How to Remember

[adeleinthesea]

I have taken a Chinese class before and loved it and found it super easy and I was quick to learn. However, without daily use I forgot most of what I learned. I have taken other language classes before and I still sometimes think in French, but I just can't get Chinese to stick in my head for a very long time.

Any help?

[ghanashyam]

Though I have never taken upon me learning of new languages, I have a student of medical transcription where I had to learn lot of medical terms. The best way was to write the spelling and speak the word and reciting the meaning. You can memorize the new words like this, write the phonographic of the word in English and reciting the meaning of the word.

[Miya]

Are you talking about remembering how to write characters or remembering the language (as in understanding it)?

If you're talking about remembering how to write characters, then there's no shortcut. You have to get it down by writing it many times.

If you're talking about understanding the language, then I suggest you try to listen to Chinese radio or watch Chinese t.v. Of course it's best to use the language itself, but in the case that you can't, you should expose yourself to the language as much as possible. It really helps you familarize with the language and then (hopefully) you'll remember it better.

[leahcim132]

I feel you. I always forget those pesky characters. They are so hard to learn... but I guess the only suggestion that I can give you is to practice the chinese characters everyday. Or else, it will slip right past you.

[mareebaybay]

I have faced the same problem learning Spanish. When I use to study Spanish in school, I would always forget when the class was officially over. The only thing I can recommend when learning languages is maximize your repetitions. Try to practice a lot but focus on one thing. By that I mean practice one thing a lot.

[Wufnu]

Don't feel bad.  Even Chinese students, in China, forget characters.  In fact, there's quite the debate going around among teachers that, since typing on a computer and texting with their phones has become the most prevalent method of communication used by young Chinese people, they are forgetting how to write lots of characters.  It's true!  My students told me as much. 

If you want a memorization aid, I'd suggest Anki.  I recently posted about it in the Chinese app forum.