Use quizzes for recall
Vocabulary lists are easy to skim and easy to forget. A quiz forces you to pull the word from memory, which makes later reading and listening smoother.
Mix words with sentence patterns
After you can recall a word, practice it inside a sentence. This connects vocabulary to particles, verbs, and natural Japanese word order.
Questions
How many Japanese words should beginners learn first?
The first 500 to 1,000 common words give you a useful base for simple reading and listening.
Should I learn words in hiragana or romaji?
Use hiragana as soon as possible. Romaji can help briefly, but kana practice builds real reading ability.