# Vocabulary vs Context Window — initial confusion

User confused vocabulary size (number of distinct tokens the model knows) with context window size (max tokens per conversation). This is a common misconception worth reinforcing in future lessons. Vocabulary = how many different "words" exist in the model's dictionary. Context window = how many tokens the model can process in one pass.

**Implications**: When discussing model capabilities in future lessons, explicitly distinguish these two. Use the analogy: vocabulary = total dictionary size, context window = working memory capacity.