How to use spaced repetition for language learning

Memory is a fickle thing. Sometimes, it seems that no matter how much we study, we're always forgetting things. Let's find out why that happens, and how we can optimize our learning to make the most of our time, starting with the forgetting curve.

The forgetting curve

Discovered in the 19th century by Hermann Ebbinghaus, the forgetting curve describes the rate at which we forget information over time. We tend to forget most information within hours or days of learning it, unless we actively review it.

That's why cramming for exams usually means forgetting everything when the exam is over, and why using apps like Duolingo often results in forgetting words and phrases after a few days.

Our brains simply aren't built to remember everything we learn. But when the brain is reminded of things again and again, we're more likely to remember them. This is the basis of spaced repetition: reviewing information at increasing intervals to optimize memory retention.

The trick is to review information just as you're about to forget it.

Studies show that spaced repetition significantly improves memory strength compared to cramming. Notably, word and grammar learning benefit from spaced repetition, which is precisely what we want when learning a language.

How spaced repetition works

Spaced repetition is a learning technique that aims to hack the forgetting curve. By spacing out repetitions of learned material at increasing intervals, you increase the odds of remembering the material, while doing far fewer reviews of the material than you would with traditional study methods.

For language learning, this is perfect, as it means you can learn more vocabulary and grammar in less time. Yes, you are more likely to forget things, but unlike in fields such as medicine or law, when learning a language, perfect recall is not as important as being able to recall things with a little help.

Use spaced repetition to optimize your learning

Many experienced language learners swear by spaced repetition, and for good reason. It's a powerful tool that can help you learn more in less time. The most popular spaced repetition software is Anki, which is free and open-source. It's a flashcard app that uses spaced repetition to help you remember words and phrases. If you want to learn more about how to use Anki to learn a language, check out our article on the topic.

But Anki requires a lot of configuration and experience to set up just right. Langible is built to be a more user-friendly alternative to Anki, including pre-made decks of flashcards, a built-in spaced repetition system, high-quality audio, and explanations for each sentence.

Langible is available as a web app on both mobile and desktop platforms, and the native app is coming soon. It supports practicing your language skills with flashcards, writing, speaking, and listening exercises. Start now for free!

Now that you know how spaced repetition works and which tools to use, let's take a look at what to review with spaced repetition.

What to put in your flashcards

A common beginner mistake when using flashcards and spaced repetition is to put single words on the front of the card and their translations on the back.

This is generally a mistake, and robs you of the opportunity to practice vocabular and grammar at the same time. Instead, study phrases and sentences with the words you want to learn. This way, you're learning vocabulary in context, and you're also implicitly learning grammar and sentence structure.

La manzana es roja. (front)

The apple is red. (back)

This is the basis of the 10,000 Sentence Method, a language learning technique that uses spaced repetition to help you learn a language. Learn more about the 10,000 Sentence Method in our article here.

When is it a good idea to put a single word on a flashcard? When you're learning simple vocabulary such as colors or animals, or when you're learning a language with a different writing system, such as Chinese or Japanese. Or if you just like to practice this way, that's fine too - some polyglots swear by it.

Next steps

Now that you know how spaced repetition works and how to use it, it's time to start learning. Langible is a great place to start, as it's built to take full advantage of spaced repetition and the 10,000 Sentence Method. Start now for free!

Alternatively, you can check out Anki, and see if it's a good fit for you - we have spent countless hours learning languages with Anki, and it definitely works.