Take a highlighter and mark every cognate or near-cognate you find. You will quickly discover that you already "know" hundreds of words. This builds confidence. For non-cognates, create mnemonics. For example, der Schmetterling (butterfly) – think of "schmattering" the wings.
But as a supplement , it is a goldmine. It serves as a checklist of core vocabulary, a quick reference for review, and a confidence-building map of the lexical terrain. For the English speaker, who is already halfway there thanks to shared roots, this PDF can turn the monumental task of "learning German" into a series of small, achievable victories. german vocabulary for english speakers - 9000 words pdf
Resist the temptation to start at page one. Instead, use the PDF as a reference for thematic learning. Open it to a random page, find a category (e.g., "Verbs of Motion" or "Kitchen Items"), and study that chunk. Then, spend 15 minutes writing a short story or describing a scene using only those words. Take a highlighter and mark every cognate or