Language learning: vocabulary, memory and apps

How to pick a Spanish book that matches your level, which words to write down and which to skip, and what to do with new vocabulary after reading so it actually sticks.

Which Spanish words actually matter on the DELE, what each part of the exam demands, why thesaurus synonyms cost you points, and a ten-week plan for building active vocabulary before test day.

Why daily vocabulary practice falls apart in week two and how to fix it: anchor it to something you already do, keep the serving to five minutes, count words instead of streak days, and decide in advance what happens on a missed day.

Spanish vocabulary flashcards: 6 apps compared (VibeLing, Anki, Quizlet, Brainscape, DuoCards, Memrise) and why some decks stick while others die.

Listening to music and learning a language are not the same thing. Here is the routine that pulls 5-8 Spanish expressions out of a single song in twenty minutes, and keeps them.

How many Spanish words you need to actually speak: active vs passive vocabulary, vocabulary size at every CEFR level, and what share of speech the first few thousand words cover.

Why your vocabulary stops growing after a few months on Duolingo, and what to do next: four reasons for the plateau and a four-step plan for learning your own words instead of someone else's course.

Where free ends in language apps: the three kinds of "free", five things a usable free tier must have, and what VibeLing, Anki, Quizlet, Duolingo and Memrise actually give you for nothing.

Free Quizlet alternatives compared: 8 apps on card creation, price, free tier and spaced repetition — and which ones import your Quizlet sets.

Spaced repetition apps compared: 7 apps on how cards are made, scheduling, free plan and price — and what the free versions leave out.

Spanish vocabulary apps compared: 7 apps on your own words, spaced repetition, free tier and price, plus a one-week test to check one yourself.

How to turn the shows you already watch into a source of real Spanish: what an app for movie vocabulary must do, how many phrases to take from one episode, and how not to forget them a week later.