苗淑华

Many advanced English learners have a large “passive2 vocabulary”， but they worry about the size of their “active vocabulary”. They can understand many difficult English words when reading or listening， but they dont use most of them when speaking or writing in English. They feel this is a problem. They would like to use all the difficult words that they know.

许多高水平英语学习者都有大量的“不活跃词汇”，但他们担心自己的“活跃词汇”量。他们在阅读或听英语时可以理解许多有难度的英语单词，但在讲英语或写英语时却不会使用其中的大多数。他们认为这是一个问题。他们想使用所知道的所有有难度的单词。

If you are a learner who worries about his active vocabulary， this article may convince3 you to stop worrying.

如果你是一个担心自己的活跃词汇量的学习者，这篇文章可能会说服你别担心。

People understand many more words than they use in their own conversations. Ones passive vocabulary is much larger than ones active vocabulary. The total number of words actively used in ones whole life is much smaller than the total number of words understood in ones whole life.

人们理解的单词比他们在对话中使用的单词更多。一个人的不活跃词汇量比活跃词汇量大得多。人一生中主动使用的单词总数远小于理解的单词总数。

It has nothing to do with foreign languages. It is about how people use their native language.

这与外语无关，与人们如何使用母语有关。

We think that in your native language， there are thousands of words that you dont use （but you understand them all）. There are literary4 words， formal5 words， scientific terms， slang6 phrases， etc. which you understand， but you dont use. If you open a book written in your native language， you will see many such words.

我们认为，你的母语中有成千上万个很少使用的词（但你都能理解）。它们是你可以理解但不使用的词，包括文学用语、正式用語、科学术语、俚语等。如果你打开用母语写的书，会看到很多这样的词。

So your own active vocabulary in your native language is much smaller than your passive vocabulary. And we guess that you dont mind it. We guess that you are not worried about the difference between your active and passive vocabulary in your native language.

因此，你自己母语的活跃词汇比不活跃词汇要少得多，而且我们认为你并不介意这一点。我们猜你并不担心母语中活跃和不活跃词汇之间的差异。

But youre learning English as a foreign language. And you notice all the words that you understand but never use. Your perspective7 as a learner makes you regret8 this fact.

但是你正在学习英语这门外语，会注意到所有理解但从未使用过的词，作为学习者你会为此而后悔。

You dont need to worry about using“too few” English words. You will learn to use some number of English words and they will be enough for you！At some point， your English active vocabulary will simply let you express anything you want. Just like your active vocabulary in your native language.

你无需担心使用“太少”的英语单词。你将学会使用一些英语单词，它们已经足够了！在某些时候，你英语的活跃词汇量可以让你表达任何想表达的事，就像母语的活跃词汇一样。 The next time you see a difficult English word， you dont need to worry “Will I be able to use this word in conversation？”. If you can say anything you want with your active vocabulary， you should be happy with your English. And you dont need to worry about those thousands of words which you will never use.

下次看到一个难懂的英语单词时，你不必担心“我可以在对话中使用这个单词吗？”。如果你可以用自己的活跃词汇说出任何想说的话，那么你应该对自己的英语水平感到满意，无需担心永远不会使用的那数千个单词。