Rapidly Expand Your Foreign Language Vocabulary with These 7 Expert Anki Tips

Learning a new language can be both exhilarating and challenging. One of your most important tasks is quickly mastering the most common words used in your target language. This helps you understand the majority of what you hear and read, and allows you to start communicating your thoughts and feelings with native speakers.

So what is the best way to learn new words?

Immersion plus flashcards.

1. First, use my Anywhere Immersion Method to expose yourself to authentic content.

2. Second, create personalized flashcards for useful words and phrases you encounter.

3. Third, practice in context by watching videos, speaking with online tutors, etc.

Then rinse and repeat until you've internalized the thousands of words you need to understand and communicate.

Getting fluent may not be easy, but it really is that simple.

Read on for step-by-step instructions to efficiently mine and memorize vocabulary using at-home immersion and the Anki app.

What is Anki & Why Should You Use It?

Anki is a free* flashcard program that uses a spaced repetition algorithm to optimize your learning. Based on how easily you remember a card, it automatically schedules review sessions for optimal long-term retention. Less familiar cards are scheduled sooner and more often, while more familiar cards are shown later and less often.

As Gabriel Wyner argues in his book Fluent Forever: How to Learn Any language Fast and Never Forget It:

"We've found the end of forgetting. You learn a word today and then shelve it for a while. When it comes back, you'll try to recall it, and then shelve it again, on and on until you couldn't possibly forget. While you're waiting for your old words to return, you can learn new words and send them off into the future, where you'll meet them again and work them into your long-term memory. At least until you can upload jujitsu directly into your brain, this is the most efficient way to memorize large amounts of information permanently."

There are many spaced repetition apps available today, and nearly all language learning apps integrate some kind of intelligent spacing for reviews. But Anki is my go-to language flashcard app for three key reasons:

1. It can be customized to fit your learning needs and preferences.

2. It supports audio, images, example sentences, notes, fill-in-the-blank exercises, etc.

3. It keeps you focused on just the words and phrases you are struggling to remember.

*The app is free for all platforms except iOS (the AnkiMobile iPhone app costs $24.99). I think the app is well worth the cost and I'm happy to support its development, but I do think this is a bit unfair for we iPhone users. The app's creator Damien Elmses gives the following justification:

"Taken alone, AnkiMobile is expensive for an app. However, AnkiMobile is not a standalone app, but part of an ecosystem, and the $17.50 Apple gives me on each sale goes towards the development of that whole ecosystem. For the price, you get not only the app, but a powerful desktop application, a free online synchronization service, and mobile clients for various platforms."

How to Get Started with Anki

Step 1: Download the Anki app

You can download Anki from the official Anki website. There you will find links to download versions for iOS, macOS, Android, Windows, and Linux.

I recommend downloading both the desktop and mobile version. I tend to use the macOS version for batch creating new cards, and the iOS version for studying cards throughout the day.

While you can certainly create new flashcards in the mobile app, there are important features (e.g. adding audio with the HyperTTS add-on) that only work on desktop. More on this below.

Step 2: Create a new deck for each language you are learning.

If you are learning multiple languages, I suggest creating one deck for each language. Some learners like to create additional decks for specific topics, word classes, study sources, etc., but I find it best to keep things as simple as possible.

You can also download pre-made "shared decks" created by members of the Anki community, but you will get the most benefit from creating your own personalized cards. They will better fit your needs and the very act of making them will help improve your memory.

Step 3: Create new flashcards

To add new flashcards to your deck on desktop:

1. Click on the deck you'd like to use (make sure you're in the Decks tab of the app).

2. Click Add at the top.

3. A pop-up window will appear where you can enter content.

By default, you will use the Basic note type. But I recommend using custom fields and formatting as detailed below.

💡 In Anki terminology, there's an important distinction between "Notes" and "Cards." When you add a new word or expression to Anki, you are creating a new "Note" (and each Note can have multiple fields and pieces of information). Based on your settings, these Notes are then presented to you in one or more "Card" types. So you create Notes, but you study cards. For example, I usually use the following two "Card" types (which Anki automatically creates for me whenever I input a new Note):

1. Recognition cards, which include the target language word or phrase on the front and quiz me on its meaning, pronunciation, etc. (which are shown on the back).

2. Recall cards, which include the meaning of the target language expression on the front and have me produce the target language from memory.

It's useful to have both Card types since recognition and production are very different skills (the latter usually being much more difficult).

Tips for Gathering & Saving Vocabulary

As you go about your immersion activities (e.g. watching shows on Netflix, listening to podcasts, reading books, etc.), keep note of new words and phrases that you find interesting or useful. Here are five tips for gathering and processing this vocabulary.

① Use a Shared Google Doc with Your Online Tutor

Your online language tutors (e.g. from italki) will likely prove to be your favorite source of new, personally relevant vocabulary and phrases. But it can be tough to jot things down when you are trying desperately just keep up with the conversation!

Many tutors will help you out by writing things down in the chat on Zoom, Skype, or the italki classroom, but it's all too easy to forget or lose these once a call ends. Instead, I recommend using a shared Google Doc, with a new dated section for each conversation.

② Take Physical Notes

“The faintest pencil is better than the strongest memory.” —Greg McKeown, Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less

Encounter a useful word or phrase while immersing or chatting? Write it down so you can later create a flashcard in Anki! You may assume that you'll remember it, but it will likely vanish from memory long before you get back to your computer.

You can use either physical or digital notes, but I find that good old-fashioned pen and paper is best (especially during meals and social situations in which picking up one's phone could be seen as rude). In my experience, nobody raises an eyebrow when you write something down in your pocket journal.

I use the pocket-friendly dot-graph notebook from Field Notes and the uni JETSTREAM 4&1 multi pen, which includes a 0.5 mm mechanical pencil, a replaceable erasure, and 0.7 mm ballpoint pens in red, green, blue, and black ink. Can you tell I'm a stationary nerd? 🤓

③ Export from Other Apps

Many language apps, and dictionaries, and browser extensions include ways to save vocabulary as you study. And some even include dedicated Anki export options! Here are a few of my favorites:

• Install the Language Reactor extension on Chrome to save and export words from subtitles on Netflix and YouTube. Note that this feature requires a Language Reactor Pro membership ($6/month).

• Most popular dictionary apps (e.g. Nihongo, Pleco, SpanishDict, etc.) include a "History" feature that shows you words you've looked up. Many also allow you to create and export custom vocabulary lists.

• Use the sentence export feature in Duolingo: 1) After you complete an exercise, tap the up arrow icon, and 2) select Save image to send it to your photos.

④ Take Screenshots

Screenshots are a quick and easy way to capture words, phrases, and sentences you encounter while consuming target language content on your devices. Here are instructions for the major platforms:

• On your iOS device, press the Side Button and the Volume Up button at the same time. The image is saved to your photos, and can also be found under Albums > Media Types > Screenshots.

• On Android devices (9.0 and above), press and hold the Power and Volume Down buttons at the same time for a few seconds.

• On macOS, simultaneously hold down the Command (⌘)+ Shift + 3 keys. Alternatively, type Command (⌘)+ Shift + 4 to select a specific part of the screen, or use the built-in Screenshot app for more options.

• On Windows, hold down the Alt + Print Screen keys, or use the free Snipping Tool on Windows 10 and above, which provides more capture options.

💡 Note: Unfortunately, you cannot take screenshots when watching videos on streaming apps like Netflix. In such cases, you can instead take a photo of the screen using your phone or write things down in your paper notebook.

⑤ Batch Process Saved Vocabulary

To make sure you actually add your saved vocabulary to Anki on a regular basis:

1. Decide how often you want to process notes, apps, screenshots, etc. I suggest at least once a week, but daily tends to be best to avoid overwhelm.

2. Create a repeating task in your to-do list or a recurring calendar event. Add subtasks for each location you need to process, or link to a checklist in Apple Notes, Notion, etc.

Tips for Creating Effective Anki Flashcards

Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your Anki flashcards.

① Use Custom Fields

The default note types in Anki include two fields:

1. Front

2. Back

Whatever you include in the Front field will be shown on the front of a card, while the content of the Back field is shown on the back (or this is reversed for Recognition cards).

This is fine to get started, but I highly recommend using custom fields and formatting to increase your effectiveness and make your study sessions more enjoyable.

For example, in languages like Japanese and Mandarin Chinese, it's useful to have multiple fields on the back of a card, not just one, so that you can isolate various variables. I recommend the following:

• An Expression field which shows how a word is normally written (e.g. in Chinese characters).

• An Image field in which you attach a photo or image when relevant (more on this below).

• A Pronunciation field which shows how the word is pronounced (e.g. in pinyin, roumaji, or kana).

• An Audio field in which you add an audio recording (e.g. using text-to-speech; more on this below).

• A Meaning field which includes a definition (including common alternative meanings).

• An Example field which includes phrases or sentences that show how the word is used in context.

• A Note field which includes useful rules, exceptions, reminders, or mnemonics.

To create new fields:

1. Open Anki on your desktop.

2. Click Browse at the top.

3. Select the desired Note Type on the left.

4. Click Fields...

5. Click Add and enter the name of a custom field (use your own names or those I suggest above).

6. Click OK.

7. Repeat as many times as needed to add all the custom fields you want.

8. Drag the fields into the order you want or click the Reposition button and enter a number.

9. Click Save.

10. Click Sync and Upload to AnkiWeb.

② Use Custom Formatting

I also recommend doing a bit of custom styling so that you can use different fonts, sizes, colors, etc. to give primacy to certain fields.

For example, here is the exact code I use for my Japanese flashcards. Feel free to copy and paste (or adapt as you like).

Recognition Cards

For the front of Recognition cards:

1. Click on Cards...

2. Select Recognition from the Card Type dropdown list at the top.

3. Toggle Front Template.

4. Paste in the following code:

<div class=jp> {{Expression}} </div>

For the back of Recognition cards:

1. Toggle Back Template.

2. Paste in the following code:

{{FrontSide}}

<hr id=answer>
<div class=jp> {{furigana:Pronunciation}} </div>
<br>
{{Audio}}
<br>
<br>
<div style="font-size: 38px;">{{Meaning}}</div>
<br>
<br>
<div style="font-size: 24px;">{{Example}}</div>
<br>
<div style="font-size: 18px;">{{Note}}</div>

Now customize the styling:

1. Toggle Styling.

2. Paste in the following code:

.card {
    font-family: arial;
    font-size: 30px;
    text-align: center;
    color: black;
    background-color: white;
}
.jp { font-size: 50px }
.win .jp { font-family: "MS Mincho", "ＭＳ 明朝"; }
.mac .jp { font-family: "Hiragino Mincho Pro", "ヒラギノ明朝 Pro"; }
.linux .jp { font-family: "Kochi Mincho", "東風明朝"; }
.mobile .jp { font-family: "Hiragino Mincho ProN"; }

Recall Cards

To customize the front of Recall cards:

1. Select Recall from the Card Type dropdown list at the top.

2. Toggle Front Template.

3. Paste in the following code:

<div style="font-size: 32px;">{{Meaning}} </div>

To customize the back of Recall cards:

1. Toggle Back Template.

2. Paste in the following code:

{{FrontSide}}

<hr id=answer>
<div class=jp> {{furigana:Pronunciation}} </div>
<br>
<br>
{{Audio}}
<br>
<div style="font-size: 24px;">{{Example}}</div>
<br>
<div style="font-size: 18px;">{{Note}}</div>

Now customize the styling like you did earlier:

1. Toggle Styling.

2. Paste in the following code:

.card {
    font-family: arial;
    font-size: 30px;
    text-align: center;
    color: black;
    background-color: white;
}
.jp { font-size: 50px }
.win .jp { font-family: "MS Mincho", "ＭＳ 明朝"; }
.mac .jp { font-family: "Hiragino Mincho Pro", "ヒラギノ明朝 Pro"; }
.linux .jp { font-family: "Kochi Mincho", "東風明朝"; }
.mobile .jp { font-family: "Hiragino Mincho ProN"; }

③ Add Audio

Hearing the pronunciation of words and phrases is crucial for language learning. You can manually attach audio recordings to each card, but the easiest way to add audio to your Anki cards is using HyperTTS. This powerful Anki add-on automatically adds audio to your flashcards using text-to-speech technology (hence "TTS"). It takes a little work to set up properly, but it's well worth the effort to be able to hear words instead of just read them.

💡 Note: HyperTTS is the improved successor to AwesomeTTS, a previous add-on from the same developer that has similar functionality. Both are still available, but HyperTTS has more functionality and is easier to set up.

To install the HyperTTS add-on:

1. Open Anki on your computer (not in the mobile app).

2. To be safe, first export your Anki collection (File > Export) so you have a backup.

3. Click on Tools in the menu bar.

4. Select Add-ons (or type ⇧⌘A on Mac).

5. Click the blue Get Add-ons button.

6. Paste in the code 111623432.

7. Restart Anki.

Once you restart Anki:

1. Click on Tools and select HyperTTS: Services Configuration.

2. Click Enable All Free Services.

3. Click Save.

💡 Note: For premium text-to-speech services, you can upgrade to HyperTTS Pro. But the free services are usually good enough for most languages.

Next, choose whether you want to use Collection Audio or Realtime Audio. Both have pros and cons:

• Collection Audio: The audio is generated ahead of time and stored in your collection. The upside is that you don't have to worry about having wifi or cell service to hear the audio, and the audio sounds the same whether on your computer or smartphone. The downside is that the file will be much bigger and you won't have audio support for cloze cards.

• Realtime Audio: The audio is generated in realtime as you go through your cards, and your collection won't have any audio files to sync. This means smaller files, yes, but it means you need wifi or cell service to hear the audio. Also, the audio will sound different on your computer and smartphone (depending on whatever local text-to-speech settings you have on each device). The good news is that cloze is supported.

Here are linked instructions for each:

• How to add Collection Audio

• How to add Realtime Audio

④ Use Images

Use images to spice up your cards, enhance your memory, and create a visual context.

For example, instead of just writing "猫" (Japanese for "cat") on a card, include a picture of a cat. And not just any feline, but your favorite kitty from childhood!

Such visual and emotional associations helps your brain to remember new words MUCH more effectively. And this creates a direct connection between sound and meaning, so you don't have to rely as much on translations.

To find images:

• Scan your photo library for relevant, personally meaningful images.

• Search on Google Images.

• Use ChatGPT / DALL·E to create a custom image.

• Download icons from The Noun Project.

• Download free photos from Unsplash.

To add images to your Anki cards:

1. Open a flashcard in Anki.

2. Click inside a field (I use a custom field called Image).

3. Click the paperclip icon at the top.

4. Click Add at the bottom and navigate to your file.

5. Save your card.

⑤ Create Context with Examples

Example phrases and sentences provide context and help you understand how words are used in real conversations. This not only improves your comprehension but also makes it easier to recall and utilize vocabulary.

To add an example:

1. Use an actual phrase or sentence you encountered in your immersion activities (best) or find examples using Tatoeba.org or a Google search (better than nothing).

2. Add the example to the back of your card. I use a custom field titled "Example" which allows me to use a smaller font size to keep things tidy. More on this below.

For example, for the 猫 ("cat") card mentioned above, you could have the following examples on the back:

猫がネズミを捕まえた

The cat caught a mouse.

猫に小判。

Casting pearls before swine.

(Lit. "Coins to a cat.")

⑥ Keep Cards Simple & Focused on 1 Variable

When I first started using Anki, I would put complete sentences on the front of the card (instead of in an example field as recommended above). While context is good, the problem with this approach is that it didn't isolate one variable at a time. There were often cards that had multiple new words I didn't know, which made the cards overwhelming and difficult to rate.

Instead, use a single word or phrase as the primary expression you are quizzing yourself on, and include an example sentence on the back to show you how it's used in context. Alternatively, you can use cloze cards which ask you to fill in a missing piece of information. Such "fill in the blank" exercises give you the advantage of using complete sentences while still quizzing you on just one piece of information at a time.

💡For about creating cloze cards in Anki, see this section in the Anki Manual or watch this YouTube video.

⑦ Use Tags to Organize Your Cards

Tags are a great way to easily organize your cards and make it easier to find specific topics you want to review (especially if you use just one deck per target language).

For example, you can tag your Anki cards with:

• Parts of speech such as Verbs, Adverbs, Adjectives, Nouns, etc.

• Topics and professional domains like Business, Education, Law, etc.

• Where you first encountered the word (e.g. Tutoring, Netflix, Money Heist, etc.)

To add tags:

1. Click in the Tags field at the bottom of a card.

2. Type a new tag and hit the enter key or start typing and select an existing tag from the pop-up.

3. When you're done adding tags, click Add to save the card.

Anki Study & Review Tips

Anki's power lies in its spaced repetition algorithm, which schedules reviews based on how well you know each card. If used correctly, spaced repetition flashcards are the most efficient way to get new words into your head quickly. However, Anki can quickly become overwhelming if you fall behind and too many reviews pile up. To prevent that:

• Be Consistent: Try to review your "Due" cards every single daily so they don't pile up. Consistency also helps you learn more efficiently and increases long-term retention.

• Don't Cram: Anki is designed to spread out your learning over time. Trust the algorithm and avoid the temptation to review all your cards in one sitting.

• Use the Mobile App: Though the desktop version of Anki is ideal for note creation, the mobile apps make it easier to fit short review sessions throughout your day.

• Leverage "Habit Stacking": Pair your Anki reviews with some other firmly entrenched habit you already do every day (e.g. brewing coffee in the morning, going to the bathroom, etc.).

• Delete cards liberally: Don't be afraid to delete any cards you find confusing, annoying, or unhelpful. If you find Anki is becoming a chore, boring cards are usually to blame!

If used right, Anki can be a highly versatile and personalized language-learning tool. Until we can download new languages like in The Matrix, spaced repetition is the most efficient way to learns lots of words in a short amount of time.

By creating your own custom flashcards, you can enhance your learning experience and more easily retain information. Remember to add images, audio, and example sentences, to review consistently, and to trust the spaced repetition process.

But also remember that Anki should be used in concert with immersion. Though good flashcards can speed your path to fluency, they are not a replacement for the contextual exposure and communicative practice you need to master new words and structures.

See immersion and Anki as a virtuous, intertwined cycle:

1. You encounter new words while immersing.

2. You memorize them using custom flashcards.

3. And then you encounter them again in context, which makes them stick even better.

Happy immersing! Happy studying!