Chinese), I looked up the definition in Pleco, and then immediately tried to rephrase or describe it in my own words (or copy the dictionary’s words if I can remember it).
For example, I might say:
”迫不及待是一个很有意思的成语，它比喻情况急迫，没办法再等待。“
迫不及待 is a very interesting idiom, it describes a pressing situation and not being able to wait any longer.
In this example I literally just copied the Chinese definition in Pleco and said it out loud, imagining (roleplay) I was talking to a friend or another Chinese learner. It’s that simple.
Sometimes I’ll record myself. Sometimes I’ll have conversations with myself, asking myself, “What does 迫不及待 mean?” and answering back.
This process is usually slow and not “pretty”. There are a lot of “umms” and “ahhs” but I completely expect that so I don’t put pressure on myself to sound great.
This is precisely the challenge and awkwardness I’d rather endure privately so that I can sound a bit more presentable in public!
2. “How can I use this word in a sentence in daily life or with a friend?”
This is another question I like to ask myself to spur myself into roleplaying mode.
I try to imagine I’m with a Chinese friend or with a native speaker and I imagine how I would use the word in real life.
For instance, using the same example idiom from above, 迫不及待, I might imagine myself saying:
“我迫不及待见到你。“
I can’t wait to see you.
Or I could say:
“今天工作很累，我迫不及待下班回家放松一点。”
Work was really tiring today, I can’t wait to go home and relax.
I try to think of as many situations and contexts as possible to use the word or phrase. I don’t worry about whether it sounds natural because I know that will come with time and feedback. In fact, the weirder and crazier I make the sentences, the better because then it will be more memorable!
Moreover, by relating the word to their daily routine or to familiar people and settings, the learner anchors the word in a real-life context. This connection not only aids in memorization but also prepares the learner for using the language in everyday conversations. The Copy Paste Speaking Course teaches you how to do this in more detail.
3. “How can I use this word to talk about a topic I’m passionate about (e.g., learning Chinese)?”
I love using this question to prompt my roleplaying because we all have a topic that we love talking about. And for everyone reading this, we also have a common topic which is learning Chinese.
If I can’t think of anything to roleplay about, I always bring it back to the topic of learning Chinese and I try to think of how I might use this word in the context of learning Chinese.
For example, I could say:
“我迫不及待一天可以讲一口流利的中文。“
I can’t wait until one day I can speak fluent Chinese.
Or I could say:
“我迫不及待去中国旅游，用中文跟当地人沟通。“
I can’t wait to travel to Chinese and use Chinese to speak with the locals.
Because this is a topic you already care deeply about, the sentences you make will automatically be more interesting and they will also be sentences that you will likely use personally when you speak with friends or new people you meet.
This makes what you learn way more memorable.
Not only that but it also makes the learning process more enjoyable, as the learner can talk about topics they love using their new vocabulary. This is the foundation of the Copy Paste Speaking Course.
Moving Forward
Learning Chinese, or any language, is not just about accumulating words but about integrating them into your way of thinking and speaking.
The strategy of roleplaying and asking myself these three questions made the learning process more enjoyable, more personalized and made me remember more of what I learned. It helped bridge the gap between passive recognition and active use, making the language a part of my everyday life.
Ultimately, the key to successfully learning Chinese lies in finding ways to make the language a living, breathing part of your daily experience. If you want to dive deeper into how to practically implement these steps using an actionable system to help you speak Chinese, check out the Copy Paste Speaking Course.
循序渐进，
Danyo
PS For the next 2 days I will be offering a free 20-minute speaking assessment to anyone who signs up for the Copy Paste Speaking Course:
Copy Paste Speaking Course: This course will teach you a better & faster way to learn to speak Chinese by copying native speakers, making real sentences, and speaking from day one.
Language Learner OS: This is a digital system to help organize your language studies, track vocabulary, build connections, stay productive, and learn faster!
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