Guide to Learning Vocabulary

This method is not based on what you find in textbooks. This is real life. It's based heavily on experience, and on logic, not at all.

(Sorry for sentences in romaji. My computer makes typing in non-english letters very complicated.)

Step 1. "My vocabulary sucks. I need to learn new words. I know the weekdays, how about seasons?"

Step 2. "Natsu means summer. Natsu. Natsu. Natsu."

Step 3. "I learned a new word today. Um....Dangit!!!!"

Step 4. My friend: "Kotoshi, natsu-yasumi ga arimasu-ka?"
            Me: "Um...?"

Step 5. "I want to write about summer starting in my diary...I think it starts with Na???"

Step 6. "That kanji looks interesting. I wonder what it means...Oh. I was supposed to know this."

Step 7. "I have no tiiiiiiime to study! Forget it!"

Step 8. "Those cards look seasonal. I'll bet that kanji/katakana means 'Summer Cards.'"

Step 9. "Oh, that clothing store is having natsu no se-ru. I should check it out."

Step 10. My friend: "Nihon no natsu wa atsui desu-ne."
               Me: "Um...hai! Saikin wa totemo atsukatta!"

Step 10. "My vocabulary sucks! I only know words that I've known forever, like the seasons! Haru, natsu, aki, and fuyu."

Do this, while simultaneously learning various other vocabulary and grammar points, while also trying to manage a full time job and a social life, and you will be following  the Stephanie method of learning new vocabulary. It is a fool-proof system, because it was proved by real fools.