How to Create Powerful Memory Aids for Language Learning

In this episode of Phrasing FM, the host shares practical advice on using mnemonics — simple memory tricks that make vocabulary stick faster and easier. He explains what makes a good mnemonic and offers four key tips drawn from his own experience learning multiple languages.

00:13 – What Are Mnemonics?

• Memory devices that create concrete, story-like associations for abstract information (e.g., linking “Tall Ben” to Big Ben the clock tower).

• Extremely useful in language learning for remembering words, characters, and pronunciations.

01:22 – Tip 1: Don’t Write Mnemonics Down

• The best mnemonics are the ones you can recall naturally when you see the word again.

• Writing them down turns them into something you memorize separately, which often fails long-term.

• If you forget the mnemonic after seeing the word, create a better one.

03:39 – Tip 2: Use the First Thing That Comes to Mind

• Don’t overthink or aim for perfect stories.

• Any loose connection works: a similar sound, syllable, rhyme, or vague association.

• Speed and simplicity matter more than elegance.

06:09 – Tip 3: Make Stories Ridiculous & Vivid

• The more absurd, obscene, funny, detailed, or emotional, the better they stick.

• Complex and memorable beats simple and forgettable.

07:07 – Tip 4: Stack Multiple Mnemonics

• Perfectly fine (and often helpful) to have 2–3 mnemonics for different parts of the same word.

• Avoid conflicting mnemonics for the exact same piece of information.

• They reinforce each other without confusion.

11:16 – Closing Mnemonics are a powerful supplement to any learning system. The host encourages trying Phrasing for a full-featured experience that supports mnemonics and much more.

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AI Transcript

00:00 All right. Welcome back to another episode of Phrasing FM, a podcast where I talk about languages and my experience building an app to learn them.

00:13 So today I want to talk about mnemonics. Mnemonics are little memory tricks that you can use to remember a whole lot more information, a whole lot easier. And so I'm sure you've come across mnemonics in your life. You might not know them by name, but for example, I'm quite tall. My name is Ben. And so when you meet me, you might think, oh, Tall Ben, like Big Ben, the clock tower. And you know, this is how a lot of people remember my name. And so that's a mnemonic.

00:52 And so mnemonics are used all the time in language learning. I use them all the time when I'm learning a language, and they can make your life a whole lot easier. And so I want to give you three tips that I find make my language learning really effective with mnemonics.

01:22 The first one is actually going to sound a little bit strange. So when I first started to use mnemonics, it was when I was learning the Japanese characters. I would come up with a story for every single one, and I would write the story in the flashcard. And something that I found after several months was that if I write down the mnemonic, it's actually less helpful for me.

02:03 So for me, the best mnemonics are the ones that you remember without having to see them written down. If you can't naturally come to it again after seeing the word, then in my opinion, it wasn't a very effective mnemonic. If I come up with a mnemonic for a word, and the next time I see the word, I can't remember the mnemonic, then it wasn't a good mnemonic, and I need to come up with another one.

03:22 So my first piece of advice is don't write down the mnemonics. These are memory devices. These are things that help you remember them. They should be very quick. They should be very intangible.

03:39 The second one is they can be as disconnected as you want. So I don't spend a lot of time trying to come up with the best mnemonic. A lot of my mnemonics are really big stretches... Just look for a syllable, two letters, something that rhymes, anything that's just vaguely even remotely related.

06:09 And then there might be a bonus fourth piece of advice... Number three is make stories as ridiculous as possible. The more obscene, the more absurd, the more vivid, the more detailed the stories, the better you're going to remember them.

07:07 And then number four was don't be afraid of having multiple mnemonics for the same word. You can stack mnemonics as long as they're pointing to different pieces of information. A lot of times I'll remember a word, I'll remember a mnemonic. I'll be like, oh, that was the first part. Oh, and the second part was this one... And they all work in harmony.

11:16 So those are my tips for mnemonics. I hope they help you regardless of which application you use. If you are looking for a new language learning application, I've built a language learning application called Phrasing to learn and maintain multiple languages to fluency and beyond... If not, then I'll catch you in the next episode. Thanks for listening. Ciao.

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