A Dutch learner on Reddit (r/languagelearning) asked whether flashcards are a must, because the repetition made it hard to focus. Several learners said no and told them to read and learn words in context. Others agreed that flashcards aren't needed, and added that a good flashcard system can still save time.
Why Flashcards Work
A flashcard shows you one word and asks if you remember it. Each time you get it right, the gap before you see it again gets longer. Clozemaster and Bubblegum also time when a word comes back. Reading and talking bring words back too, just not on a schedule.
Do You Need Flashcards?
No. Each of these brings a word back inside a sentence, so you learn how it's used along with what it means.
| Way | What you do | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | Meet the word again in a new story or article | A graded reader, or Bubblegum lessons |
| Listening | Hear the word again in a show, podcast, or audio lesson | A show with subtitles, or Pimsleur |
| Talking | Use the word with a person and hear how they use it | A language partner or a teacher |
| Fill in the blank | Pick the missing word in a real sentence | Clozemaster |
Our list of flashcard alternatives has apps for each one.
When a Few Flashcards Still Help
Reading brings back the words you meet often. A word you see once every few months is harder to keep that way. In the same Reddit thread, one learner said flashcards helped them learn many thousands of words in less than a year, which they needed for their goals, and added that they are not the only way to learn a language.
Bubblegum can do both. Poppy, your AI tutor, works the words you save into new lessons where they fit. Bubblegum calls this Regenerative Review™.
Bubblegum
Bubblegum is the best app for serious learners. You learn from text and audio you can mostly understand, which is called comprehensible input.
- Turn your saved words into an Anki deck when you want cards for the rare ones.
- Clear, expressive AI voices read every lesson aloud, with a different voice for each speaker.
- Words you meet outside Bubblegum come back only if you add them.
- A new custom lesson costs us real money to make, so your first one is free, and Bubblegum Pro gives you unlimited custom lessons. The lesson library is free for everyone, because we believe everyone should be able to learn.
- Regenerative Review™
Mobile
For a closer look at Anki itself, see is Anki good for language learning.
Common Questions
Are flashcards bad for learning a language?
No. The learner above used them to learn many thousands of words. If cards bore you, the table above shows other ways to bring words back.
How do I learn vocabulary without flashcards?
Save the words you want to keep, and meet them again in new sentences. How to remember words in a new language has the steps.
Is Bubblegum free?
Yes. The lesson library is free for everyone, because we believe everyone should be able to learn. It holds lessons that other learners asked Poppy for. A new custom lesson costs us real money to make, so your first one is free, and Bubblegum Pro gives you unlimited custom lessons.
Sources
- r/languagelearning: Are flashcards a necessity for learning a language?
- Anki Manual: Deck options (the delay between repetitions grows as you learn a card)
- Bubblegum
Checked on October 16, 2026 against each app's own pages.
