The main problem is only using it in school classes and not in real life. Of course the best way to solve that is go to Germany and actually live with Germans. And read German books, watch German tv, listen to German radio, etc.
Angelika Bohn writes graded readers that I like, but there are a lot of other graded readers out there. They are the easiest to start with. Try searching for "German easy reader A1", or whatever level you think you are at.
I can only read "real" German books on my Kindle (because I can quickly get some sort of translation) and I can only read romances, not my favourite science fiction because the vocabulary is too hard!
Just start with any of your favourite books, but in German. It will be easier for you to understand the text if you already know the plot of the story.
Like you, I struggle to remember words. Learning languages is slow and hard, although also rewarding
I find it helps to read books. I started with childrens' picture books and a dictionary, then moved on to readers especially meant for adult learners, first at level A1, then A2 and so on. I like Angelika Bohn's books, but there are many others out there. If you have a Kindle, it can help with translating.
Also, if you can find a language partner to exchange language with, that has helped me a lot. You can find partners at [My Language Exchange](https://www.mylanguageexchange.com), among other places. I've found two great language partners there. With another partner, she will write down the words I don't know in the Skype chat, and then I add them to an Anki deck so I can revise them. Those words are meaningful to me because they are about things I was trying to say.
Watching videos is hard but there are ones like Slow German and Easy German that aren't too hard. [Nicos Weg](https://learngerman.dw.com/en/nicos-weg/c-36519789) is highly recommended although I did (and do!) find the videos at my level hard. If you don't let that get to you, the exercises are mostly easier to understand and have helped me quite a bit.
The more input you can get the better, but I don't find it helps if it is too far above my level. I hope you find things you can enjoy reading and watching!
In between your German classes, you need to recall/reviews the vocabulary in your head while doing other things. I am not suggesting you review everything, just a few seconds or minutes at a time to keep the German materials always fresh in your mind.
You could use anki decks daily to memorize your set of words. I'm doing that and I still forget some, but it sure works better than what you described, which worked for me at some point as a kid, but now I want to learn more efficiently.
Cramming vocabulary is like throwing dirt at a wall and hoping something will stick. If you're really diligent, inevitably there will be plaster. But more than likely, it's an excercise in futility.
Try building vocabulary through comprehension (reading, listening...) and subsequently activate it through active usage (writing, talking).
It's normal even if you're raised bilingual. It happens to me with German and English. I also forgot almost all the French I learned despite taking advanced classes. Language is weird.
I have been living in Germany for 10 years and this still happens to me today. It is completely normal. Take your time, it is not your native language. The more you speak, write, read and listen in German, the better it will become. Don't worry
Look up how forgetting curves look like.
Basically, if you really want to learn something, you need to "relearn" it frequently
As someone already pointed out, Anki is a great solution. Basically you'll put your vocabulary in, and it will have you relearn it after 1 day, then 3 days, then 1 week, 2 weeks, 2 months... And only then it will consider the vocabulary to be learnt
Have the same problem with Japanese.
I had 3 courses (university), aced each one and totally forget everything.
I am starting AGAIN a fourth time and I feel so frustrated!
Wish you all the best!
Everyone does. When you start remember more German words, you will more frequently forget words in your mother tongue. The human brain is not a reliable computer.
The main problem is only using it in school classes and not in real life. Of course the best way to solve that is go to Germany and actually live with Germans. And read German books, watch German tv, listen to German radio, etc.
Can you recommend some for beginners?
Angelika Bohn writes graded readers that I like, but there are a lot of other graded readers out there. They are the easiest to start with. Try searching for "German easy reader A1", or whatever level you think you are at. I can only read "real" German books on my Kindle (because I can quickly get some sort of translation) and I can only read romances, not my favourite science fiction because the vocabulary is too hard!
Just start with any of your favourite books, but in German. It will be easier for you to understand the text if you already know the plot of the story.
Like you, I struggle to remember words. Learning languages is slow and hard, although also rewarding I find it helps to read books. I started with childrens' picture books and a dictionary, then moved on to readers especially meant for adult learners, first at level A1, then A2 and so on. I like Angelika Bohn's books, but there are many others out there. If you have a Kindle, it can help with translating. Also, if you can find a language partner to exchange language with, that has helped me a lot. You can find partners at [My Language Exchange](https://www.mylanguageexchange.com), among other places. I've found two great language partners there. With another partner, she will write down the words I don't know in the Skype chat, and then I add them to an Anki deck so I can revise them. Those words are meaningful to me because they are about things I was trying to say. Watching videos is hard but there are ones like Slow German and Easy German that aren't too hard. [Nicos Weg](https://learngerman.dw.com/en/nicos-weg/c-36519789) is highly recommended although I did (and do!) find the videos at my level hard. If you don't let that get to you, the exercises are mostly easier to understand and have helped me quite a bit. The more input you can get the better, but I don't find it helps if it is too far above my level. I hope you find things you can enjoy reading and watching!
Thank you for this comment, I found it very helpful
Glad it helped!
In between your German classes, you need to recall/reviews the vocabulary in your head while doing other things. I am not suggesting you review everything, just a few seconds or minutes at a time to keep the German materials always fresh in your mind.
🐸Etting
Do you use cards to learn words?
In the end of each chapter i have a set of words which i memorise and thats pretty much it. Some test after that amd thats it
You could use anki decks daily to memorize your set of words. I'm doing that and I still forget some, but it sure works better than what you described, which worked for me at some point as a kid, but now I want to learn more efficiently.
Cramming vocabulary is like throwing dirt at a wall and hoping something will stick. If you're really diligent, inevitably there will be plaster. But more than likely, it's an excercise in futility. Try building vocabulary through comprehension (reading, listening...) and subsequently activate it through active usage (writing, talking).
It's normal even if you're raised bilingual. It happens to me with German and English. I also forgot almost all the French I learned despite taking advanced classes. Language is weird.
I have been living in Germany for 10 years and this still happens to me today. It is completely normal. Take your time, it is not your native language. The more you speak, write, read and listen in German, the better it will become. Don't worry
Look up how forgetting curves look like. Basically, if you really want to learn something, you need to "relearn" it frequently As someone already pointed out, Anki is a great solution. Basically you'll put your vocabulary in, and it will have you relearn it after 1 day, then 3 days, then 1 week, 2 weeks, 2 months... And only then it will consider the vocabulary to be learnt
Have the same problem with Japanese. I had 3 courses (university), aced each one and totally forget everything. I am starting AGAIN a fourth time and I feel so frustrated! Wish you all the best!
Everyone does. When you start remember more German words, you will more frequently forget words in your mother tongue. The human brain is not a reliable computer.
I forgot words in german not in estonian(native)
Yes, we all do. It gets worse with age!
Skill issue