🧠 How to Build Vocabulary with Anki (Spaced Repetition)
Tired of forgetting Korean words just days after learning them? That’s where spaced repetition comes in — and Anki is your secret weapon. In this post, you’ll learn how to use Anki effectively to make vocabulary stick for the long term.
📚 Table of Contents
1. Why Use Anki?
Anki is a free flashcard app that uses spaced repetition to help you review words just before you're about to forget them. It's like having a personal memory coach in your pocket.
- Free & customizable
- Cross-platform (Windows, Mac, Android, iOS)
- Supports images, audio, and Korean fonts
- Many pre-made Korean decks are available
2. What Is Spaced Repetition?
Spaced repetition means reviewing material at increasing intervals: 1 day, 3 days, 7 days, 15 days… It’s scientifically proven to help transfer short-term memory into long-term storage.
3. How to Create Effective Cards
The secret to using Anki well is good card design. Here's a simple example:
Front: 학생 (Click to reveal pronunciation and meaning)
Back: Pronunciation: hak-saeng
Meaning: student
You can also add:
- Example sentence in Korean
- Romanization + translation
- Audio (record your own or use TTS)
예문:
한국어: 저는 학생이에요.
발음: jeo-neun hak-saeng-i-e-yo
영어: I am a student.
4. Tips for Daily Practice
- Review every day for at least 10 minutes
- Don’t add too many new cards at once (10–20/day is enough)
- Use images or context for better memory triggers
- Say the word aloud to improve pronunciation
- Organize decks by topic: food, travel, grammar, verbs, etc.
5. 🤔 Did you know?
Some Korean students preparing for exams also use Anki to memorize English and Chinese words! In fact, the concept of spaced repetition is used in Korean 학습지 (home-study worksheets) even for kids. You're learning like a native learner!
6. Practice Vocabulary in Real Life
👉 Book a lesson with me on italki to apply your Anki words in speaking, listening, and role-play.
