Read for meaning, look up words that matter, and save a few with their context. Later, try to recall them. You do not need a vocabulary note for every unfamiliar word.
In a Spanish recipe, añadir (“to add”) may be worth learning because you will use it again. An unfamiliar brand name probably is not.
Read a paragraph first
Choose something you want to understand: a recipe, a local story, or an explanation of a work problem. Read a paragraph before reaching for a dictionary, unless a word stops you following it.
If nearly every sentence needs translating, choose something easier. See how to read foreign-language websites for help getting started.
Choose words worth keeping
| What you notice | What to do |
|---|---|
| It blocks the main point | Look it up, then continue. |
| You keep encountering it | Save it with a clear example. |
| You could use it yourself | Keep the useful phrase. |
| You understand enough without it | Keep reading. |
| It is a one-off name or detail | Leave it unless it matters to you. |
A lookup solves an immediate question. Save a note when you want to remember the answer.
Keep a short example
Save the meaning used in the passage, rather than every dictionary definition. For the recipe example:
Añade la leche poco a poco.
Add the milk little by little.
añadir: to add; añade: the instruction “add”.
The sentence shows the verb in use and gives you context for later review. A short example is usually easier to practise than a copied paragraph.
Save words with Reader
Learnalist Reader opens beside webpages in Chrome. Explore a word or sentence, then connect Learnalist to save it. External reference tools may open in another tab.
Watch the one-minute walkthrough to see a word become a learning note.
Review after reading
Hide a saved note’s meaning and try to recall it before revealing the answer. To practise using an expression, try making a new sentence with it.
Review on the web or in Learnalist’s iPhone and iPad app. Spaced repetition brings notes back over time. If review becomes a chore, save less and remove notes you no longer need.
Leave room to enjoy reading
Some sessions are for following a story with few interruptions (extensive reading). Others are for examining a short passage closely (intensive reading). Choose your purpose before you start.
For your next session, finish one short section and keep a few expressions you expect to meet again. Need a starting point? Browse Norwegian reading websites.
Try Reader with your next article
Firefox version awaiting approval.
Requires Chrome on desktop.
Reader is a desktop extension. See how Reader works, then install it in your desktop browser.