Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Learn new words
• Method 2 of 3: Using new words
• Method 3 of 3: Part Three: Replenish your vocabulary
• Tips
• Warnings
• Necessities

You are never too old to learn. You can cultivate an erudite personality as an adolescent, but also as an eighty-year-old. You can accomplish this by expanding your vocabulary. If you teach yourself a few habits, you will learn to add new words to your language in no time. This makes it easier to communicate, write and think. Keep reading for specific tips to supplement your vocabulary.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Learn new words

1. Read greedily. Once you leave school, you will no longer be confronted with homework assignments and tests that force you to learn new words. It becomes very easy to stop reading completely. However, if you want to expand your vocabulary, it is wise to create a reading schedule and stick to it.
   • You can try reading one new book every week. Or you read the newspaper every morning. Choose a schedule that you like. Don't read too much or too often if you don't like this. Choose a schedule that is within your reach.
2. Read literature. Challenge yourself to read as many books as possible. Read the classics. Read both old and new fiction. Read poetry. Read Louis Couperus, Multatuli and Gerard Reve.
   • Also try to read non-fiction and technical books: this way you will quickly learn not only to speak in other ways, but also to think in other ways. Read about a variety of topics, such as philosophy, religion, and science.
   • If you often read local newspapers, try reading longer, more difficult pieces in news magazines. For example, read Elsevier, Vrij Nederland, or HP / De Tijd.
   • On Project Gutenberg and LibriVox you can read a number of Dutch classics for free.
3. Read online resources and also the "low cultural" cases. Read online magazines and blogs about all kinds of things. Read fashion blogs and music reviews. Vocabulary is not limited to an expensive choice of words. To have a varied vocabulary, you need to know the meaning of both "oration" and "twerking". As a well-read person, you should be familiar with the work of both P.C. Hooft as Paul van Loon.
4. Look up words you don't know. If you come across an unfamiliar word, don't just skip it. Try to determine from the context what the word could mean. Then look it up in a dictionary to confirm the definition.
   • Consider keeping a notebook with you to write unfamiliar words. Look up the meaning of these words later.
5. Read the dictionary. Immerse yourself. Read the definitions of words you don't know yet. A good dictionary is an advantage here, because the definitions are more extensive. In addition, good dictionaries indicate the origin of a word, as well as when and in which context the word is used. Taking in this information will make it easier to remember the word in question.

Method 2 of 3: Using new words

1. Set goals. Goal setting is a useful tool if you are really committed to expanding your vocabulary. Try to use three new words every week, both in speech and writing. If you make a real effort, you can learn to remember and use thousands of new words. Can't use a word effectively in a sentence? Then that word is not yet part of your vocabulary.
   • Is learning three new words a week easy for you? Then try it once with ten words a week.
   • Learning twenty words a day makes it difficult to learn how to use them properly. Stay realistic and build your vocabulary steadily.
2. Use post-its or note papers at home. If you want to get into the habit of learning new words, try some simple memory techniques as if you were learning for an exam. Hang a post-it with the definition of a particular word above the coffee maker. This way you can practice while you make your coffee. Stick a new word on each houseplant. This way you can practice while watering the plants.
   • Always keep some papers on hand, even while watching TV. Keep expanding your vocabulary, so keep practicing.
3. Write more. For example, start with a diary or start a blog. Actually using your writing muscles will strengthen your vocabulary.
   • Write letters to old friends. If your message is usually short and informal, try a different way. Write a longer letter / email than usual. Also take the time to write the letter accurately, just as with a school assignment. Make informed choices.
   • Consider hiring more writing responsibles at work. If you tend to avoid writing memos or emails, change this habit. Participate in discussions and start writing more. You might as well get paid to expand your vocabulary, right?
4. Use accurate adjectives and nouns. The best writers aim for accuracy and brevity. Grab a thesaurus and carefully choose the most suitable words to use. Don't use three words if one word is enough. A word is a useful addition to your vocabulary if it allows you to limit the number of words in a sentence.
   • For example, the expression "dolphins and whales" can be replaced by the collective name "cetaceans". So "cetaceans" is a useful word.
   • A word can also be useful if it is more descriptive than the word or phrase it replaces. For example, someone's voice can be described as "pleasant". Someone with a "very pleasant" voice can also be called "sweet-voiced".
5. Don't advertise it. Inexperienced writers often think that unusual synonyms make everything better. This is certainly not the case. Using too gaudy language actually makes you appear pretentious. Often gaudy language also leads to the opposite of what you are trying to achieve. For example, it can cause your language to become less accurate than when you use more common words. The real writer shows himself in finding the right words.
   • "Shall we enjoy an alcoholic snack in the staminee tonight?" Still, your friends will probably be more comfortable if you ask, "Shall we get a beer at the bar tonight?"

Method 3 of 3: Part Three: Replenish your vocabulary

1. Visit websites with "The Word of the Day". There are many sites with such a section, such as the Van Dale website. You can also consider purchasing a language calendar. In this way you will learn something new about the Dutch language every day. You may be able to put the new word into practice that same day.
   • Visit websites that build your vocabulary, such as http://cambiumned.nl/wordschat.htm and build an extensive vocabulary.
   • There are many sites and agencies dedicated to preserving old, forgotten (aka archaic) words. With the search term "archaic words", most search engines will quickly find some of them. This is a pleasant pastime if you are waiting for the bus, for example, or standing in line for an ATM.
2. Do word puzzles and play word games. Word puzzles are an excellent method to increase word knowledge. The makers of these puzzles usually have to include a number of unusual words in their puzzles to make the puzzle work. The puzzles therefore test your vocabulary and are therefore very interesting for the person who does the puzzle. There are quite a few different word puzzles available, such as crossword puzzles, word search and Swedish puzzles. Besides the fact that these types of puzzles expand your vocabulary, word puzzles are also good for your critical thinking skills.Word games that complement your vocabulary are, for example, Scrabble and Boggle.

Tips

• There are many websites that can help you expand your vocabulary. Find your personal favorite and take advantage of it.
• The overuse of empty conjunctions like "Uhm .." and "I'm like" can make even someone with the most extensive vocabulary sound like an illiterate person. Avoid words like this.

Warnings

• You may find yourself using words that others do not know. This can complicate communication and therefore mutual understanding. Therefore, be prepared to use simpler synonyms if the situation calls for it.

Necessities

• Dictionary
• Note papers / lecture pad and pen / marker
• Classic literary work, difficult books
• Wide range of reading materials