Review: Using Anki 2 Flash Card to Study the Thai Language

When I first heard about a program called Anki, I wasn’t too interested. It sounded like a digital flash card program – something my friends did as little programming exercises in 8th grade. It didn’t strike me as if their finished creations had a major impact on their French exam results. That appeared to be in line with my belief that technology doesn’t solve laziness. Or so I thought.

Disclaimer: Some links in this article go to our partners, and we may earn a commission if you use them. It costs you nothing extra, and we only recommend services we'd use ourselves. Read more in our Advertising Disclosure.

What Has Changed Since Anki 2

Short answer: the app got a new name and new menus, but the idea is the same. This review started life when “Anki 2” was the current version. The official Anki site now lists version 26.09.3 for desktop, so your screens will differ from older screenshots. Spaced repetition itself hasn’t changed. (Verified October 2026.)

Here’s what each app is called and what it costs.

• Anki (desktop): free for Windows, macOS and Linux.
• AnkiDroid (Android): free. Volunteer contributors build it, and it’s listed on Google Play.
• AnkiMobile (iPhone and iPad): the official iOS app, listed at US$24.99 on the US App Store. Prices in other App Store regions can differ.
• AnkiWeb: a free account that syncs your cards across devices. You can also study in a browser.

Anki now has a second scheduling method called FSRS, next to the older SuperMemo-based one. It’s optional, so ignore it while you’re starting out. If you do turn it on, make sure every device you sync is up to date, because older clients may not support it.

The basics

Anki actually comes in different versions – it’s available for PC, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android and even as a web application that you can open in most mobile or desktop browsers. The idea of the program in a nutshell is for you to create digital flash cards. You can then practice them like traditional flash cards, but with a twist: The cards to review will be selected automatically and shown to you in ever increasing time-frames as long as you get them right (and reset once you get them wrong). You can also download ready-made set of study cards for free, but let’s get back to that later.

How it works

Anki uses so-called notes, that have different fields (e.g. the front and back of a flash card). You can even have more than two fields (e.g. ‘English’, ‘Thai’ and ‘Thai Abbreviation’ – very useful if you want to study commonly abbreviated terms). Anki doesn’t limit you to text entries. You can use even use sound files or images. Personally I never bothered with anything but text, but if you need to practice pronunciation or can’t read Thai, this can come in quite helpful.

Anki displays one side of a ‘card’ to you and you have to guess the answer. If you’re so inclined, you can even activate a setting that forces you to type it in. After that you can choose whether you got it wrong (the card goes right back in the virtual to-review stack) or whether you got it right (the card won’t be shown right away again) or whether it was easy (the next showing of the card will be heavily delayed). This system is usually referred to as spaced repetition.

· Premium ·

Your First Thai Class Is on Us

Premium members get a free 60-minute 1:1 Thai lesson to practise what you read here.
Plus 145 members-only guides · Move Planner · Document Helper · US$1.67/month

FIND OUT MORE

The actual delays with which the cards are shown depend on how often you got them right in a row. The first time it will show it again the next day, then in 3 days, then in 7, then in a month and so on. If you select that an answer was easy, it’s similar to skipping the next review.

If during review you keep failing a card too often after the initial learning phase (8 times by default, and you can change the setting), Anki tags it as a ‘leech’ and suspends it, so it won’t be shown for review anymore. The idea being that some words you sometimes just can’t remember for the life of it and instead of taking up review time, they get suspended. Of course you can undo that, but the software is trying to help you avoid road blocks.

The PC Client

Anki’s desktop clients are free to download. While I only ever used the PC version, to my knowledge the Mac and Linux versions don’t differ too much. The interface of the PC version comes with a lot of functionality, but can be a bit confusing at first.

Personally I liked the little details that show the thought that went into the app. A good example is if you enter data in fields in English and Thai (using actual Thai writing – as you should). The software remembers which one you used for which, so you don’t constantly have to switch keyboard settings back and forth between Thai and English.

The Mobile Client

Having Anki on your phone is what makes or breaks it in my opinion. An Android client, AnkiDroid, is free. The official iOS app, AnkiMobile, will set you back US$24.99 on the US App Store (verified October 2026). Ouch! However, considering the value you get out of it, it’s still a steal I think: You can practice while on the subway, waiting for an elevator or in the Big C checkout line on a Saturday morning.

So yes, it costs a bit more than your average ‘Angry Birds’ app, but considering that you can get hundreds of extra hours of practice out of it, that price tag is easily justified. Alternatively you can always use AnkiWeb which runs in your mobile browser and is completely free.

It still means you’ll need to make the effort to practice Thai on the subway instead of following your friends’ latest Facebook updates. However, you’ll quickly turn ‘waiting time’ into productive ‘Thai learning time’. Maybe the focus on using time more efficiently is the German shining through in me.

However, being able to improve your Thai while not having to cut down on free time or work holds a lot of attraction for me.

Why you should use both applications

As a general guideline I recommend using a PC or Mac version to enter new data into Anki, simply due to typing speed. The iOS or Android apps are perfect for reviews. This switching of apps works like a charm because Anki can automatically synchronize your mobile and your desktop devices remotely via their own server.

Every time you finish entering data (or complete reviews), your device can sync the updated status with Anki’s central server (via Wifi/3G/etc.). So yes, you can create new entries on your PC and then review those same entries on your phone right after without having to connect your phone to your PC.

How to Build Thai Cards That Work

Short and specific beats long and clever. Build cards around words you’ll actually meet, and ask for one fact per card. One question is far easier to review than a whole paragraph.

• Use whole sentences: Anki’s cloze deletion hides one word inside a sentence, so you practise the word in context. If a word keeps failing, pair it with a sentence you heard in real life, such as one from our common Thai phrases with audio.
• Add the reading help you need: can’t read Thai script yet? Add a field for the romanised reading or a sound file. Work through the Thai alphabet guide alongside your cards.
• Build cards in a spreadsheet: Anki imports plain text files with fields separated by commas, semicolons or tabs. Save the file as UTF-8 so Thai characters import correctly.
• Fix leeches instead of fighting them: after 8 failed reviews (the default), Anki tags a card as a leech and suspends it. The Anki manual says the most efficient fix is to change how the information is presented. Splitting a crowded card in two is one example.

Cards are only one part of learning. Pair them with real conversation practice. Our guide to learning Thai fast shows how the pieces fit together. (Verified October 2026.)

Recommended Insurance for Thailand Expats

With Cigna Global, you get a health insurance plan specially customised for Thailand expats. Here's EXACTLY what you get:

• Annual coverage of 35,000,000 THB
• Choices of hospitals, including Bumrungrad Hospital and Bangkok Hospital
• Full coverage for cancer treatment, ICU, and transplants
• Flexibility to create your own plan
• Tailored medical support
• Direct billing
• Fast claim processing
• Worldwide emergency coverage
• Global network of more than 2 million healthcare providers

GET A FREE QUOTE

Using ready-made sets

Anki has a tremendous amount of freely shared ready-made card sets available. You can even download them from Anki’s central server within the application at no extra charge. I have to admit, that most of the time this isn’t too enticing. The problem is that you tend to be better off entering words and phrases on your own, to which you know the context and which you are most likely to repeatedly use. A ready-made set often doesn’t have that kind of overlap.

There’s also some help if you already have your own ready-made deck of cards. Anki can import packaged Anki decks, plain text files and Mnemosyne 2.0 collections. Theoretically there’s also the option to export from other programs to standardized text files and import those into Anki, but you probably want to Google for your specific software to see if that’s a workable option.

A Simple Daily Routine and Sync Setup

Setup takes a few minutes. Create a free AnkiWeb account, then press the sync button in the desktop app and enter your AnkiWeb login. Do the same in AnkiDroid or AnkiMobile, and your cards follow you between devices.

AnkiWeb is free, so it deletes unused account data. If you haven’t synced or opened your account in 6 months, the data stored on AnkiWeb may be deleted. Cards stored on your own devices stay put. (Verified October 2026.)

Be honest with the answer buttons. Press Again when you couldn’t recall the answer. The Anki manual says you’ll typically use it 5 to 20 percent of the time. Good is the button for correct answers, and you’ll use it roughly 80 to 95 percent of the time. If four buttons feel like too much, use only Again and Good.

Keep the daily habit small enough to survive a busy week. You can set how many new cards appear per day in the deck options. Start low, then raise it once reviews feel easy.

In summary

Anki’s combination of a desktop and a mobile client allows you to efficiently create your own set of cards on your PC that you can then easily practice every day during your commute. When using it with whole sentences instead of single words, you can easily improve vocabulary, grammar and language feeling during everyday downtime.

Anki isn’t the only SRS out there, but it’s the only I’ve tried and so far I haven’t seen a reason to switch to any others. I’d be happy to hear from others who are using other solutions and hear how it works out for you. Leave a comment and let us know!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Anki free?

Mostly. The desktop app, AnkiDroid on Android and the AnkiWeb sync service are free. The iPhone and iPad app, AnkiMobile, is paid and listed at US$24.99 on the US App Store. (Verified October 2026.)

Is “Anki 2” still the current version?

No. The official Anki site lists 26.09.3 as the current desktop version. Anki 2 is the old name this review was written under. (Verified October 2026.)

Can I use Anki on my phone without paying?

On Android, yes, through the free AnkiDroid app. On iPhone, you can study in a mobile browser through free AnkiWeb, or pay for AnkiMobile for the full app.

How do I get my own word list into Anki?

Save the list as a plain text file in UTF-8 format, with fields separated by commas, semicolons or tabs. Then use File, Import in the desktop app. Spreadsheet programs such as LibreOffice can save a CSV for this.

What is a leech in Anki?

A leech is a card you keep failing. By default, Anki tags the note as a leech and suspends the card once it has lapsed 8 times. You can change the threshold, or rewrite the card so it’s easier to remember.

Will AnkiWeb delete my cards if I stop using it?

Possibly, but only the copy on its servers. AnkiWeb may delete that data if you haven’t accessed the account or synced in 6 months. Your account stays, and the cards on your own devices remain.

What to Read Next

• Online courses
• Language schools 
• Thai Language Teachers and Tutors
• ThaiPod101
• A Big List of Learn Thai Apps
• How to Learn Thai Language for Beginners
• How to Find Thai Language Partner

Do You Want to Speak Thai Fast ?

With ThaiPod101, you can a comprehensive Thai course for all types of learners. Here's an exact list of what you get:

• A lesson structure to help you effectively learn Thai
• Thousands of Thai language lessons with lesson notes, podcasts, and quizzes
• Learn Thai on the go through their mobile application
• Personalized program to learn exactly on what you need
• Affordable price starting at only $8 a month
• 60-day moneyback guarantee

LEARN THAI NOW