By skyforbes 
A prompt that helps you collect, organise, and use what you learn.
Studying languages we all face the challenge of memorising new words. An expanded vocabulary doesn’t guarantee fluency, but without it our ability to communicate is limited.
As a teacher and a lifelong learner, I’ve seen it from both sides of the classroom. These perspectives helped me build a system dictionary + practice, based on both my theoretical and practical experience.
It has become even better now, AI allows us to build a dynamic, living vocabulary system that adapts to our goals, supports active practice, and grows with us.
I’ve created My Live Dictionary with ChatGPT and I’ll share the prompt with you.
But firstly, let’s define, what makes an effective personal dictionary.
It should be:
Simple. Systematic. Interactive
Simple — easy to use and update, ideally with voice input, typing, or screenshots.
Systematic — organised into clear categories such as Topic and Function.
Interactive — connected with practice tasks that let you revisit and reuse words regularly.
Mi Diccionario Vivo
I’ll show how it works via my own Spanish dictionary.
Each entry includes:
- Topic — for example, travel, food, emotions.
- Function — what communicative purpose the phrase serves: greeting, asking for information, introducing yourself.
- Grammar — if relevant, tenses, prepositions, adjective agreement.
- Word type — noun, verb, etc.
- Notes — short explanation about usage, register, or grammar.
- Source — where the word came from: a conversation, a podcast, a textbook.
And the best part — ChatGPT makes this work for you. You can ask to correct or expand the entry or (more often) leave it as it is.
What I like most — you can scan a page from your book with highlighted words and have them added automatically.
Why categorization matters
The point of these categories is to make practice focused.
You can ask to show all vocabulary about emotions, or all verbs in the past tense from Unit 2 of your textbook, or idioms from your current readings.
This vocabulary system also includes a WordMap, which tracks every category you’ve used. At any moment, you can ask ChatGPT to show all Topics, Functions, or Sources to decide what to practise next.
How to add new entries
You can say: “Add to my dictionary…” and then type or dictate the word or phrase. ChatGPT will create the entry, show it for confirmation and save it when you say: OK, thank you, or even if you stay silent.
Or you can skip the add phrase altogether, just write your words directly. Over time, you’ll build a system that’s uniquely yours.
How to practice
Once your dictionary grows, you can ask it to help you practice in many ways:
- Divide the WordMap into categories or groups.
- Choose a group you want to study.
- Ask for matching tasks, gap-fills, tests, and storytelling prompts.
You can create short sentences or stories right inside your dictionary and get immediate, friendly feedback.
Example:
You: “Yo fui al mercado y compré manzanas.”
ChatGPT: “Perfecto. You used the correct form ‘fui’. Try adding a detail: ¿Qué más compraste?”
Key principles to remember:
The language may change, but the principle remains — vocabulary grows best when it feels personal, alive, and connected to real speech.
So:
- Learn words in collocations, not in isolation (viajar — viajar en tren, viajar solo).
- Practice vocabulary in sentences to make it functional (Me gusta viajar en tren con mi hija. A mi hija le encanta viajar en tren.).
- Practice from the first person whenever it’s possible — we usually speak from our point of view, and that makes the language more personal and memorable (I love traveling by train with my daughter. My daughter loves traveling by train.).
Adapting the system to any language
All categories and examples can be stored and retrieved automatically in ChatGPT. I first designed the prompt for Spanish, but it can be adapted easily to other languages, you just need to add one small line.
# To adapt Mi Diccionario Vivo to another language:
Change "Spanish" → "French", "Italian", "Catalan", etc.
# For learners of English as a foreign language:
Change "Spanish" → "English"
and translate all example phrases into your native language.
This way, you can create your own personalised dictionaries in English, German, French, or any other language. This idea can work for any language learner, teachers and students alike.
Here’s the exact prompt I use to run Mi Diccionario Vivo in ChatGPT
You can copy and paste it into a new chat and start adding your own words right away.
Create and manage a personalized Spanish vocabulary system called Mi Diccionario Vivo.
Store, organize, and help me practice vocabulary interactively and visually.
PURPOSE
Build a living, practical dictionary that connects all my Spanish vocabulary
(from books, films, classes, or real life) and allows easy retrieval, review, and practice.
ENTRY STRUCTURE
Each entry must include:
- Topic (e.g., Viajar, Comida, Emociones)
- Function (e.g., Saludar, Pedir información, Expresar emociones)
- Grammar (if relevant - e.g., Pretérito perfecto, Subjuntivo)
- Word type (sustantivo, verbo, adjetivo, conector, expresión)
- Examples / collocations
- Notes (grammar, pronunciation, register, usage)
- Source (book, unit, film, article, podcast, conversation, etc.)
WORDMAP SYSTEM
Keep an internal WordMap tracking all Topics, Functions, Grammar points, Word Types, and Sources.
Update it automatically whenever I add a new entry.
Commands:
"Show my WordMap." → visual map
"List all Topics." / "List all Functions."
"Review [category]." → retrieve related entries
"Show words from [source]."
ADDING ENTRIES
If I write "Add to my dictionary…" or simply type a Spanish word/phrase:
→ Show a draft entry (no commentary) in the standard format.
→ Wait for confirmation:
- If I say "OK," "thank you," or stay silent → save.
- If I ask for edits → modify before saving.
STYLE
- Examples must include English translations.
- Explanations appear in English when needed.
- Use clear, supportive tone and concise feedback.
GOAL
To create a living, evolving Spanish dictionary that grows with me -
a complete environment for learning, review, and storytelling.
Have a beautiful learning journey, and may your vocabulary grow vivo — alive and connected.
If this idea speaks to you, feel free to share your thoughts or questions in the comment. I’d love to hear how you build your own living dictionary.