How did the British or Americans to remember the millions of English words in their head?

Most native English speakers have used English all day, every day since they could speak. Being forced to learn a language because you can't communicate really speeds things up. I'm from America and I didn't just study English for two hours a day. I heard it everywhere. Many would say the same thing about learning the vocabulary from your language.

I would focus more on the most important words first. Words your really need to use in a conversation. I think it's better if you have a good vocabulary base and can use that vocabulary without thinking about it. There are lots of words native speakers don't even use so don't get too intimidated.

Do LOTS of reading. I would recommend magazines or comic books for teenagers. There you will see the most commonly used informal words. Save newspapers for later because they tend to use a more advanced vocabulary. The more you see a certain word, the more familiar with it you will become.

Don't forget to PRACTICE speaking English as well. Just trying to memorize a new list of 100 vocabulary words will really bore you and you will forget many of the words. Try making sentences out loud with the new words you learn. Try to use the words with a friend who speaks English. etc

It's down to brain development.

When learning your native language in childhood, you don't need to consciously remember words the way an adult second language learner has to. They get 'wired' into your growing brain: just hearing them and using them is enough. A lot has been written about this, but nobody really knows how exactly it happens. See Wikipedia / Language acquisition http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Language_acquisition

Because native early language learning very much depends on the brain being at that 'plastic' stage where automatic learning is possible, generally it's not possible for an adult learner to use the same methods. You have to consciously learn vocabulary and grammatical rules.

We grow up hearing it every day, we think in English, we listen to it in music, read books in English, and when we're little we have vocabulary/spelling quizzes. As for the different meaning for the same words, I think one of the best ways, (which is not meant, it just happens,) is puns. We love puns, and we love to hate them (if that makes any sense.) A pun is a type of joke that depends on a statement which can mean one of two or more things, depending on which meaning of one of the words you use. They are widely regarded as the lowest form of humor, and the very best/worst are know as "groaners" because they are so good/bad that instead of laughing, you groan, while the teller laughs at your response.

i'm between the people that DO settle for it. They reported pavement wasn't a notice...? No, you have each and every proper to be aggravated. I advise,yeah, i'm properly-study (and have an English Language and Literature considerable to help tutor it) and into different cultures, yet I used the notice pavement interchangeably with sidewalk commencing around the time i became into 5 - 6....i did not even understand different people did not realize it in the previous. i've got constantly gotten the full "middle/centre" factor extremely fairly,to boot as prominent/well-known and applying s's instead of z's and whatnot. It does not difficulty me. i became into at a loss for words upon first coming around the adjustments in an English e book (Redwall) while i became into ten or so, and thought they have been typos for somewhat...till i found out they have been VERY consistent typos. Then all of it snapped into place, and that i went "Oh." and persevered examining. i've got heard of the demanding adult males who argue approximately spelling, even with the reality that i don't think of i've got met any of them. something mildly a chuckle as I kind this answer? it is registering the British spellings as incorrect.....i don't understand despite if to laugh at this or to sigh in exasperation. EDIT: additionally, to remark on the bit with reference to the metric device left by applying Cedors Mul, that device is basically some hundred years previous. all and sundry used to apply the properly-known device...that's why it has the call properly-known device. it is not people being conceited, it is only that at one element not too some time past it fairly became into properly-known. If I bear in mind the Metric device wasn't even around till extra or less the time of the French Revolution (the two that or it became into popularized then). the explanation we caught with properly-known (so some distance as i understand, a minimum of) is as a results of the fact we've been too damn obdurate to alter it even although Metric is plenty extra useful...that's demanding. and because we caught with it, lots of people who did not could use it of their lines of professions only did not difficulty to learn it, which contributes to the meter/metre confusion. additionally, i think of the example I only made additionally cancels out your "English spelling is first and hence maximum suitable" argument to boot. the adjustments listed under are fairly only categories, for the main section, and are negligible. you recognize "to-might-to, to-mah-to". i don't think of the two one is fairly "extra beneficial" even with the reality that "we did it first" is usually a relaxing argument...