There’s a reason why young students are encouraged to make flashcards: because this method actually works to help memorize something. That’s why, if you are learning German, we strongly recommend that you make a set of flashcards to ensure that you master new German vocabulary.
Making these by hand can be cumbersome and time-consuming, which is why we’ll be introducing some amazing flashcard apps that’ll make vocab practice as slick as ever.
Cost: $ – limited, free version available Available on:Web | iTunes | Google Play
Memrise is a website and app that uses image-based flashcards to help you learn languages and vocab. You can take courses in any given level of German (the site also offers other languages and topics) or to create your own courses.
With Memrise’s premade courses, you can easily work your way through the most important German vocabulary at any level. Flashcards come with audio, plus you can choose which meme/image appears for each.
The site and app present users with these vocab sets using the “spacing method,” which presents the same information repeatedly at intervals, a technique proven to hammer the information home. New words on Memrise begin as “seeds,” and the site will tell you as soon as words “need watering.”
Memrise also encourages users to make their own courses and share them with the community, though note that you can only make courses on the website version, not the app—but any course made on the website can then be used on the app.
Watch authentic media to simultaneously immerse yourself in the German language and build an understanding of the German culture.
By using real-life videos, the content is kept fresh and current. Topics cover a lot of ground as you can see here:
Vocabulary and phrases are learned with the help of interactive subtitles and full transcripts.
Hovering over or tapping on any word in the subtitles will automatically pause the video and instantly display its meaning. Interesting words you don’t know yet can be added to a to-learn list for later.
For every lesson, a list of vocabulary is provided for easy reference and bolstered with plenty of examples of how each word is used in a sentence.
Your existing knowledge is tested with the help of adaptive quizzes in which words are learned in context.
To keep things fresh, FluentU keeps track of the words you’re learning and recommends further lessons and videos based on what you've already studied.
This way, you have a truly personalized learning experience.
Cost: $$ – limited, free version available Available on: Web | iTunes | Google Play
MosaLingua is a handy little flashcard app that comes with pre-made cards for useful words and phrases. It includes audio pronunciations, native dialogues, and categories and subcategories you can explore on various subjects like eating, transportation, flirting and more.
The philosophy behind the app is centered around a) learning the most useful parts of the language first and b) not wasting time studying things you already know (this last one being achieved through SRS technology).
What really makes MosaLingua stand out, though, is that in addition to the mobile version of the app, you can use the web version to conveniently translate words and phrases you find in reading material, then add these words and phrases to your flashcards across all devices. This gives you the advantage of being able to customize your learning while still making the process of learning easier.
Cost: $ – limited, free version available Available on:Google Play
German Flashcards by BH Inc. is an app that provides users with a set of German vocabulary flashcards containing image, sound and text, which help you memorize information using different senses. And in addition to flashcards, there are a variety of learning modes: study, slide show, matching, memorize, quiz, spelling and re-arrange.
You can make your own flashcards or use the 4,000+ pre-made German vocabulary flashcards that cover nine main categories.
Games on this German Flashcards app can be played on your own, with friends or with random users. There’s a handy stats section too, which lets you view your learning progress. Premium features include text-to-speech, the ability to download unlimited flashcards for offline study, and customizing text and background colors on cards.
AnkiDroid is an Android app for the wildly popular spaced repetition software Anki. The app helps you remember vocabulary by testing you on words just before you’re about to forget them, which improves your ability to retain them.
You can create your own personalized deck if you want to choose the exact vocabulary you learn, or you can download free decks that will give you a good base of German vocabulary.
The app supports the use of text, images and sound on flashcards, meaning you’ll be able to customize them however you want.
You’ll also be able to keep an eye on how you’re improving with the progress widget.
Tips for Making the Most out of Your Flashcard Studying
How can you ensure that you learn the vocabulary from your flashcards, and integrate it into your daily life?
Learn 10 new flashcards every day. Ten is the perfect number: just enough so you can keep moving forward with the language, but not so much that you give up on your flashcards on day three.
Don’t put your mother language on the flashcards. Try to make German-to-German flashcards, and describe the word using German words you already know. This will decrease your dependence on your native language.
Say the words out loud. It’s crucial to say your flashcard words out loud. Not only will speaking help you memorize the words, but it will also help you with pronunciation and with integrating the words into your spoken vocabulary.
Use pictures as helpful memorization devices. Maybe you can’t think of a way to describe your German word using other German words, or want a funny image to help you remember a word. For both of these reasons, drawing pictures can be a great way to help you memorize your German words.
No matter which method you choose, if you get started on your flashcard collection today, you’ll soon have a built-in way to memorize the German words that you encounter in your reading, lessons or everyday life. So what are you waiting for?
