What is the best way to read a foreign language novel if you don't know what all the words mean?

Question

Should you look up every word you don't know, or only words needed to know the context of what is written?

Answer 1

Here's some advice I give to my ESL students.

Think about it this way: when you read in your native language sometimes you come across words that you don't understand. Does that mean you run to the dictionary every time this happens? Of course not.

Also, when you do try to use the dictionary constantly when reading in your second language, do you remember all of the words you look up? No, you don't. It actually hinders your comprehension if you look up words continually because, when you reach the end of the sentence, you've been looking in the dictionary so much that you forgot what the beginning of the sentence was about. So there's really no help to either your vocabulary or your comprehension if you look up all those words.

Therefore, I recommend the following steps when you come across a word that you don't understand:
1. Ask yourself: do you need this word to understand the general meaning? If not, ignore it. (I'm sure this is what you do when reading in your native language.)
2. If you need the word, but don't know it, try to figure it out from the context. Even if you don't know the word, you can often guess its meaning just from what you have already read.
3. If that doesn't work consider looking it up in your dictionary.

Happy language learning!

Answer 2

First of all, start with a book or article where you're familiar with the subject matter or you've read the English version (I learn a new language with the Bible--it's the most translated book)

Read it in sections. Underline the words you don't know. Read a section (however you section off the reading material is up to you). Read the whole section and if you haven't figured out what the word means at the end of the section, only then you should look it up.

Words that you can figure out from context you'll more easily remember. Words that you can't figure out should go into a list. Before you read your next section, review your list of words that you didn't know. Don't memorize them, just go over the list 2-3 times and start reading. You translate the whole list at once.

Keep a paperback or 'pocket' dictionary. It's easier to look up words in those. A bigger dictionary is great, but you don't want to spend 15 minutes looking for a word. Also get a 501 verbs book (In every language I study, I get one) Highlight verb tenses that you didn't know and review that maybe once a week.

Answer 3

If you start looking up each word you don't know, you'll give up after 10 pages max. It can be ok for articles, but certainly not for novels.

The best way would be to find editions that have vocabulary explained in the target language in footnotes.

If you can't find these, you could get a paperback and underline words that seem important, to look them up later (at the end of the chapter for example).

I wouldn't recommend interrupting your reading, but it requires some skills, which you build very progressively by starting with short, easy texts.

Answer 4

I don't look up every word, just the main words in order to understand. I believe that in this way you figure out eventually what the rest of the words mean, like when you read books in your own language as a child, and that actually helps your vovabulary. Of course, looking up the words also helps, but it is rather boring to stop all the time.

Answer 5

You know what I would do if I were you? I would watch lots of movies in that language, try to translate them by my self. Also my teachers always suggests that i read newspapers in that specific language. You should also find a partner to talk to and practice your speaking skills not just the writing..I find reading literature, poems specifically so helpful in learning new vocabulary as well.

Answer 6

I am agree in cpintasi. Spanish and Romanian are foreign languages for me. I am learning Spanish for long period of time. I don't pick up all the words, just the main words which are essential as too much consulting of dictionary breaks the intrest and continuation.

Answer 7

Have a dictionary by your side. Yes look of all the words you don't know. That way you'll know what they mean the next time you come across them. As tedious as it sounds, look up every word you don't know, it'll help build up your vocabulary.

Answer 8

look up all the important words, especially the big ones. They are usually the equivalent of a phrase, so they are crucial to the meaning of the sentence or paragraph. Try to look up as many words as possible, though.