This study compares translation-based and communicative methods for the teaching of English vocabulary at primary (year 4-6) level in the Swedish state school system. The study aims to investigate which teaching method is the most effective when it comes to helping year 6 pupils with Swedish as their first language and Swedish as their second language to acquire and retain new items of English vocabulary. The empirical material examined in this study consists of results gathered during six separate vocabulary tests in two classes in a Swedish primary school. Three of the vocabulary tests were conducted in class 6A where vocabulary had been taught on a translation basis and the remainder of the vocabulary tests were conducted in class 6B which had a communicative teaching focus. The total number of pupils participating in the study was 30, comprising 15 pupils from class 6A and 15 pupils from class 6B. The study’s results show that class 6A, the class with translation- based teaching, achieved better results during all three vocabulary test then class 6B, the class with communicative teaching. The conclusion of this study is that translation-based teaching best helps pupils in year 6 with Swedish as their first language and students with Swedish as their second language to expand and maintain their English vocabulary.