How many vocabulary flashcards should I study per day?

For sustainable long-term learning: add 10-20 new cards per day and review all due cards (which grows as your deck builds). A typical mature deck presents 50-100 review cards daily plus your new cards — totaling 15-30 minutes of study. Adding too many new cards per day creates an unsustainable review backlog. Consistency is more important than volume — 10 new cards every day for a year produces 3,650 well-retained vocabulary words, which is sufficient for conversational fluency in most languages.

Is Anki better than Duolingo for vocabulary learning?

They serve different purposes. Anki is a pure spaced repetition system — extremely efficient for raw vocabulary retention but requires self-discipline and deck creation or selection. Duolingo gamifies the learning experience with streaks, XP, and structured lessons — more engaging but less efficient per minute for vocabulary acquisition. Serious language learners typically use both: Duolingo for daily structured practice and motivation, and Anki for targeted vocabulary building and retention.

Best Digital Language Flashcard Devices 2026