Memory hacks for better language retention
Want to actually remember what you've learned? We've compiled a few strategies backed by science that will help you remember words and grammar patterns in your target language.
Forgetting is part of the process, and that's okay
Most of us have made peace with making mistakes. As adults, we understand that they're a natural and even desirable part of the learning process.
But forgetting hurts on a whole new level. You think: I've already reviewed this topic three times. How come I don't remember how to decline this word? This is A1 vocabulary... why can't I just remember the word for napkin? So annoying!
It's frustrating, but it's completely normal! Most of the learning process is about managing forgetting. And you will forget things you're not actively using. You need to constantly prove to your brain that this information is still useful.
Your retention toolkit
As it turns out, the best ways to improve long-term retention aren't always obvious.
Cramming before exams feels productive because it can get you through the exam. You can use the knowledge here and now, but you're just cycling the same concepts through short-term memory over and over. The memories are surface-level, and the knowledge fades soon after the exam. It's one of the worst ways to practice something you know you'll need later.
If your goal is to use the language confidently in real life, across different situations and tasks, your learning process should reflect that too. Here are the best retention strategies to actually remember what you learn.
Desirable difficulty
The principle is simple: the more effort it takes to recall something, the better you learn it. But the difficulty has to be something you can overcome if you try harder.
Reading a text in a language whose alphabet you haven't learned yet is overdoing it. That's not desirable difficulty. That's just unattainable.
Instead, choose a text where only about 5% of the words are new to you. It should be just slightly above your current level. It will take some effort to get through, but you'll understand enough to work out the rest.
Desirable difficulty is an umbrella term, and many of the strategies below are examples of it. Active recall, spaced repetition, and guessing before you check the answer all make learning feel harder in the moment, and that extra effort is exactly what helps new words and grammar stick.
Active recall
Re-reading a list of the words you need to learn is much less effective than actively recalling them, for example with quizzes or flashcards. This is called active recall, or retrieval practice. It will be more frustrating in the moment, but you'll reinforce neural pathways far better than by simply reviewing your notes again. Remember, retrieval practice is supposed to be difficult.
💡 If you're using flashcards keep them in your deck longer than it feels needed to you. Research described in the book Make It Stick shows that people tend to drop a card as soon as they've gotten it right twice, and that's way too soon!
Quiz yourself regularly. Close your notes and write down your answers from memory instead of skimming the material. Self-quizzing is one of the most effective forms of retrieval practice.
Spaced repetition
Retrieve information repeatedly, with gaps in between. This is the core idea behind spaced repetition. Research shows that multiple sessions of retrieval practice work better than one, especially when they're spaced out.
Sleep plays a huge role in memory consolidation, so leave time between sessions for your brain to process new material. It also helps to let yourself start forgetting a little. The more time passes between your study sessions, the harder it will be to retrieve the information, and that extra effort is what makes the memory stronger.
How it looks in practice:
The more you space out your practice, the longer you'll remember new words and grammar patterns.
Want to learn more about how spaced repetition works? Read The Glossika Method: How We Develop Your Language Abilities
Memory cues
Create as many memory cues as you can. The more you use a word or grammar structure in different contexts and forms, the easier it will be to remember.
Read it, hear it, say it, and write it. Your brain will build several pathways to the word, and over time it will become easier to retrieve. Did a silly association pop into your head? Use it! We tend to remember things that are out of the ordinary.
For the most stubborn vocabulary, try adding a gesture too.
The generation effect
It's better to try, fail, and then check the correct answer than to look it up right away when you're struggling to remember something. The effort of trying to solve it first makes you more likely to remember the answer.
For example, say you see a word you don't know in a text. You could look it up right away, but you'll probably forget it soon. Or you could pause and try to guess its meaning from the context. If you make a guess, even a wrong one, and then look the word up, you'll remember it better.
While you're thinking about possible meanings and looking at the words around the new one, you're priming yourself for the correct answer, even if you end up looking it up. You're building a connection to that gap in your knowledge before you've filled it. So when you do find the answer, it has somewhere to land, and the new connection sticks better and longer.
💡 You still need corrective feedback as soon as possible after your attempt. Check the right word, the correct spelling, or the right form so you don't lock in a mistake.
A few other examples:
- If you can't remember a word while speaking, try to describe or explain it in your target language before looking it up.
- If you're not sure how to spell a word, write it from memory first. Then compare it with the correct spelling and fix your mistakes.
- If you didn't catch a phrase in a podcast or video, replay it and write down what you think you heard before checking the transcript or subtitles.
Learn for your context
Our learning is very context-dependent, and no two learners are the same. As an adult, you're not learning to be an ideal student. You're learning to use the language in your own context.
You need to understand yourself and your context well. What topics are most relevant to your life right now?
Take Lisa, a German product manager who works in an international team. She's based in Spain and lives with her Spanish spouse and his family, speaking with them mostly in Spanish. Which language do you think Lisa uses when she needs the word for napkin? Most likely, Spanish! If she can't remember the English word, that doesn't mean her English is worse. On the other hand, she probably wouldn't do very well giving a business presentation in Spanish. She may be at roughly the same level in both languages, but the contexts she uses them in couldn't be more different.
Be fair to yourself and study smart. You don't need to know everything, at least not at this point in your language journey. Ask yourself: what is your context right now? Make sure you understand it, and learn everything that fits within it first. Then expand it steadily.
Final thoughts
Start from your context, and remember to use the right tools to retain new words and grammar patterns long-term. If you want to use a language in real life, not just to pass an exam, you need to make your brain work for it. Make spaced repetition, active recall, and desirable difficulty part of your learning routine. And don't forget to try to solve the problem before looking up the answer. It will feel daunting at first, but you'll thank yourself later when you remember exactly the right word in your next conversation.