Spaced Repetition: Learn German Vocabulary 10x Faster
Cramming doesn't work. Here's the science of forgetting — and how to beat it.
In the 1880s, German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus discovered the "forgetting curve" — we lose new information rapidly unless we review it. Crucially, he found that each review flattens the curve, making the memory last longer.
How Spaced Repetition Works
A Spaced Repetition System (SRS) shows you a word right before you are about to forget it. Get it right, and the interval until the next review grows — from 1 day, to 3, to 7, to 14, to 30. Get it wrong, and the interval shrinks so you see it more often.
This means you spend your study time only on the words you are about to forget — the most efficient possible use of effort.
The GerLan Implementation
GerLan uses a 5-level Leitner box system. New words start at level 0 (reviewed daily). Each correct answer promotes the word; five correct reviews mark it "mastered." The algorithm schedules every card automatically — you just show up daily.
The 15-Minute Rule
Research consistently shows that short, daily sessions beat long, infrequent ones. Fifteen focused minutes a day with spaced repetition will outperform a three-hour weekend cram every time. Consistency is the secret.