Vocabulary learning is our topic. I consider it the most important part of learning any language – even if that sounds a bit old-fashioned.
Let’s start with a fundamental question that will help us set a clear learning goal and make planning easier: How many words would you like to learn within a certain period of time? And how many words should you know to communicate freely?
Linguistic studies indicate the following approximate word counts for each language level:
- Level A1: 400–600 words
- Level A2: 1,000–1,200 words
- Level B1: 1,800–2,200 words
- Level B2: 4,000–5,000 words
That’s less than you might have thought, right? It’s important to start by learning the words that appear most frequently in the language. In our courses at Po Polsku, that’s exactly what we do. We pay special attention to small but frequently used “glue words” that connect parts of a sentence, such as which, and, or, if, because, and so on.
We also use textbooks designed to help you communicate in everyday situations. Linguistic studies show that mastering around 3,000 words allows you to understand about 95% of the content of typical texts and to hold conversations on everyday topics.
Learning 3,000 words means learning about 8 words per day over the course of a year. That’s absolutely doable! Many expressions and phrases contain several words at once – and by learning them, you also acquire grammatical knowledge. This way, your learning curve keeps rising steadily.
With 3,000 words, you’ve reached a solid B1 level and are well on your way to B2. At this stage, you already use the language quite fluently. With a vocabulary of around 5,000 words, you’ll understand about 98% of the language.
Effective Learning with Technology
But how can you really learn vocabulary effectively? Can technology help with that? I’m convinced it can. Here I’ll introduce two tools that are especially useful for sustainable and efficient vocabulary learning.
- Quizlet – the well-known app that lets you use digital flashcards. Our school Po Polsku has its own account there with specially curated vocabulary sets for each lesson and many additional topics. Quizlet is available in both a free and a paid version. The major advantage of the Premium version is the SRS (Spaced Repetition System) algorithm, which intelligently manages your review schedule.
- Anki – a proven program with an excellent repetition algorithm. It’s used worldwide not only for language learning but also in fields like medicine, law, and other academic disciplines. Its greatest advantage: complete customization of flashcards, including audio and images – and it’s free on most devices.
If you’d like to use Anki, start by creating your own card sets. This isn’t a waste of time – it’s already part of the learning process! If you want to learn 10 new words a day, it’s enough to prepare about 70 cards once a week. That takes roughly an hour, depending on your pace.
Anki is free – with one exception: Apple iOS users need to purchase the app. It doesn’t work on Apple computers, but you can use it on your smartphone and log in with your account.
Attention: You’ll find many apps in the app stores that claim to be Anki. The only authentic version has the same logo as the desktop version.
Tip: First, try the free desktop version of Anki on your computer. If you like it, purchasing the mobile app is definitely worth it.
Conclusion: Learning vocabulary isn’t about rote memorization – it’s a process. And with the right tools, it becomes not only efficient but also motivating.
