Weeks 5–6: Vocabulary Expansion

Introduction

By now, you’ve learned the Greek alphabet, begun writing and recognizing words, mastered some basic nouns and articles, and taken your first steps into verbs. With that foundation, it’s time to expand your vocabulary further.

The more words you know, the easier it will be to read and understand the New Testament. At this stage, you’ll begin moving from isolated words into reading short phrases and sentences with confidence.

Step 1: Why Vocabulary Expansion Matters

Think of vocabulary as the building blocks of language. Grammar gives you the rules, but without words to apply those rules to, you can’t build anything meaningful.

In fact, studies show that knowing the most frequent 1,000 Greek words gives you the ability to recognize around 95% of the New Testament text. That’s why we focus on frequency-based vocabulary first: you learn the words you’ll see the most often.

Step 2: Core Vocabulary for Weeks 5–6

Here are some high-frequency words you should begin learning now:

👉 Notice that these are verbs. Since you are learning verb forms, it’s essential to connect them with real vocabulary.

Step 3: How to Learn Vocabulary Effectively

1. Daily Practice
   Spend at least 10–15 minutes per day reviewing new words.
   Use flashcards, the Scripturial App, and the Greek To Me Vocabulary Trainer.

2. Say, Write, Hear
   Don’t just read silently. Say the word aloud, write it several times, and listen to it if audio is available.

3. Use in Context
   Always try to see how the word works in a sentence, not just in isolation.

Step 4: Words in Context

Here are some simple sentences using this new vocabulary:

1. γραφω τὴν γραφην.

• “I write the Scripture.”

2. βλεπεις τὸν κυριον.

• “You see the Lord.”

3. πιστευομεν τῷ θεῷ.

• “We believe in God.”

4. ἀκουουσιν τὸν λογον.

• “They hear the word.”

5. λαμβανεις τὸ βιβλιον.

• “You receive the book.”

6. διδασκει ὁ Ἰησους τοὺς μαθητας.

• “Jesus teaches the disciples.”

Step 5: Tools to Support You

• Scripturial App – Introduces new words systematically.

• Greek To Me Vocabulary Trainer – Expands your vocabulary to over 1,000 lemmas using spaced repetition.

• Flashcards & Writing – Reinforce memory by multiple channels (sight, sound, writing).

Practice Assignments

1. Flashcard Creation
Make a flashcard for each new verb above (Greek on one side, meaning on the other).

2. Writing Drill
Write each verb 5 times in Greek, saying its meaning aloud.

3. Sentence Translation
Translate into English:

1. διδασκω τὸν μαθητην.

2. ἀκουομεν τὸν λογον τοῦ θεοῦ.

3. λαμβανουσιν τὰ δῶρα.

4. Sentence Composition
Write 3 original Greek sentences using at least one of the new vocabulary words. Provide your own English translation.

5. Daily Review

• Spend 15 minutes practicing these six verbs each day until you can recognize them instantly.

Encouragement

At first, adding more vocabulary may feel like a flood of words. But remember: your brain is designed for language learning. Every time you repeat, write, and say a word, you are strengthening pathways in your mind.

The key is daily exposure. Even on days when you feel like the words aren’t sticking, your brain is still working in the background. In just a few weeks, these words will become natural and automatic.

You’re building a toolbox that will allow you to unlock the meaning of Scripture directly from the Greek text. Keep adding words little by little—you’ll be amazed at how quickly your understanding grows.