Many language learners have heard that learning the most commonly used 2000 words will boost your learning early on. The success rate will depend on the language you are learning and how closely related it is to your native language. If the language you are studying is in a different family from your native language, those 2000 commonly used words will be beneficial but not a game changer. After several months of studying Korean, I’ve learned that I will need to continue building my vocabulary to understand the content I watch or listen to without having to pause and write down new words. However, the 2000 commonly used words have been helpful with my reading material, but the books I own are for beginners, so they are supposed to be simple and a good gateway into reading. If you start learning the 2000 common words, make sure the words are useful and related to your job or what you are passionate about; be consistent with learning, and remember that there is still a lot to learn along the way.
To make your words useful to your learning experience, make sure that they are actually commonly used. Many of the words I learned are from my textbooks, which is a great way to build and see words used with grammar in context. The more I reviewed, the easier they were to comprehend, and now I review the introductory material with less frequency. Upon completing the series I used, I had a total of 3200 words which I added to my Memrise list. Since I have reviewed the first two books and have learned the vocabulary in them, I can say that when I listen to television shows or podcasts, I do hear a lot of the words I learned, but it also lets me know that the journey has barely started and there is a long way to go.
Consistency is important with vocabulary learning. I’ve been building my vocabulary since February 2022 and am now in preview mode. My goal is to make my passively known words into active; so far I’ve learned over 3K words, which I track using my vocabulary apps and textbooks. Even though I am familiar with passive words, I still struggle to remember them. Right now I actively know 2K and plan on adding the rest to my memory bank. After seven months of actively studying, I can say that just knowing the first 2000 words is simply not enough, but it is an excellent starting point for you to get closer to achieving the lower intermediate level.
This experience has taught me that to feel a lot more comfortable with the language, I have to aim for 10K words, but I am not planning on cramming them in the next several months or next year since it would be a ridiculous goal. My goal is not to burn out, but to continue to enjoy this process. Next year, I plan on learning 1000 new words and reinforcing the ones I already know. That way I’ll slowly get to 4K words without going crazy. I am aware that I can easily do 2500 for next year but I do not want to stress myself and I want to learn and remember the words. I’m not in competition with anyone, I simply want to see how much I can accomplish on my own and, to be a dedicated lifelong learner.
There is a benefit to 2000 words if you are learning a language in the same family as your native language. When I was learning French, I knew a lot of words before studying additional vocabulary because I am a native Spanish speaker. With Korean, that was not the case, but a wonderful thing I am discovering is that learning Hanja has allowed me to guess the meaning of words I read in books. As you progress through your language learning journey, you will see some cool shortcuts with vocabulary learning that can help you learn unknown words.
Should you focus on learning the first 2000 words? Of course. If you are serious about your language learning, you should still try learning the first 2000 words assuming they are useful and pertain to day-to-day life or your interests. Vocabulary building is important but, we must be diligent and picky about the words we choose. Using fancy words could be tempting to learn and use, but save that for the B2 level, not A1-A2. The goal for beginners should be to slowly build and understand what is being learned, especially if the language differs from your native language. Learn those commonly used words but don’t expect a miracle solution. You must continue to learn and practice patience because there will be days when those words stick and days when you consider giving up. Remember to go at your own pace and don’t rush through it. It is your process, so have fun with it.
Originally published at http://thoughtsofang.wordpress.com on September 17, 2022.
