If you’ve ever started learning a new language, you’ve probably asked yourself:
Should I focus on grammar first, or vocabulary?
What’s the best way to build fluency fast — rules or words?
At Our Polyglot, we hear this question all the time. And honestly, it’s a great one. But the answer isn’t as black and white as you might think.
Let’s dive into what the research says, what successful learners do, and how to balance both for real-life language results.
Think of Language as a House
Before we get technical, imagine this:
- Grammar is like the framework of a house — the walls, rooms, and structure.
- Vocabulary is everything you put inside — the furniture, colors, and details.
You need both to make the house livable.
But which one do you build first?
Answer: The foundation of comprehension starts with vocabulary.
Why Vocabulary Comes First (Usually)
Here’s why most linguists and polyglots recommend building vocabulary before diving deep into grammar:
1. Words unlock understanding
You can’t understand or say anything without knowing the words. Even if your grammar is perfect, “I want to __” doesn’t help if you don’t know the word for “water,” “help,” or “restroom.”
2. Input builds instinct
When you know more words, you can start listening to real content — and hearing grammar patterns in context. This natural absorption builds intuition before technical understanding.
3. Vocabulary is motivating
Let’s be honest: memorizing grammar rules feels like math class. But learning useful words (food, greetings, places) gets you speaking faster — which keeps you motivated.
But Don’t Ignore Grammar — Especially After A1
Once you’ve got a basic vocabulary (~500–1,000 words), grammar becomes essential for making your speech accurate, expressive, and natural.
Here’s when grammar becomes your best friend:
- When you’re moving from A2 to B1, and need to describe past experiences, plans, and conditions
- When you want to understand native speakers (who rarely speak in “dictionary sentences”)
- When you start writing: emails, essays, messages, or formal letters
The truth? Grammar helps you organize all the vocab you’ve learned.
Grammar Without Vocabulary = Useless
Vocabulary Without Grammar = Limited
Let’s break this down with an example:
- You know the grammar rule: “Subject + verb + object.”
- But your vocab is limited to:
- “Dog,” “cat,” “eat,” and “banana.”
- “Dog,” “cat,” “eat,” and “banana.”
You can say: “The dog eats the banana.” Nice!
But that’s all you can say.
Now flip it:
- You know 100 words: “travel,” “tired,” “cheap,” “delicious,” “yesterday,” “airport,” etc.
- But you don’t know how to form the past tense or connect sentences.
Your speech might sound like:
“Yesterday… I… travel… airport… very tired… food delicious.”
Not perfect, but understandable — and much more flexible.
This is why vocabulary-first learners often communicate better, even if their grammar is messy.
What Does Science Say?
Linguistic research strongly supports starting with vocabulary — especially high-frequency words.
A few facts:
- Learning the 1,000 most common words in any language gives you access to 80% of everyday speech.
- Repetition in real-life contexts helps you remember vocab 10x faster than flashcards alone.
- Grammar instruction is most effective when tied to content — not taught in isolation.
In short:
🚫 Don’t memorize all verb tenses on Day 1
✅ Do learn useful phrases, and slowly build the grammar behind them
What Successful Polyglots Do
Ask any polyglot (someone who speaks 3+ languages), and you’ll notice a pattern:
They:
- Learn key phrases first (“Where is…?” “I like…” “How much?”)
- Build up 500–1,000 useful words (nouns, verbs, connectors)
- Delay complex grammar until they can communicate basic needs
- Use grammar to refine, not begin
This approach is used by top platforms like Michel Thomas, Language Transfer, and — you guessed it — Our Polyglot.
So What Should You Do?
Here’s a smart plan for every level:
➤ A1 Learners:
- Focus 70% on vocabulary and phrase acquisition
- Learn grammar in context (e.g., “I eat” vs. “He eats”)
- Start speaking from Day 1, even if it’s broken
➤ A2–B1:
- Begin focused grammar study: verb tenses, articles, word order
- Start writing short paragraphs and asking why things are said a certain way
- Increase listening exposure with podcasts and dialogues
➤ B2 and beyond:
- Dive deeper into grammar (subjunctive, passive, connectors)
- Use mock tests and live corrections to polish accuracy
- Focus on style and fluency, not just rules
Our Polyglot Method: Best of Both Worlds
At Our Polyglot, we don’t ask you to choose between grammar or vocabulary — we weave them together.
Each course module is built like this:
- 4 vocabulary-rich video lessons
- Real-life dialogues that naturally reveal grammar
- Mini grammar explainers with examples
- Quizzes that test both vocab + grammar
- Live sessions to practice speaking what you’ve learned
This means you’re learning naturally, not through memorization.
Final Verdict: Start With Words, Grow With Structure
If you want to speak a language, you don’t need perfect grammar.
But you do need enough words to say something meaningful.
So start with vocabulary.
Use grammar as a tool — not a hurdle.
And remember: the more you use the language, the more both will improve together.
Fluency is not about choosing one over the other — it’s about knowing what to focus on, when.
And we’ll help you do just that.