The worst thing that can happen to you as a Spanish student is to study some Spanish and after a while forget what you learned. 😲

 

If you put time and effort into learning Spanish, you want to get the rewards, i.e. you want to be able to use the Spanish vocabulary, or Spanish grammar you learnt when speaking to locals.

 

Why do we forget things so easily - and yes, it happens to all of us - and most importantly, what can you do to stop forgetting what you studied?

 

There are three main reasons why you forget so easily what you’ve learned in your Spanish class, or at home by yourself.

 

1. You didn’t fully grasp a Spanish grammar point or you didn't learn the Spanish vocabulary you saw in class.

If you went through, for instance, the differences between the verbs ser and estar, but you only got a vague idea of when you need to use one or the other, it’s no surprise that whenever you want to use them in the future, you’re going to feel lost. 

 

2. You never used what you learned

Let’s say that you did understand the different uses of the verbs ser and estar, but you never practice using them. Again, you’re going to feel lost when needing to use them. 

 

3. You didn’t review what you learned.

Let’s imagine now that you did understand the uses of ser and estar, and you practiced them, but you never went back to review and practice these two verbs. After a while, you won’t remember everything that you first learned. 

 

So what can you do to make sure you remember the Spanish grammar and vocabulary you studied? 

1. Make sure you understand what you’re covering in your Spanish class or by yourself.

2. Practice the Spanish vocabulary or grammar you learned. By the way, practicing means talking to a Spanish classmate, a Spanish language buddy, or talking to yourself. 

3. Before you start studying a new Spanish topic, review for 5 minutes something you already learned.

 

This way, you’ll make sure that the effort you’re putting in learning Spanish is not wasted.