How to Effectively Use Anki for Language Learning

For many years, Anki was a relatively unknown application in the language learning community. Despite being created in 2006, it stayed quite specialized, frequently overlooked in favor of more prominent platforms such as Duolingo and Memrise.

However, over the last few years, it has gained immense popularity within the polyglot world. Language learners of all kinds—from popular YouTube polyglots to university researchers—have commended its efficiency. This article will explain what Anki is, outline four steps for using Anki effectively for language acquisition, discuss its advantages and disadvantages, and more.

What is Anki?

The Japanese term anki (暗記) translates to “memorization,” and fundamentally, Anki is a flashcard application designed to assist with remembering information.

Anki was not originally developed or advertised as a language learning application. Nevertheless, it remains highly beneficial for individuals aiming to acquire new vocabulary and grammatical structures.

So, why has this app recently become so popular? The explanation lies in scientific research!

Anki employs a Spaced Repetition System (SRS) to help you internalize new information and concepts.

As you go through your flashcards, you indicate how “easy” or “hard” it is to remember the content on each card. The SRS algorithm uses this assessment to schedule the next review date for that card.

Cards marked as “hard” will appear more frequently in your reviews than those marked as “easy.”

Each time you access the app, you will see the number of cards awaiting review and which ones are new. Cards for review are highlighted in green, new cards in blue, and words you've previously missed in red.

Recognizing that the human brain naturally discards information that is not used regularly, SRS compels the brain to retain difficult flashcards through repeated exposure.

This process helps move the information from your short-term memory into your long-term memory.

As you might expect, SRS technology is particularly advantageous for learning new vocabulary in a foreign language. But you don't have to rely solely on my opinion!

Numerous studies have confirmed that SRS is an effective method for memorizing new vocabulary, and language learners can enhance their vocabulary retention by using an SRS for just ten minutes each day.

Anki has not only harnessed SRS power for everyday language learners but also provides its program entirely for free to download and use on your computer (compatible with Microsoft, Mac, or Linux).

Anki is also free for Android users but requires a payment of $24.99 for iPhone users.

How to Learn a Language with Anki in 4 Steps

1. Create Customized, Straight-to-the-point Digital Flashcards

Acquiring vocabulary in a new language can be difficult. Not only is remembering all the words challenging and time-intensive, but deciding which words to learn can also be a hurdle.

With textbooks, courses, and vocabulary lists, it might seem like you are learning many new words, yet few that are practical for everyday use.

The advantage of Anki is its flexibility. The flashcards are empty templates, allowing you to fill in each card's content according to your personal learning preferences and requirements.

While studying a language using a reputable textbook course, I encountered a chapter on banking. Aware that I would not need to open or manage a bank account in my target language, I quickly went through the chapter and concentrated only on the most crucial terms.

I turned these essential words into Anki flashcards, disregarding the rest.

Unlike other flashcard applications, I was not forced to work through words I found irrelevant to my goals simply because they were pre-installed in the app.

Anki flashcards can contain individual words if you prefer, but they can also include grammatical structures, phrases, and even words within example sentences.

Flashcards can also incorporate as much or as little detail as you desire.

For my own use, a word and its direct English translation are often insufficient, so I include additional information. This can involve detailed grammatical or vocabulary notes—such as word class and declensions—along with audio clips and example sentences.

Of course, you don't need to invent these vocabulary words from scratch. Flashcards can be derived from language courses, textbooks, or other learning approaches like practicing language immersion at home and interacting with native speakers.

Regardless of the source, I suggest keeping flashcards as straightforward as possible.

Anki should function as a review tool, not as the primary place where you encounter new words for the first time. Utilize Anki to help you master vocabulary and combine it with other methods for optimal outcomes.

2. Lean into Anki’s Adaptive Revision Algorithm

When your personalized flashcards appear for review, you select how well you remember a word. The choices are “Again,” “Hard,” “Good,” and “Easy.”

Although Anki does not provide strict guidelines for selecting an option, I generally aim for consistency during my study sessions.

Personally, I use “again” for words I cannot recall at all.

I reserve “hard” for words that I find difficult to remember—those that require several minutes of focused effort.

I use “good” for words I can remember without much trouble, typically within five to fifteen seconds.

Finally, “easy” is for words I recall immediately.

After some practice, selecting these options becomes instinctive, and they subsequently influence the algorithm for future reviews. This means I will see words I labeled “again” during the same study session, while other words will reappear at intervals based on their difficulty rating.

In fact, it might be several months before you need to review an “easy” word again!

3. Use Anki’s Powerful Sorting and Reviewing Tools

Beyond the basic spectrum of “hard” to “easy” for reviews, you can also assign colors to flag cards, sorting them into meaningful groups.

While there are numerous possibilities for what the colors represent (remember, the app is highly customizable), I advise using colors to categorize words either by type or subject.

For instance, if sorting by type, you could flag nouns in blue, verbs in red, and adjectives and adverbs in green.

If you sort by subject, you might flag everyday vocabulary in blue, academic terms in red, and work-related words in green.

Anki also lets you specify how many cards you wish to learn or review in a single session.

When I first began using it, I was unaware this feature existed. After not using the app for some time, you can imagine my surprise when I logged in one day and found I had hundreds of words to review. It felt overwhelming!

As with many aspects of language learning, I suggest shorter, more frequent sessions with fewer words rather than one long session with an excessive number of words.

You might set a target to study 25 words daily, and if you notice a significant backlog, you could do two sessions of 25 words each day instead of 50 all at once.

Another feature I frequently use in Anki is the “suspend” option.

Occasionally, there is a word in my flashcard deck that I simply cannot grasp. Instead of struggling and potentially losing motivation, Anki allows you to suspend a card. This means it will no longer appear in your flashcard reviews. Although this sounds permanent, you can always locate that card in your deck later and attempt it again.

Alternatively, you can choose to “bury” a card. This means Anki will skip it during the current review session but will show it again in a future session.

Whether you decide to color code, “suspend,” or “bury,” your cards are fully synchronized across multiple devices. So, any changes you make on your computer will be reflected on your smartphone and tablet.

4. Download Pre-made Language Learning Anki Decks Online

If creating your own flashcards seems too time-consuming or you are unsure which words to learn, don't worry—the wider Anki community can help!

In addition to personal flashcards, Anki enables you to easily download and use pre-made decks with all the program's functionalities.

These pre-made decks are typically assembled by other language learners and Anki users.

They might be a compilation of words the creator finds personally relevant, but more commonly, they are based on other study resources. For example, you can find Anki decks built from language textbooks, frequency lists, courses, and even other language learning apps like Duolingo, Rosetta Stone, and Mango Languages.

You can find Anki decks through a simple Google search.

For instance, searching “Anki deck common Spanish words” will yield numerous options. Decks are also shared on social media platforms like Reddit. For example, the Reddit user u/Xefjord has produced 80 Anki decks covering 69 languages.

While the sharing possibilities are almost endless, I strongly recommend downloading decks that include user reviews or feedback. This input will inform you about the accuracy and usefulness of the Anki deck.

Anki Language Learning: Is It Effective?

Anki’s Highlights

If there is one key point to remember about Anki, it's that the Spaced Repetition System is effective, and Anki has integrated its power into its algorithm for meaningful learning.

This means the program's core purpose is to transfer new information into your long-term memory, making new words and phrases in your target language more readily available for active use, such as in conversations, writing, listening, and reading activities.

Personally, I have noticed a significant increase in my vocabulary since committing to a regular Anki study routine.

Moreover, Anki flashcards are highly adaptable, allowing learners to build their own decks that suit their specific needs. You can include as much or as little information as you like and enhance your experience with Anki's practical review and sorting features.

Another asset is Anki's freeware approach.

As an open-source application, anyone can develop and share a deck for others to use. This presents limitless opportunities for language learners and connects you to an entire Anki community that can offer support and guidance.

Additionally, Anki provides some writing practice by allowing you to switch your cards from “basic” to “basic (type in the answer).” This feature requires you to type the answer for each flashcard instead of recalling it from memory and assuming your pronunciation or spelling is correct.

Most importantly, Anki is a relatively straightforward language learning tool.

This makes it a direct flashcard application without unnecessary features and distractions. Previously, I often found myself captivated by the appealing design of a language learning program, which sometimes reduced the focus on actual learning and left me feeling like I had wasted time. In my view, Anki offers a solid solution to this problem.

Anki’s Shortfalls

Although Anki has never claimed otherwise, a potential limitation is that it is not a dedicated language-learning program.

While it can be applied to language learning, Anki is not specifically designed for that purpose. It is a flashcard app suitable for various uses, including language acquisition, but it will not single-handedly teach you a language.

This also means that Anki does not include explicit language explanations or tutorials.

This holds true for most pre-made decks downloaded from the internet. Grammar tips, pronunciation guides, and language usage notes are absent unless added by the user or included in pre-made decks, and even then, they are limited.

Personally, I choose not to include grammar in my Anki decks. I treat them as vocabulary flashcard collections, and they perform that function adequately.

Despite this, flashcards inherently lack context. This is possibly Anki's most significant weakness.

I have found—especially with single-word flashcards—that I can remember meanings easily in Anki, but I struggle to use the words in actual conversations because I learned them in isolation. This might be a personal issue, but I believe it is a general drawback of flashcards, not just Anki.

Finally, there is always the possibility of errors in user-generated and downloaded decks. It is frustrating to memorize a flashcard only to later find out that its translation is incorrect.

Is Anki Worth It?

Despite its shortcomings, Anki is valuable if you use it for its intended purpose.

Certainly, Anki may not teach you a language from the beginning, but it is a robust resource for self-studying languages that enables you to review vocabulary, grammar, and phrases.

In fact, I contend that it is an excellent, straightforward platform for creating and reviewing your own flashcards. Best of all, it does not come with a high cost or require you to design your own system for reviewing challenging words.

As a component of a comprehensive language learning regimen, Anki can be very beneficial. Simply employ it as a tool alongside a course, textbook, or other language learning method, and you are positioning yourself for achievement.

One program you could combine it with, for instance, is the language immersion platform, Lingflix. Lingflix uses authentic videos—such as music videos, movie trailers, news, and inspiring talks—and transforms them into personalized language lessons. With Lingflix, you experience languages in real-world contexts—the way native speakers genuinely use them. A brief overview will reveal the diversity of Lingflix videos available: Lingflix effectively removes the tedious aspects of language learning, leaving you with only engaging, effective, and efficient instruction. It has already selected the best videos for you and categorized them by level and topic. All you need to do is pick any video that interests you to begin! Every word in the interactive captions includes a definition, audio, image, example sentences, and more. You can access a full interactive transcript for each video under the Dialogue tab and easily revisit words and phrases from the video under Vocab. Lingflix's unique adaptive quizzes help you learn the vocabulary and phrases from the video through enjoyable questions and exercises. Simply swipe left or right to see more examples of the word you're studying. The program also monitors your learning progress and informs you exactly when it's time for review, offering a completely personalized experience. Start using the Lingflix website on your computer or tablet or, even better, download the Lingflix app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)

Flashcards are probably already a fundamental part of your language learning routine—why not enhance them with an intelligent system like Anki that efficiently moves information into your long-term memory?

With Anki's SRS-driven flashcard capabilities, you can build the foreign language vocabulary collection you've always wanted.