Want to learn German in a way that finally sticks?
👉Join the Better German Community — it’s completely free and designed for real learners like you.
You’ll get access to live lessons, helpful PDFs, pronunciation practice, and real conversation guidance from Susi and the Better German team.

Ready for a German Course? 🤓
Start by booking a free appointment. You’ll fill out a short questionnaire, receive a personalized learning plan, and do your first lesson together — completely free!

Want to make steady progress? 📚
Our live courses are starting soon — check them out here.

🎧 Summary
In Episode 48 of the Better German Podcast, Susi Blümel tackles one of the biggest struggles in learning German — remembering vocabulary. She explains why word lists and flashcards often fail, and shares simple, proven ways to make new words truly stick. You’ll learn how your brain remembers language best and how to apply it in everyday practice. Explore more tips, free resources, and live courses inside the Better German Community — where real learners make real progress. ✨

Introduction
Welcome back to the Better German Podcast! In this episode, Susi Blumel shares some exciting updates about the show—including a new commitment to weekly episodes and easier access to the free PDF companion guides, now available to everyone, not just community members. But the heart of today’s episode tackles a common struggle that every German learner faces: why is it so hard to remember the words you’ve learned, and what can you do about it?

Then she gets personal: remembering her own struggles as a student with long lists of Latin and French words that just wouldn’t stick — until she realized every learner faces this, and there’s a better way.  And if you haven’t yet, check out the Better German Community — your space for extra resources, connection, and motivation on your learning journey.

🔎Key Topics

• Why “Vokabeln lernen” (learning word lists) doesn’t work the way we think
• The surprising truth about how your brain actually remembers new words
• How children naturally acquire words — and what adults can learn from that
• Turning passive study into active use: the secret is repetition and context
• Practical ways to use new German words every day:
  ▫️ Make sentences (even if half of it’s still in English!)
  ▫️ Use post-its for objects — but go beyond the label
  ▫️ Write and say each new word in action
• Why “using” a word beats “memorizing” it every time
• The sentence-building trick that can transform your vocabulary
• Susi’s “10 words a day” fluency plan — how real repetition leads to confidence

🎧Related Episodes
Episode 4: How to Learn GermanEpisode 6: Learn German Words — Body PartsEpisode 11: 7 Practical Tips for Learning German FasterEpisode 20: Easy Sentences in German
Episode 39: Conversation Practice in German
🎧You May Also Like
Episode 5: Introduction to Articles
Episode 30: “To Be” in German
Episode 38: German Word List — Family MembersEpisode 44: Learn & Describe Words in GermanEpisode 47: Practicing German Adjectives

📚Other Resources

• Email your questions to [email protected] — Susi might answer them in an upcoming episode!
• Check out the Interactive German Movie Guide with curated shows and subtitles in your language — a fun way to build vocabulary naturally.
• Listen to all episodes of the Better German Podcast and follow along with the growing community of learners worldwide.

✨ Join The Better German Community 
      Think you’re “bad at languages”? You’re not—the method was just wrong. Join the Better German Community and learn German in a way that finally makes sense.
📰  Sign Up for Our Newsletter
       Get Tips & Updates Straight To Your Inbox!

🌍 Explore Our Podcast Episodes
      New to the podcast? Head over to our podcast homepage to find other episodes you’ll love.

💬 Come See Our Approach For Yourself
      We believe in real understanding, not just memorizing grammar rules—come see how we do in this YouTube Video.

🎓 Ready to take your German to the next level?
       Click here to book your free first session and let’s get started! Find out which course is right for you!      Whether you’re just starting or want to finally feel confident speaking German, we’ll build a personal learning path that fits you.

📲 Stay Connected and Follow Us On:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bettergermanonline/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bettergerman.info
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Better-German
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@susibettergerman
• Pinterest: https://de.pinterest.com/susibettergerman/

⭐ Enjoyed this episode?      If you liked what you heard, give us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or share it with a fellow learner!