Memory Help

You can use some memory tools to assist you in learning new words in another language. The basic concept is that you associate a foreign language word with its English meaning. This is not at all difficult.

You simply come up with an English word you can use to substitute for the foreign language word, then you just associate that “invented” word with its English meaning. Let’s try it now!

The French word for window is “fenetre”. You could picture a window eating a raw fan; or a fan eating a raw window. Fan ate raw = fenetre.

See how easy that is!? Let’s try another:

The Spanish word for Brother is “hermano” pronounced air-mon-o. Just picture your Brother as an airman with gigantic wings!

It helps to have a ridiculous picture, that way you’re more apt to remember/recall it because it’s so out of the ordinary.

How about another?

The Spanish word for “room” is “cuarto”, pronounced quart-o. Simply make an association between room and, say, quarter. A room piled high and completely filled with quarters would do it. Be sure to actually “see” the picture in your mind. See the quarters filling that room.

One more:

The French word for ‘father” is “pere”. Associate Father to pear (the fruit) and you won’t forget it. You might see your Father eating a gigantic (bigger than he is) pear, or a gigantic pear is rocking you to sleep, as though it were your Father.

Do you have any other associations that were particularly helpful to you learning another language? Just click on the “Contact Us” link below and let us know. We may even add your suggestions to this page, or create another page just for such memory associations.

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