Vocabulary is one of the first difficulties that many people face when learning Greek. I thought I would share some tips about learning and retaining Greek vocabulary. I write each vocabulary word on a separate card (index card, vocabulary card, etc.) and write one or more meanings on the back of the card. I then put the cards into three stacks as described below:

Stack #1: This stack is for new words. Each week as we add new Greek vocabulary words, you should make a stack for these new words. Study these words several times each day. I usually study these words in groups of ten until I can recall all ten words. (Ten may not work for you. Find a number that works well for you.) I put those ten back in the stack and continue with the next ten words. This is the stack of vocabulary cards that you should carry around with you. You can work on these cards whenever you have nothing to do, like when you are waiting for a class to start. When you learn a new word in such a way that you instantly recognize the word and instantly know its meaning, then move it to Stack #2.

Stack #2: This stack is for words that you know, but you’re not completely comfortable with them yet. You should study these words (again ten at a time, or whatever works best for you) at least once per day. If this stack gets too large, then you may need to review them more than once per day. As you begin to recognize a word and know its meaning immediately, you can move that card into Stack #3.

Stack #3: This stack is for words that you know very well. In other words, when you see the word, you instantly recognize the word and know its meaning. You should review the words in this stack two or three times per week at the least. When you are reviewing these words, if you come across a word that you have forgotten or that is causing you trouble, move it back to Stack #2 so that you can review it more often. Do not forget to study this stack of words regularly, or you will not retain your past vocabulary.

Finally, when you are reviewing the words in your stacks of vocabulary cards, shuffle the cards in each stack regularly. Do not study the words in the same order each time, or you will begin to remember the order and not the vocabulary word itself.