How to learn German vocabulary that sticks

German vocabulary has two traps. Nouns carry a gender, der, die or das, that you cannot guess reliably, and long compound words look frightening. Both become manageable with the right habits: learn every noun with its article, break compounds into their parts, and focus on the words you will actually use.

A practical vocabulary method, then apps built for it, with a section for German learning apps rising by visits on the Censuus ranking.

German learning apps rising by visits and sponsorship on Censuus

A younger app from an independent developer:

Ranked by visit traffic and sponsorship on Censuus, not editorial opinion. The list changes as new apps appear and gain traffic.

Never learn a noun alone

Learn each noun with its article and, ideally, its plural: der Tisch, die Tische. Some learners colour-code the genders on flashcards. Trying to add the article later almost never works; it is easiest to learn the word as one piece from the start.

Learn chunks, not single words

German verbs and nouns come with partners: you “make” an appointment, you “take” a decision. Learning whole phrases teaches the word, its grammar and its usual company at once, and phrases are what you need when you speak.

Start with your own day

The most useful words are the ones you would say today: at the shop, at work, on the phone. Building vocabulary around your real routine means you meet the words again quickly, which is what moves them into long-term memory.

Review on a schedule

Spaced repetition shows each word just before you would forget it. A few minutes a day is enough. Compare apps that handle the schedule and the rest of German in apps to learn German.

Compared from each developer’s own store description.
Habit	What you do	Why
Article with every noun	learn “der Tisch”, never just “Tisch”	gender is part of the word
Words in phrases	learn “einen Termin machen”, not “Termin”	you learn how the word is used
Everyday words first	the words of your own day	you use them, so they stick
Split compounds	Kranken-haus, Hand-schuh	long words become familiar parts
Spaced repetition	review just before you forget	less time, better memory

Frequently asked questions

How do I remember German noun genders?

Learn every noun together with its article from the start, and consider colour-coding genders on flashcards. Adding articles later rarely works.

What German words should I learn first?

The words of your own daily routine: shopping, work, travel and common verbs. You will meet them again quickly, which helps them stick.

Is spaced repetition good for German vocabulary?

Yes. It schedules reviews just before you forget, so a few minutes a day goes a long way.