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How to Train Your Brain to Think in English (Stop Translating!) | Podcast for Easy Conversation — Transcript

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0:00Hello everyone. Welcome back to English
0:03Conversation Podcast, the show that
0:05helps you improve your English in a
0:07natural and enjoyable way. I'm Sarah.
0:10And I'm Mike. Hi Sarah. Hi everyone
0:12listening. Hey Mike, how's your day
0:14going? It's been really productive
0:16actually. I spent the morning reviewing
0:18some interesting language learning
0:20research, which is perfect timing
0:22because of today's topic. Oh, that's
0:24great. Yes, today we're diving into
0:27something that I think many of our
0:29listeners struggle with. Let me guess.
0:31Thinking in English? Exactly. Today's
0:35episode is all about how to train your
0:37brain to speak in English naturally
0:39without constantly translating in your
0:41head. This is such an important topic. I
0:44remember when I was learning my second
0:46language, I used to translate everything
0:48word by word in my mind. It was
0:50exhausting. Right? It's mentally
0:53draining, and it really slows down your
0:55conversation. But here's the good news
0:57for everyone listening. It doesn't have
0:59to be that way. Exactly. There are
1:01practical strategies you can use to
1:04retrain your brain. Before we jump in
1:06though, we should mention something to
1:07our listeners. Yes, if you're enjoying
1:10this podcast and finding it helpful,
1:12please take a moment to like this
1:14episode and subscribe to our channel.
1:16Subscribing really helps us reach more
1:18English learners like you, and it means
1:20we can create more content to support
1:22your learning journey. Also, if you know
1:24someone who's learning English, share
1:26this episode with them. Learning is
1:28always better when you can discuss it
1:30with friends. Absolutely. Okay, Sarah,
1:32I'm ready. Let's talk about training our
1:34brains. Perfect. So, Mike, let me ask
1:37you this. When you were translating
1:39everything in your head, what was the
1:41biggest problem you noticed? Hmm. The
1:44biggest problem.
1:46I'd say it was the delay. Someone would
1:49ask me a question, and there would be
1:51this awkward pause while I was
1:52processing. Right, because your brain
1:55was doing double work. Exactly. First, I
1:58had to understand the English, then
2:00translate it to my native language, then
2:02think of my response in my native
2:04language, and then translate it back to
2:06English. That's four steps when it
2:09should just be two, understand and
2:11respond. It's no wonder conversations
2:14felt so challenging. And you know what's
2:16interesting? Many intermediate learners,
2:19even at B1 level, still do this
2:21sometimes without realizing it. Really?
2:24Even when they already know a lot of
2:26English? Yes, because it's a habit.
2:28Their brain has been trained to use that
2:30translation pathway, so it automatically
2:33goes there, especially when they're
2:34nervous or tired. So, we need to create
2:37a new pathway in the brain. Exactly. We
2:40need to build what neuroscientists call
2:43neural pathways directly in English.
2:46Neural pathways. That sounds very
2:48scientific. It does, but the concept is
2:51actually simple. Think of it like this.
2:54Imagine your brain is a forest, and you
2:56need to get from point A to point B.
2:59Okay, I'm imagining it. At first,
3:01there's no clear path, so you have to
3:03push through the bushes and branches.
3:05It's slow and difficult. That's like
3:07when you're first learning English and
3:09everything feels hard. Right, but if you
3:12walk the same route every day,
3:14eventually you create a clear path
3:16through the forest. The grass gets worn
3:18down, the path becomes obvious, and soon
3:21you can walk it easily without thinking.
3:23Exactly. That's what happens in your
3:25brain with language. The more you think
3:28directly in English, the stronger that
3:30pathway becomes. Until eventually it
3:33becomes automatic. Precisely. So, today
3:36we're going to give you practical
3:38strategies to build those English
3:39pathways in your brain. I'm excited
3:41about this. Where should we start? Let's
3:44start with what I call mental
3:46substitution. Mental substitution? Tell
3:49me more. Well, most people at B1 level
3:52already know a lot of English words and
3:54structures. The problem isn't knowledge,
3:57it's activation. Activation?
4:00Yes, the words are stored in your brain,
4:02but they're not active. They're like
4:04books on a shelf that you never take
4:06down and read. Ah, so we need to take
4:09those books off the shelf more often.
4:11Exactly. And here's how you do it.
4:13Throughout your day, whenever you think
4:15something in your native language, pause
4:17for a moment and ask yourself, "How
4:19would I say this in English?" So,
4:21basically catching my thoughts and
4:23translating them. Not exactly
4:26translating, more like expressing them.
4:29Let me give you an example. This morning
4:31I was making coffee, and I thought to
4:33myself in my native language, "I need
4:35more sugar." A simple thought. Very
4:38simple. But then I stopped and said in
4:40my mind, "I need more sugar." But then I
4:44pushed myself further. How else could I
4:46express this? Oh, I see what you mean.
4:49You could say, "This coffee isn't sweet
4:51enough." Or, "I'd like to add some more
4:53sugar." Or, "This needs to be sweeter."
4:56So, you're not just translating one
4:58sentence, you're exploring different
5:00ways to express the same idea. Exactly.
5:03And this is crucial because it gets your
5:05brain thinking flexibly in English.
5:07Rather than thinking there's only one
5:09correct translation. Right. Language
5:12isn't about finding the perfect
5:13word-for-word translation, it's about
5:16expressing meaning. This is really
5:18helpful. So, throughout the day, I
5:20should be catching my thoughts and
5:21rephrasing them in English. Yes, but
5:24here's the important part. Don't just do
5:26it once. Try to come up with two or
5:28three different ways to say the same
5:30thing. That makes the neural pathways
5:33even stronger. Exactly. And it also
5:35prepares you for real conversations,
5:38because in real life, you often need to
5:40rephrase something if the other person
5:42doesn't understand. That's a great
5:44point. I've definitely been in
5:46situations where I said something and
5:47the person looked confused, and I had no
5:50idea how to say it differently. Because
5:52you only had one pathway to that idea.
5:55But if you practice creating multiple
5:57pathways, then I have options. I can
5:59rephrase easily. Exactly. Let me give
6:02everyone listening a practical exercise
6:04for this week. Yes, homework time. Okay,
6:07choose three daily activities. Maybe
6:10making breakfast, commuting to work, and
6:12getting ready for bed. Okay, three
6:14routine activities. During each of these
6:17activities, narrate what you're doing in
6:19your head in English, but challenge
6:21yourself to say each action in at least
6:24two different ways. Can you give us an
6:26example? Sure. Let's say you're brushing
6:29your teeth. You could think, "I'm
6:30brushing my teeth." And then also, "I'm
6:33cleaning my teeth." Or, "I'm using my
6:35toothbrush." So, even simple actions get
6:38this double or triple expression. Yes,
6:41and after a week of this, you'll notice
6:43that English starts to flow more
6:45naturally because your brain has more
6:47routes to access the language. I love
6:49this. Okay, so that's our first major
6:51strategy, mental substitution with
6:54multiple expressions. Right. Now, let's
6:57talk about something that I think is
6:58often overlooked, the power of inner
7:01monologue. Inner monologue? You mean
7:04like talking to yourself? Exactly. And I
7:07know some people feel weird about this,
7:09but it's actually one of the most
7:11powerful tools for language learning. I
7:13have to admit, I do this sometimes. When
7:15I'm walking alone, sometimes I have
7:18entire conversations in my head. And do
7:20you do it in English or your native
7:22language? I usually my native language,
7:25but I guess I should be doing it in
7:27English. Well, here's the thing. You
7:29don't have to do it all in English right
7:31away. That can be overwhelming. So, what
7:35do you suggest? Start by having a
7:37bilingual inner monologue. Think of a
7:40sentence in your native language, then
7:42repeat it in English. So, I'm still
7:45translating? At first, yes. But here's
7:48the key. You're doing it in a
7:50low-pressure environment. There's no one
7:52waiting for your answer, no one judging
7:55your grammar. So, it's a safe space to
7:57practice. Exactly. And over time, you'll
8:00notice something interesting happening.
8:03What's that? The English will start
8:05coming first sometimes. You'll think of
8:07something directly in English without
8:10needing to translate it first. Really?
8:12That just happens naturally? It does,
8:15but only if you practice. The brain is
8:17very efficient. It learns to take
8:20shortcuts. So, if I keep using this
8:22English pathway, my brain will
8:24eventually realize, "Hey, this is faster
8:27than translating." Precisely. Your brain
8:30will start to prefer the direct English
8:32route because it's more efficient.
8:34That's fascinating. So, the inner
8:36monologue is like a training ground.
8:38Yes. And here's another tip. Make it
8:41interesting. Don't just narrate boring
8:44things. What do you mean? Well, a lot of
8:47people will practice by thinking, "I'm
8:49sitting. I'm standing. I'm walking."
8:52Which is useful, but also pretty boring.
8:55Right. Instead, have actual thoughts,
8:58opinions, feelings, reactions. Can you
9:01give me an example? Sure. Let's say you
9:03see someone wearing a really interesting
9:06jacket. Instead of just thinking,
9:08"That's a nice jacket," engage with it
9:10more. How? Think something like, "Wow,
9:13that jacket is really stylish. I wonder
9:16where they bought it. I'd love to have
9:18something like that, but in a darker
9:19color. Maybe I should look for something
9:21similar online." Oh, I see. You're
9:24having a real internal conversation, not
9:27just labeling things. Exactly. You're
9:30using complex sentences, hypothetical
9:32situations, expressing preferences. This
9:36is much more valuable for your brain.
9:38Because this is how we actually use
9:40language in real life. Exactly. We don't
9:43just label things. We have opinions,
9:45make plans, wonder about things. So, the
9:48inner monologue should reflect real
9:50thinking, not just vocabulary practice.
9:53Yes. And here's something else that's
9:55really powerful. Use your emotions. My
9:59emotions? Yes. When you feel frustrated,
10:03try to express that frustration in
10:05English in your head. This is so
10:07annoying. Or, I can't believe this is
10:10happening. Oh, emotional language.
10:13Right. When you feel happy about
10:15something, think, "This is wonderful."
10:17Or, "I'm so glad this worked out." I see
10:21what you're doing. You're connecting
10:22emotions with English expressions.
10:24Exactly. And this creates very strong
10:27neural connections because emotions are
10:30processed in a deep part of the brain.
10:33So, when language is connected to
10:34emotion, it sticks better. Much better.
10:37This is why people often remember swear
10:40words very easily in a foreign language.
10:42Haha. That's true. Even beginners seem
10:45to pick those up quickly. Because
10:47they're often said with strong emotion.
10:50But, you can use this principle with
10:52positive emotions, too. So, express my
10:55joy, my frustration, my surprise, all in
10:58English in my inner monologue. Yes. And
11:01over time, English becomes the language
11:03of your emotions, not just your
11:05intellect. That's really powerful. Okay,
11:08so we've talked about mental
11:09substitution and inner monologue. What's
11:12next? Next, let's talk about something
11:15that many B1 learners overlook. The
11:17importance of input quality. Input
11:21quality? You mean like listening and
11:23reading? Yes. But, not just any
11:26listening and reading. You need the
11:28right kind of input at the right level.
11:31I think this is where a lot of people
11:32make mistakes, right? Absolutely. Many
11:35intermediate learners make one of two
11:38errors. What's the first error?
11:41They consume content that's too easy.
11:43They stick with beginner-level materials
11:45because they're comfortable. But,
11:47they're not being challenged. Right.
11:49Their brain isn't growing because it's
11:51not being pushed. And what's the second
11:54error? The opposite. They jump to very
11:56advanced content, like watching news
11:58programs or reading academic articles.
12:01And they get overwhelmed and
12:02discouraged. Exactly. So, the key is
12:06finding what's called comprehensible
12:08input. Comprehensible input. I've heard
12:10this term before. What does it mean
12:12exactly? It means content that's
12:14slightly above your current level. You
12:16understand most of it, maybe 70 to 80%,
12:20but there are some new words and
12:21structures that challenge you. So,
12:23you're comfortable, but also learning.
12:26Exactly. This is the sweet spot for
12:28brain training. How do people find
12:30content at the right level? Great
12:32question. For B1 learners, I recommend a
12:35few strategies. I'm ready to take notes.
12:38First, look for content that's designed
12:40for language learners at your level.
12:42There are podcasts, YouTube channels,
12:45and graded readers specifically made for
12:47intermediate learners. Like our podcast.
12:50Exactly like our podcast. We design our
12:52content to be accessible, but also
12:54challenging for B1 learners. What's the
12:57second strategy? The second strategy is
12:59to use authentic content, but with
13:02support. What do you mean by support?
13:05For example, watching a TV show or movie
13:08with English subtitles. The audio is
13:10authentic, native-level English, but you
13:13have the subtitles to help you follow
13:15along. Oh, that's clever. You're
13:17training your ear while having a safety
13:19net. Exactly. And here's a pro tip. If
13:22you're watching with subtitles, try to
13:24read ahead slightly. Read ahead? Yes.
13:28Glance at the next line of dialogue
13:30before it's spoken. This way, your brain
13:32knows what to listen for. Oh, so you're
13:35priming your brain for the sounds you're
13:36about to hear. Exactly. This is really
13:39effective for improving listening
13:41comprehension. What about reading? How
13:43should people approach reading at B1
13:45level? For reading, I recommend what I
13:48call the 70% rule. The 70% rule? If
13:52you're reading something and you don't
13:54understand more than 30% of the words,
13:57it's too difficult. Put it aside and
13:59find something easier. So, you should
14:01understand at least 70% naturally.
14:04Right. At that level, you can guess the
14:06meaning of new words from context, which
14:08is how native speakers naturally expand
14:11their vocabulary. That makes sense. If
14:13you're stopping every sentence to look
14:15up words, you're not really reading.
14:17Exactly. You're just doing a translation
14:19exercise, which doesn't help your
14:21fluency. So, what kind of reading do you
14:24recommend? For B1 level, I really like
14:27graded readers. These are novels or
14:29stories that have been adapted to use
14:31vocabulary and grammar at your level.
14:34Don't those feel a bit simplified,
14:35though? Some do, but there are really
14:38good ones that tell engaging stories.
14:40The important thing is that you can read
14:42them smoothly without constantly
14:44stopping. Because fluency is what we're
14:47after. Exactly. You want your brain to
14:49experience the flow of English, not the
14:52stop and start of looking up every other
14:54word. What about more authentic reading,
14:57like news articles or blogs? Those can
14:59be great, too, especially if you choose
15:01topics you're interested in. Why does
15:04interest matter? Because when you're
15:06interested in the content, your brain is
15:08more motivated to understand it. You
15:11push through difficulties more easily.
15:13So, I should read about my hobbies and
15:15interests in English? Absolutely. If you
15:18love cooking, read cooking
15:22blogs. If you're into technology, read
15:25tech articles. If you follow sports,
15:28read sports news. Your brain will work
15:30harder to understand because it wants to
15:32know the is key. Okay, let's talk about
15:36one more crucial aspect of input. What's
15:38that? Repetition and review. Oh, reading
15:42or listening to the same thing multiple
15:43times? Yes, but not in the way most
15:46people think. What do you mean? Many
15:48people think repetition means reading
15:51the same article five times in a row
15:53until they understand every word. And
15:56that's not effective? It can be, but
15:59it's boring. Instead, I recommend what I
16:02call spaced re-exposure. Spaced
16:05re-exposure? Yes. Listen to a podcast
16:08episode today. Then listen to it again 3
16:11days later. Then maybe once more a week
16:14after that. Why space it out like that?
16:16Because each time you return to it, your
16:19brain is in a slightly different state.
16:21You've learned more, you've practiced
16:23more, so you understand it at a deeper
16:25level. Oh, that's interesting. So, the
16:28first time you might catch 70%, but the
16:30second time you might catch 85%, and by
16:34the third time, you're understanding
16:36nearly everything, and it feels
16:38effortless. And that feeling of
16:39improvement is really motivating.
16:42Exactly. Plus, you're reinforcing those
16:44neural pathways each time. The English
16:47patterns are getting stronger in your
16:48brain. Yes. Okay, let's move on to what
16:51might be the most important part,
16:54output. Output. That's speaking and
16:57writing, right? Right. This is where you
16:59actively use the English that's being
17:01built in your brain. I think this is
17:03what scares people the most. You're
17:05absolutely right. Many learners spend
17:08years consuming English, reading,
17:11listening, studying, but they're
17:12terrified to actually speak. Why is
17:15that? Fear of making mistakes, mostly.
17:18Fear of sounding stupid. Fear of not
17:20being understood. Those are legitimate
17:23fears. They are, but here's the truth.
17:25You cannot train your brain to speak
17:27without actually speaking. It's like
17:29learning to swim. You can't learn by
17:31just watching videos of people swimming.
17:34Exactly. At some point, you have to get
17:36in the water. So, how should people
17:38start? Not everyone has English-speaking
17:40friends to practice with. That's true,
17:43and that's okay. You can start by
17:45speaking to yourself. We mentioned this
17:47earlier with inner monologue, but you
17:49mean actually speaking out loud. Yes.
17:52But, let's go deeper. There are
17:54different ways to practice speaking
17:55alone, and some are more effective than
17:58others. Tell me about the most effective
18:00methods. One of my favorites is what I
18:02call shadowing. Shadowing? Yes. You
18:06listen to a native speaker, maybe a
18:08podcast or a video, and you repeat what
18:10they say, trying to match their rhythm,
18:13intonation, and pronunciation. So,
18:15you're mimicking them in real time.
18:17Exactly. There are different levels of
18:20shadowing. At the basic level, you pause
18:22after each sentence and repeat it. That
18:25seems manageable. At a more advanced
18:27level, you try to speak along with them
18:29in real time, like an echo. That sounds
18:32challenging. It is, but it's incredibly
18:35effective because you're training your
18:37mouth muscles, your rhythm, and your
18:39fluency all at once. And you're using
18:42authentic native speech as your model.
18:44Exactly. Your brain starts to
18:46internalize the natural rhythm and flow
18:49of English. What other solo practice
18:51techniques do you recommend? Another
18:53powerful one is recording yourself. Uh,
18:56I don't like the sound of my own voice.
18:58Most people don't, but this is really
19:00valuable. Here's why. When you speak
19:02without recording, you don't really know
19:04what you sound like. True. I might think
19:06I'm being clear, but I'm not sure.
19:08Right. But, when you record yourself and
19:10play it back, you can hear your
19:12mistakes. You become your own teacher.
19:15Exactly. You might notice that you're
19:17speaking too fast, or that you're
19:19dropping the endings of words, or that
19:21your intonation sounds flat. And then
19:24you can work on fixing those things.
19:26Yes. Here's a specific exercise. Choose
19:28a topic. Speak about it for 2 minutes
19:31while recording. Then listen back and
19:33note three things you want to improve.
19:35Just three things? Yes. If you try to
19:38fix everything at once, you'll get
19:39overwhelmed. Pick three specific things.
19:42Then record yourself again. Yes. Speak
19:45about the same topic again, focusing on
19:47improving those three things. And you
19:50can compare the two recordings. Exactly.
19:53You'll be amazed at how much you can
19:54improve in just one session. That's
19:57encouraging. What about practicing with
19:59other people? That's the ultimate goal,
20:01of course, but I know not everyone has
20:03easy access to conversation partners.
20:05Right. What if you live in a place where
20:07English isn't commonly spoken? These
20:09days there are lots of online options,
20:11language exchange apps, online tutoring
20:14platforms, conversation clubs. And what
20:16should people focus on during these
20:18conversations? Here's something
20:20important that many people get wrong.
20:22They think the goal is to speak
20:23perfectly. And that's not the goal? No.
20:27The goal is to communicate effectively.
20:29Mistakes are actually good. How can
20:32mistakes be good? Because mistakes show
20:34you where your knowledge gaps are. Each
20:36mistake is an opportunity to learn
20:38something. So, we shouldn't be afraid of
20:40making mistakes. Not at all. In fact,
20:43I'd argue that if you're not making
20:45mistakes, you're not pushing yourself
20:46enough. You're staying in your comfort
20:48zone. Exactly. The goal is to push just
20:52beyond your comfort zone. Like with
20:54input, finding that sweet spot. Yes. You
20:57want to be slightly uncomfortable, but
20:58not so uncomfortable that you freeze up.
21:01How do you find that balance? It takes
21:03practice and self-awareness. You need to
21:05notice when you're feeling challenged in
21:07a good way versus feeling overwhelmed.
21:10And adjust accordingly. Right. If you're
21:12in a conversation and you realize you're
21:14completely lost, it's okay to say, "I'm
21:17sorry. Could you speak a bit slower?" Or
21:19"I'm not familiar with that topic. Could
21:22talk about something else?" Taking
21:23control of the conversation. Exactly.
21:26This is a skill in itself. Now, let me
21:29share one more powerful output
21:31technique. I'm listening. It's called
21:33self-talk narrative. Self-talk
21:36narrative? Yes. Throughout your day,
21:38narrate what you're doing, thinking, or
21:40feeling in English, but do it out loud.
21:43So, like a documentary of my own life?
21:46Exactly. Now, I'm making lunch. I'm
21:48going to have a sandwich. Let me see,
21:50what do I have in the fridge? Oh,
21:52there's some cheese and tomatoes. That
21:54sounds good. I think I'll toast the
21:56bread. This feels a bit silly, I have to
21:58admit. It might feel silly at first, but
22:01it's incredibly effective. Do you know
22:03why? Why? Because you're practicing
22:06real-time English production. You're not
22:08thinking about what to say, you're just
22:10saying what you're experiencing. So,
22:12it's very spontaneous. Yes, and that's
22:15exactly what you need to do in real
22:17conversations. You need to be able to
22:19speak spontaneously without
22:21overthinking. So, this builds that
22:24spontaneous speaking muscle. Exactly.
22:27And here's a tip. Do this when you're
22:29alone at home, in the shower, while
22:31cooking, while cleaning. Times when I'm
22:34doing something automatic with my hands.
22:36Yes, because then your brain is free to
22:39focus on the language. This is really
22:41practical advice, Sarah. I feel like
22:43we've covered so much ground. We have.
22:46Let's take a moment to review the main
22:48strategies we've discussed. We talked
22:50about mental substitution. Right.
22:53Catching our thoughts and expressing
22:54them in multiple ways in English. We
22:56discussed inner monologue and the
22:58importance of connecting language with
23:00emotions. Then we talked about input
23:03quality, finding content at the right
23:05level, the 70% rule, and spaced
23:07repetition. And finally, we covered
23:10output techniques, shadowing, recording
23:13yourself, and self-talk narrative. But
23:15you know what I'm wondering, Sarah?
23:17What's that? How long does it take? When
23:20will someone see results from all this?
23:22That's the question everyone wants
23:24answered, isn't it? It is. People want
23:26to know, if I do this every day, when
23:29will I be fluent? Here's the honest
23:31answer. It depends. On what? On several
23:35factors. How much time you practice each
23:38day, your current level, your native
23:40language, your learning environment. So,
23:43there's no magic number. No magic
23:46number, but I can give you some general
23:48expectations. Please do. I think people
23:51need realistic expectations. If you're
23:54practicing these techniques for 15 to 30
23:56minutes every day consistently, you'll
23:59start to notice small changes within two
24:02to three weeks. What kind of changes?
24:05You might notice that some English words
24:07or phrases start popping into your head
24:09more naturally. You might find yourself
24:11thinking briefly in English without
24:13trying. Small wins. Yes, small wins.
24:17After about two months, these moments
24:19become more frequent. You might have
24:22entire thoughts in English without
24:24translating. And after 6 months? After 6
24:28months of consistent practice, most
24:30people report that English starts to
24:32feel more natural. They're not
24:34constantly aware that they're speaking a
24:36foreign language. It becomes more
24:39automatic. Exactly. But here's the
24:41important thing to remember. Everyone's
24:44journey is different. Some people might
24:46progress faster, some slower. Right. And
24:49that's okay. The key is consistency, not
24:52speed. Better to practice a little bit
24:55every day than to cram once a week.
24:57Exactly. Your brain needs regular
24:59exposure and practice to build those
25:02neural pathways. It's like going to the
25:04gym. You can't work out once a week and
25:06expect to get strong. Perfect analogy.
25:09Language learning is a marathon, not a
25:11sprint. Speaking of challenges, what
25:14about mental blocks? You know, those
25:16moments when you just freeze up and
25:18can't think of anything to say. Oh, this
25:20is so common, especially for
25:23intermediate learners. Why does it
25:25happen? Usually, it's anxiety. Your
25:28brain goes into stress mode, and when
25:30you're stressed, it's harder to access
25:32your language knowledge. So, what can
25:34people do when this happens? First,
25:37recognize that it's normal and
25:39temporary. Everyone experiences this,
25:41even advanced speakers. Okay, so don't
25:45panic. Right. Second, have some filler
25:48phrases ready. Filler phrases? Yes,
25:51phrases like, "Let me think about that
25:53for a moment." Or, "That's an
25:55interesting question." Or, "Hmm, how
25:58should I put this?" Oh, so you're buying
26:01yourself time to think. Exactly. And
26:03you're doing it in English, which keeps
26:05the conversation flowing. Native
26:07speakers do this all the time, don't
26:09they? All the time. It's completely
26:11natural. These phrases are like bridges
26:13that help you get from the question to
26:15your answer. What else can help with
26:17mental blocks? Another technique is to
26:20simplify what you're trying to say.
26:22Simplify? Yes. Often we freeze because
26:25we're trying to express something
26:27complex, and we can't find the right
26:28words. So, instead of giving up, you
26:31break it down into simpler ideas that
26:34you can express. Can you give me an
26:36example? Sure. Let's say you want to
26:38say, "I'm considering whether to pursue
26:40a master's degree in engineering or to
26:43start working immediately after
26:44graduation." That's a complex thought.
26:47Very complex. If you can't express that
26:50exactly, you could simplify it to, "I'm
26:53thinking about my future. Should I study
26:55more or should I get a job? I'm not sure
26:57yet." Oh, that's much simpler, but still
27:00communicates the main idea. Exactly.
27:03You've communicated the essential
27:05meaning, and that's what matters. And
27:07once you've said the simple version, you
27:08might find it easier to add more
27:10details. Yes. Often just getting started
27:13helps your brain relax and access more
27:16language. It's like priming the pump.
27:18Exactly. Okay, we're getting close to
27:21the end of our time today, but I want to
27:23leave our listeners with one final
27:25important point. What's that? The
27:27importance of patience and
27:29self-compassion. Ah, this is so
27:31important. It really is. Many language
27:34learners are incredibly hard on
27:36themselves. They beat themselves up over
27:38every mistake. Yes. They compare
27:41themselves to native speakers or to
27:43other learners who seem to be
27:44progressing faster. And that's
27:46discouraging. It's very discouraging.
27:49So, here's what I want everyone
27:51listening to remember. Learning a
27:52language is one of the most complex
27:55things your brain will ever do. It
27:57involves memory, pattern
28:01recognition, muscle coordination,
28:04cultural
28:05So, be kind to yourself. Celebrate the
28:08small victories. Yes. Did you understand
28:10a movie scene today that you wouldn't
28:12have understood last month? That's
28:14progress. Did you have a conversation in
28:16English, even if you made mistakes?
28:18That's progress. Exactly. Every time you
28:22try, you're training your brain. Every
28:24mistake is a learning opportunity. I
28:26think people need to hear this. Language
28:28learning can be frustrating, and it's
28:30easy to feel like you're not improving.
28:32Especially during what we call plateaus.
28:35Plateaus? Yes. Those periods where you
28:38feel like you're not making progress.
28:40You're practicing, but your English
28:41doesn't seem to be getting better. I've
28:43experienced this. It's so frustrating.
28:46It is. But here's the thing. Your brain
28:49is still working during these plateaus.
28:51You're consolidating knowledge, making
28:53connections. So, you are improving even
28:56if you can't see it. Exactly. And then,
28:59suddenly, you'll have a breakthrough
29:01moment where everything clicks. And you
29:03realize you've actually improved a lot.
29:06Yes. So, during those plateau periods,
29:08don't give up. Keep practicing. Trust
29:11the process. Trust the process. Your
29:14brain is amazing, and it's working even
29:16when you don't feel like you're making
29:18progress. This has been such a valuable
29:20conversation, Sarah. Let's recap the
29:22main points one more time for everyone
29:24listening. Great idea. So, we discussed
29:27mental substitution, expressing thoughts
29:30in multiple ways. Inner monologue,
29:32connecting language with emotions. Input
29:34quality, finding content at the right
29:36level, the 70% rule. Output techniques,
29:40shadowing, recording yourself, self-talk
29:43narrative. Dealing with mental blocks
29:45using filler phrases and simplifying
29:48your message. And finally, patience and
29:50self-compassion. Yes. Remember,
29:53everyone, training your brain to speak
29:55English is a journey. Enjoy the process.
29:58Before we wrap up, we want to ask our
30:00listeners to do something. Yes. If you
30:03found this episode helpful, please
30:05subscribe to our channel. Subscribing
30:07helps us create more content like this
30:09for you. And share this episode with
30:12anyone who's learning English. Learning
30:14is better when we support each other.
30:16Also, we'd love to hear from you. Leave
30:18a comment below and tell us, what's your
30:20biggest challenge when speaking English?
30:23Yes. We read all the comments, and your
30:25questions help us create future
30:27episodes. Thank you so much for
30:29listening, everyone. Keep practicing, be
30:32patient with yourself, and remember,
30:34you're doing great. See you in the next
30:36episode. Bye, everyone.

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