Targeted Vocabulary

Stop memorizing random word lists. How to learn vocabulary that matches your job, your hobbies, and your actual life.

Welcome, aspiring polyglot! Since I began teaching privately, I have largely moved away from “general” vocabulary. Yes, I still teach common verbs and words that are necessary, but most of the time we spend working on vocabulary and grammar that can be immediately utilized by the student with whom I am working. This is especially true in hyper specialized fields like engineering and medicine.

What I have noticed through this transition is that most people who are learning a new language are learning it to use it (as they should), and that most of the time they plan on using it is in those specialized situations. So yes, of course it is nice to be able to order food and make small talk, but there is much more to language than just those things; and you should never settle.

Laying a foundation

Foundations are crucial because you can only build as high as your foundation is strong. We spend 6 weeks exclusively on basics and building up the best foundation possible. The targets for my students look like this in their first weeks, in case you want to try your hand at what I put them through:

- 50 new words

- 5 pages read (Lord of the Rings, Don Quixote, the Bible, for example)

- 30 minutes of focused listening (music, podcasts, tv, movies, videogames, etc)

- 7 hours of passive listening exposure

- 1 song translated from target language to native language

- 25 sentences written

This is what the first 3 weeks look like and it only gets more difficult as time goes on, but these things are comprehensively effective and I have seen them work hundreds of times. We also cover 6 verb tenses in the first 6 weeks of class. That is how we lay a foundation sturdy enough to begin layering in more precise, relevant vocabulary for each individual student.

Of course, without understanding basic sentence structure, things can get a little wonky pretty fast. Though, that is one of the reasons why I am always trying to get my students to write more. It becomes pretty difficult to remain inept with sentence structure when you are writing dozens of sentences every single week. Combined with immediate feedback, the best part of having an instructor, these exercises make learning a new language a mission of months rather than years.

Building with intention

One of the main issues with most language education is that it is directionless. There is no rhyme or reason to the things that are focused on outside of frequency of use. That is a good starting point, but the vast majority of the “most common words” can be mastered in just under a month. Then what? That is where targeted language shines.

Normally, I recommend studying words and phrases that are associated with the things you spend most of your time doing. If you like to hunt, learn how to talk about hunting in your target language. If you are in the medical field, learn medical terminology. Even learning sports specific language can be incredibly beneficial, especially if you plan to do something like surf in Costa Rica.

Fortunately for you, reader, I have created dozens of guides that you can download here:

And for those in the medical profession who want to take their careers to the next level, I created these handbooks that will give you access to dozens of patterns that will make your experience with Spanish and French speaking patients much more enjoyable. As of right now I only have those two languages complete, but more are in the works. You can pick your copy up here:

The Nurse’s Handbook: Spanish

The Nurse’s Handbook: French

All of these guides hinge on the patterns that can be found within the various languages. Once you start seeing them it becomes easier to notice new ones and that is where you will begin to notice quantum jumps in your abilities. Of course, the last thing you want to do is box yourself in to speaking a specific way. Being well rounded is crucial for the topical fluidity that conversation demands.

Expanding your horizons

No matter how much “targeted” language you learn, none of it is can be used if you neglect conjugations. Understanding how verbs work is absolutely crucial and your ceiling of understanding verb conjugations will be your ceiling of ability to speak and comprehend what is being said to you.

Therefore, one of the best exercises you can do every day of your life is using new targeted language in sentences that you can foresee yourself using. My advice to my doctor clients is to run through patient interactions in between visits. This real-time strategy may not provide the perfect words, but what it does do is give you the tools you need to begin constructing perfect sentences.

At the end of the day, you cannot control the conversations you have. You can, however, control the preparation you do for any and all conversations that might come up in your daily life. If you know that you are going to be speaking to people in a hospital setting, you can play out scenarios in your mind so that when you are in a similar situation it won’t be the first time you have had to think about it.

The same goes for sales and hospitality and engineering and every other sector. For more on how to get the most out of this exercise, check out this article:

Learning how to control conversations is the final piece of targeted language upon which you should focus. Properly asking questions, properly directing the conversation, and mastering misdirection are all ways you can control conversations. If nothing else, sometimes the best thing you can be in a conversation is a listener. People love to talk about themselves.

Conclusion

Sometimes the most important thing you can do as a solo language learner is give yourself constraints. Too much freedom can cause stagnation due to an inability to drill down on a single thing. “Study anything” sounds great until you start looking for input that covers “anything”. Then it suddenly becomes an overwhelming endeavor with far too many options.

The internet is incredible and it can provide just about anything you want. Yet education is suffering in ways it never quite has before. At the end of the day, when there is too much information, triage becomes necessary and finding people you trust is paramount. Making these choices is difficult, but you can do difficult things and be great. So get out and do some difficult things and become great. I am rooting for you. If you need help, fill out the form below:

Requests

If you have anything you would like covered you can reach out to me on ​X​, ​Instagram​, or at odin@secondlanguagestrategies.com.

If you work in healthcare, I’ve built Medical Spanish and French Handbooks with dozens of clinical patterns and vocabulary frameworks you won’t find anywhere else. Available to paid subscribers.

I also build custom courses for professionals. Doctors, nurses, engineers, lawyers and anyone who needs targeted language skills for their field. Every program is tailored to your specialty, your patient population, and your schedule. Learn more and get started.