Articles
Words, memory, and the gaps in your day.
Notes on learning vocabulary that actually sticks, what the research says about how many words you really need, and how to fit language practice into a life that is already full.
Does watching TV with subtitles help you learn a language?
Yes, if you can follow what is happening. Which subtitle language helps vocabulary and listening, when to switch them off, and why difficulty matters.
How to maintain a language you don't use
Keep one source of input, one reason to retrieve the language, and a small set of useful words. Practical maintenance plans for 5, 15, and 30 minutes.
Should you learn words or phrases?
Individual words give you range; phrases show you how those words behave. When to learn each, what beginners should prioritise, and what belongs in a vocabulary list.
Does changing your phone language help you learn?
A little: it can teach recurring interface vocabulary and increase motivation, but muscle memory soon lets you navigate without reading. Who benefits and how to try it.
How to learn vocabulary without flashcards
Flashcards are only one way to create repetition and recall. How to build vocabulary through reading, listening, personal word lists, conversation, writing, and everyday prompts.
Why you recognise foreign words but cannot use them
Recognition gives you the word as a clue; speaking makes you find it from an idea. Why passive vocabulary grows faster than active vocabulary, and how to close the gap.
Are you too old to learn a language?
No, but the honest answer is more interesting than the reassuring one. Where age genuinely matters, where adults outperform children, and why the famous cut-off age is disputed.
Is Duolingo enough to learn a language?
Not on its own, and the research is unusually consistent about why: strong on vocabulary and reading, weak on speaking, most learners plateauing around A2 to B1.
A glossary of language learning terms
The terms defined precisely: spaced repetition, comprehensible input, word families, false friends, CEFR, FSI categories, and the rest of the vocabulary of learning vocabulary.
