If you study a small record of grammatical structures like possessive adjectives, chanting them in a rhythmic method (music) is a great method to assist you in embedding them in your intellect. Where fresh vocabulary is involved, the following exercise is suggested:
- When you initially read the terms, say them out loud. This way, your mind will not simply acquire the impression of the word printed in the page, but also the sound of it. This will make it more convenient to remember.
- Combine and Conquer. Never study records of terms by merely reading them repeatedly. Rather, mix sets of terms to create sentences. Here is an instance in which you can apply some Spanish words.
el escritorio – the desk
la chica – the girl
el suelo – the floor
la caja – the box
delgado/a – slender
coger – pick up, to get
caerse – to fall
When you apply them in a sentence:
Cuando la caja se cae del escritorio al suelo, la chica delgada la coge. = When the box falls from the desk to the floor, the slender girl picks it up.
So, there are your seven new words in a sentence. You can study this sentence by memorizing the Spanish form, picturing the situation it explains as vividly as possible: A box is on the desk, drops to the floor and a slender girl picks it up. Certainly for the two verbs, you would be required to learn, or search, the precise structures that allow one to create a sentence.
The truth is that the new words shown in a fresh perspective will be very helpful in considering the other words individually and separately. Weeks after learning this, you will probably not be able to recall the meaning of the term “delgado”. But, you may recall the “chica delgada” who picked up the box in the scenario played out in your head, and in that point you will most likely remember the translation of “delgado”. Visual imagery is often invaluable when learning a new language.
Certainly, you will still need to learn several words that do not combine as conveniently. For instance, the words “basura” (trash), “gotear” (drip) and “filosofo” (philosopher), when you mix them in order to structure a sentence, you will find that the sentence becomes ridiculous. However, a great little positive aspect to this is that, as you will discover, the more ludicrous a sentence that forms, the more you will be able to recall the words within it!
La basura está goteando encima del filósofo = The trash is dripping onto the philosopher
That is, without question, a very impractical sentence. The situations wherein one would need to use this sentence are rather limited! However, the uncommon image suggested by the sentence itself, will guarantee that you will not forget the individual words for a while. When learning grammar, it is better to maintain some simple sentences at first, and not attempt to pack them too full of additional complex grammatical forms.
You should include perhaps 3-5 fresh words within a sentence or even more, and you shouldn’t try to create too many sentences at one time. After you have written the sentence, learn it by heart, picturing clearly what it conveys. Then structure another one, including additional words.
You will want to review these sentences after some time, perhaps some weeks later, as repetition is the vital key to learning. Learning your vocabulary terms in this manner will not simple make everything easier to recall, but make the whole process more enjoyable at the same time.