Learning a word can be simple.
MemoHello helps you learn vocabulary in short sessions and return to the words you want to remember.
A method that works
Flashcards are one of the most effective ways to practise vocabulary. Revealing an answer, recalling it from memory and revisiting difficult words help make learning active. Examples show how each word is used in context.
Simplicity comes first
Choose your languages and level, then start. The cards stay in focus, while review, pronunciation and automatic playback are there when you need them. Learn at your own pace.
Available when you need it
Use MemoHello in a browser on your phone or computer. Start with free flashcards, even without an account. Signing in lets you save progress; Premium opens the full catalogue.
The MemoHello method: pace, understanding and memory
Faster exposure lets you see more cards, but lasting vocabulary learning requires comprehension, retrieval and revisiting words. MemoHello gives you control over the pace and lets you pause or review difficult items.
What reading research tells us
The method is inspired by studies of skilled silent readers and rapid serial visual presentation. A meta-analysis of 190 studies involving 18,573 participants estimated an average of about 238 words per minute for adults silently reading English non-fiction. This is a descriptive estimate, not a prescribed pace for new vocabulary. Experiments with rapidly presented words demonstrate perceptual possibilities but do not prove lasting learning of foreign words.
Adjust autoplay to the task
Set separate display times for a word and its translation, pause, or return to a card. Faster settings allow more exposures in a given time than pronouncing each card aloud, but more exposures do not necessarily mean more learning. A major review finds a speed–comprehension trade-off: faster reading cannot be assumed to preserve full understanding.
Memory is built through retrieval
Research with foreign vocabulary shows that recalling a translation from memory supports later retention. A quantitative review found advantages to distributing practice over time; experiments with varied context sentences support retrieval with different cues. Try recalling before revealing the answer, then return to difficult words in later sessions.
Evidence from word-card studies
A synthesis of 32 word-card studies found vocabulary-learning benefits that varied with task and learner proficiency. Simply spending longer with cards was not significantly correlated with learning outcomes. Seeing more slides is therefore different from knowing more words.
Using MemoHello in practice
Start at a pace where you can recognise the word and recall its meaning. Speed up familiar items, slow down for new words, mark difficult cards for later review, and enable audio when you want to practise pronunciation.
References
- Brysbaert, M. (2019). How many words do we read per minute? A review and meta-analysis of reading rate. Journal of Memory and Language, 109, 104047. DOI ↗
- Primativo, S., Spinelli, D., Zoccolotti, P., De Luca, M., & Martelli, M. (2016). Perceptual and Cognitive Factors Imposing ‘Speed Limits’ on Reading Rate. PLOS ONE, 11(4), e0153786. DOI ↗
- Rayner, K., Schotter, E. R., Masson, M. E. J., Potter, M. C., & Treiman, R. (2016). So Much to Read, So Little Time: How Do We Read, and Can Speed Reading Help?. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 17(1), 4–34. DOI ↗
- Karpicke, J. D., & Roediger, H. L. (2008). The Critical Importance of Retrieval for Learning. Science, 319(5865), 966–968. DOI ↗
- Cepeda, N. J., Pashler, H., Vul, E., Wixted, J. T., & Rohrer, D. (2006). Distributed Practice in Verbal Recall Tasks: A Review and Quantitative Synthesis. Psychological Bulletin, 132(3), 354–380. DOI ↗
- Lei, Y., & Reynolds, B. L. (2022). Learning English vocabulary from word cards: A research synthesis. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 984211. DOI ↗
- Butowska-Buczyńska, E., Kliś, P., Zawadzka, K., & Hanczakowski, M. (2024). The role of variable retrieval in effective learning. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 121. DOI ↗