Whether you’re a student, a professional, or simply someone who loves language, expanding your vocabulary can enhance your communication, reading comprehension, and even your confidence. But how exactly do you improve your vocabulary in a way that sticks?
Here’s a practical, no-fluff guide to growing your vocabulary skills.
How You Can Increase Your Vocabulary Skills in Costa Rica
1. Read Widely and Often
Reading is the single most effective way to absorb new words. Different types of content expose you to different vocabularies:
- Novels and literature for rich, descriptive language
- Newspapers and journals for formal and topic-specific words
- Blogs and magazines for conversational and modern usage
📘 Tip: Keep a notebook or app where you jot down new words you encounter while reading.
How You Can Increase Your Vocabulary Skills in Costa Rica
2. Make a Habit of Learning a Few Words a Day
Don’t overwhelm yourself by trying to memorize a dictionary. Instead, aim to learn 2–5 new words a day. Use vocabulary-building apps like:
🧠 Memory Hack: Use spaced repetition to review words over increasing intervals of time — it strengthens long-term memory.
How You Can Increase Your Vocabulary Skills in Costa Rica
3. Use New Words in Context
Seeing a word is one thing — using it in your own sentences is where the magic happens. Apply new words in:
- Conversations
- Emails
- Journals or personal writing
- Social media captions
💡 Example: If you learn the word “elucidate,” try using it like this: “Let me elucidate my point further.”
How You Can Increase Your Vocabulary Skills in Costa Rica
4. Play Word Games
Games aren’t just fun — they’re a sneaky way to boost your vocabulary. Try:
- Crossword puzzles
- Scrabble or Words With Friends
- Boggle
- Wordle
🎮 Bonus: These games also improve your spelling and pattern recognition.
How You Can Increase Your Vocabulary Skills in Costa Rica
5. Engage in Conversations
Talking with people who have a strong vocabulary can elevate your own. Listen to how they use words and try to incorporate them naturally into your speech.
👂 Listening tip: Podcasts and TED Talks can introduce you to rich vocabulary in context, especially in topics like science, business, or philosophy.
How You Can Increase Your Vocabulary Skills in Costa Rica
6. Break Down and Explore Word Roots
Understanding prefixes, suffixes, and Latin or Greek roots helps you guess the meaning of unfamiliar words.
- “Auto” = self (e.g., autonomous, autobiography)
- “Chron” = time (e.g., chronology, synchronize)
🔍 Linguistic lens: Once you learn a root, dozens of new words suddenly make more sense.
How You Can Increase Your Vocabulary Skills in Costa Rica
7. Keep a Personal Dictionary
Create your own “living dictionary.” Each entry can include:
- The word
- A simple definition (in your own words)
- An example sentence
- Synonyms/antonyms
- A note about where you found it
📓 Why it works: Personal connections to words make them easier to recall.
How You Can Increase Your Vocabulary Skills in Costa Rica
8. Watch Movies and TV Shows with Subtitles
Watching shows, especially those with rich dialogue (like period dramas or documentaries), can expose you to new vocabulary in real context. Subtitles help you connect the spoken word to its spelling and usage.
🎥 Pro tip: Try watching in your native language with English subtitles (or vice versa) to double the benefit.
How You Can Increase Your Vocabulary Skills in Costa Rica
9. Write Regularly — and Challenge Yourself
Writing is an active way to reinforce vocabulary. Challenge yourself to:
- Write short stories or journal entries using new words
- Replace common words with more specific or advanced synonyms
- Participate in online writing prompts or creative challenges
🖋 Challenge: Rewrite a paragraph using more precise or interesting vocabulary without changing the meaning.
How You Can Increase Your Vocabulary Skills in Costa Rica
10. Learn Synonyms and Antonyms
Instead of just learning one new word, expand your understanding by learning related words:
- Happy → joyful, content, elated, satisfied
- Sad → sorrowful, despondent, gloomy, mournful
🌀 Why it works: This builds a more flexible and nuanced vocabulary.
How You Can Increase Your Vocabulary Skills in Costa Rica
11. Use Word-A-Day Calendars or Newsletters
Get bite-sized vocabulary delivered to you. Some great sources:
- Merriam-Webster’s “Word of the Day” email
- Oxford English Dictionary’s word feed
- Apps like Elevate or WordUp
📬 Advantage: Passive exposure that fits easily into your day.
How You Can Increase Your Vocabulary Skills in Costa Rica
12. Read Aloud (or Listen to Audiobooks)
Hearing words spoken helps reinforce pronunciation, tone, and usage. Reading aloud also forces you to slow down and engage more deeply with the text.
🎧 Pro tip: Pause the audiobook and look up words you don’t know — then try using them later.
How You Can Increase Your Vocabulary Skills in Costa Rica
13. Join a Book Club or Discussion Group
When you talk about what you’ve read, you naturally start using more complex vocabulary. Plus, group discussions often introduce unfamiliar words in meaningful, conversational ways.
🗣 Bonus: Explaining a word to someone else is one of the best ways to learn it yourself.
How You Can Increase Your Vocabulary Skills in Costa Rica
14. Keep a «Word Jar» or Vocabulary Wall
This is a visual and fun method — especially for visual learners or classrooms.
- Write each new word on a slip of paper or sticky note
- Place it on a wall, corkboard, or jar
- Review and reuse words weekly
🌟 Motivational edge: Watching the collection grow keeps you engaged.
How You Can Increase Your Vocabulary Skills in Costa Rica
15. Learn Through Music and Lyrics
Songs, especially in genres like hip-hop, indie rock, or folk, can be surprisingly rich in vocabulary and idioms.
🎵 Try this: Print out the lyrics and underline unfamiliar words — then look them up and learn how they fit rhythmically and meaningfully.
How You Can Increase Your Vocabulary Skills in Costa Rica
16. Study Etymology and Word Histories
Knowing the origin of a word makes it more memorable and unlocks connections to related words.
- Example: “Benign” comes from Latin bene (well) + genus (origin) — knowing this helps you understand “beneficial,” “benevolent,” etc.
🧬 Why it helps: Etymology adds depth and pattern recognition to vocabulary building.
How You Can Increase Your Vocabulary Skills in Costa Rica
In conclusion, expanding your vocabulary is a journey, not a race. Go at your pace. The goal isn’t to sound fancy — it’s to be more precise, expressive, and effective in how you communicate. By having a wide vocaulary bank you´ll be able to express what you´re trying to say without any problems.
Keep reading, stay curious, and make learning new words part of your daily routine. Over time, you’ll find your vocabulary — and your confidence — growing steadily.
Have a favorite vocabulary tip or a word you recently learned? Share it in the comments below!
If you´re looking for an online English academy with certified native English speakers to help widen your vocabulary, send us a message or fill out out newsletter that´s on our website. We are waiting to hear from you!
