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  • Hi, everyone.

  • Welcome back to Inside English Podcast.

  • I'm Mia.

  • And I'm Jack.

  • Today, we're diving into a topic that we get asked about all the time, how to think in English.

  • It's something many learners struggle with.

  • Absolutely, Jack.

  • Many learners can speak English, but they still find themselves thinking in their native language and translating, and that just slows them down, right?

  • Exactly.

  • When you translate in your head, it messes with your fluency and makes it harder to communicate naturally.

  • You're not really in the flow of the language, but the good news is there are practical ways to start thinking in English, and that's what we're going to talk about today.

  • That's right.

  • So let's kick off with a quick story to show how someone went from thinking in their native language to thinking in English.

  • So my friend Maria, who's originally from Spain, had been living in the U.S. for a few years.

  • Her English was good, but every time she tried to speak, she would pause.

  • It was because she was always translating from Spanish to English in her head.

  • It made conversations awkward, and she felt like she couldn't fully express herself.

  • Yeah, I can imagine how frustrating that would be.

  • I think a lot of learners feel the same way.

  • Totally.

  • So Maria decided to try something different.

  • She made it a personal goal to start thinking in English and stop translating.

  • The first thing she did?

  • She immersed herself in English as much as possible.

  • She switched the language on her phone, started reading books in English, and even watched

  • TV shows with the English subtitles on instead of Spanish.

  • Oh, that's a great technique.

  • The brain starts associating English with daily activities and experiences, which helps you think in English faster.

  • Exactly.

  • But it didn't stop there.

  • Maria also started talking to herself in English, like when she was cooking or getting ready for the day.

  • She described what she was doing out loud.

  • It sounds a bit silly, but it really worked.

  • You know what they say.

  • Practice makes perfect, right?

  • Speaking to yourself is like practicing without the pressure of someone else listening or judging.

  • Yep.

  • And another thing she did was journaling in English every night.

  • She'd write down her thoughts, even if they were just simple sentences.

  • It didn't take long for her to notice that she was starting to form thoughts in English without even trying.

  • Wow, that's an inspiring story.

  • And the takeaway here is that immersion, even on a small scale like Maria's, makes a huge difference.

  • Thinking in English is a skill.

  • And like any skill, it gets better the more you practice it.

  • So let's talk about some practical tips for our listeners who want to follow Maria's lead and start thinking in English.

  • Tip number one is to immerse yourself in English as much as possible.

  • And when we say immersion, it doesn't mean you have to move to an English-speaking country, right?

  • You can do this at home by surrounding yourself with the language, listen to podcasts, watch movies, read books, and even set your devices to English.

  • Right.

  • The key here is exposure.

  • The more you surround yourself with English, the more natural it becomes to think in English.

  • Your brain starts associating your thoughts with the language you're hearing and reading every day.

  • And that brings us to tip number two, stop translating in your head.

  • I know this sounds difficult, but it's important to let go of your native language when you're thinking in English.

  • Instead of thinking, how do I say this in English?

  • Focus on simple ideas.

  • Start with short thoughts like, I am hungry or the weather is nice today.

  • That's a good point.

  • When you try to think in complex sentences and translate, it gets messy.

  • But if you keep it simple, your brain can adapt to English much faster.

  • Exactly.

  • And tip number three is to use English every day.

  • Even if it's for a few minutes, make it a habit.

  • Whether it's thinking about what you're going to eat for lunch or what your plans are for the weekend, try to do it in English.

  • One technique I recommend is to carry a little notebook around and jot down any English thoughts that come to mind.

  • You can write down what you're doing, what you're feeling, or even random ideas.

  • It's a great way to reinforce thinking in English.

  • That's a good one, Mia.

  • And don't forget, be patient with yourself.

  • Thinking in English doesn't happen overnight.

  • It takes time.

  • But with consistency, you'll see improvement.

  • Speaking of improvement, let's take a moment to review some of the key vocabulary we've used today, so you can make sure you fully understand.

  • Sure thing.

  • Here are four important words we've used.

  • Immerseto be completely involved in something.

  • For example, when you surround yourself with English books, music, and conversations, you're immersing yourself in the language.

  • Fluencythe ability to speak or write a language easily and accurately.

  • The goal for many learners is to achieve fluency in English where you can communicate without hesitation.

  • Translateto change words from one language to another.

  • But remember, we're trying to avoid translating in our heads when thinking in English.

  • Journalingwriting down thoughts and ideas, usually in a diary or notebook.

  • This can be a great practice to help you think in English.

  • Now let's answer a couple of questions we often get about this topic.

  • Question 1.

  • Why is it so hard to think in English?

  • That's a great question.

  • It's hard because your brain is used to thinking in your native language.

  • It has to switch gears to operate in English, which can feel unnatural at first.

  • But over time as you practice, your brain will start forming those neural pathways, and it will become easier.

  • Exactly.

  • It's like building a new habit.

  • At first, it's hard, but with time and repetition, it becomes second nature.

  • Question 2.

  • How long does it take to start thinking in English?

  • This one depends on how much exposure you're getting to English every day.

  • Some people might start seeing results in a few weeks, while others might take a few months.

  • The more you immerse yourself, the faster your brain will adapt.

  • That's right.

  • And remember, the journey is different for everyone.

  • The key is consistency.

  • Stick with it, and you'll get there.

  • Well, that's it for today's podcast.

  • We hope these tips help you on your journey to thinking in English.

  • Thanks for joining us.

  • Remember, it's all about immersing yourself in English and practicing every day.

  • You've got this.

  • Keep practicing, and we'll see you next time.

Hi, everyone.

Subtitles and vocabulary

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A2 US thinking language translating maria start thinking native language

How to Think in English: Practical Tips for Fluency & Confidence |?️ 8 Minute English | Beginner

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    VoiceTube posted on 2024/10/05
Video vocabulary

Keywords

awkward

US /ˈɔkwəd/

UK /ˈɔ:kwəd/

  • adjective
  • Causing embarrassment or trouble
  • Clumsy; ungainly.
  • Lacking smooth movement
  • Difficult to deal with; requiring tact.
  • Difficult to deal with
  • Causing or feeling embarrassment or difficulty.
stick

US /stɪk/

UK /stɪk/

  • verb
  • To adhere or fasten something to a surface.
  • To endure or persevere through a difficult situation.
  • (Informal) To tolerate or endure someone or something unpleasant.
  • To push a sharp or pointed object into something
  • To join together using glue or paste
  • To continue with something despite difficulties; persist.
  • To pierce or puncture with a pointed object.
  • To extend outwards; protrude.
  • To remain attached or fixed to a surface or object.
  • To remain in one place or position for a long time
  • noun
  • Long thin piece of wood from a tree
recommend

US /ˌrɛkəˈmɛnd/

UK /ˌrekə'mend/

  • verb
  • To advise or suggest that someone do something
  • To suggest something as good or suitable.
  • other
  • To advise someone to do something.
  • To endorse or support something publicly.
  • To suggest something as good or suitable.
technique

US /tɛkˈnik/

UK /tekˈni:k/

  • noun
  • Way of doing by using special knowledge or skill
  • The manner and ability with which an artist employs the technical skills of a particular art or field of endeavor.
  • A way of doing something, especially a skilled one.
  • A skillful or efficient way of doing or achieving something.
  • The skill or ability to do something well.
practice

US /ˈpræktɪs/

UK /'præktɪs/

  • other
  • To carry out or perform (a particular activity, method, or custom) habitually or regularly.
  • To carry out or perform (a particular activity, method, or custom) habitually or regularly.
  • To perform an activity or exercise a skill repeatedly in order to improve or maintain proficiency.
  • To perform (an activity) or exercise (a skill) repeatedly or regularly in order to improve or maintain one's proficiency.
  • To do something repeatedly so as to become skilled at it.
  • noun
  • A customary way of doing something.
  • A usual or customary action or proceeding.
  • A doctor's or lawyer's business.
  • Repeated exercise in or performance of an activity or skill so as to acquire or maintain proficiency in it.
  • The customary, habitual, or expected procedure or way of doing of something.
  • The office and place for legal or medical work
  • Doing something many times to become better at it
  • other
  • A customary way of doing something.
  • The business or work of a professional person, such as a doctor or lawyer.
  • other
  • The customary, habitual, or expected procedure or way of doing something.
  • Repeated exercise of an activity or skill in order to improve or maintain proficiency.
  • Repeated exercise in or performance of an activity or skill so as to acquire or maintain proficiency in it.
  • Repeated exercise in or performance of an activity or skill so as to acquire or maintain proficiency in it.
  • other
  • Work at or be engaged in (a profession).
  • verb
  • To perform an activity or exercise a skill repeatedly or regularly in order to improve or maintain one's proficiency.
  • To work as a doctor or lawyer
  • To live according to the teachings of a religion
  • To do something many times to improve a skill
journey

US /ˈdʒɚni/

UK /'dʒɜ:nɪ/

  • noun
  • Act of traveling from one place to another; trip
  • verb
  • To travel through a place
repetition

US /ˌrɛpɪˈtɪʃən/

UK /ˌrepəˈtɪʃn/

  • noun
  • When something occurs again
  • Saying something again
  • A copy or reproduction of something.
  • The use of repeated actions or exercises to learn something.
  • A single instance of something being repeated.
  • other
  • The act of doing or saying something again.
  • The act of repeating something that has already been said or written.
  • The act of doing or saying something again; repeated action or performance.
  • The use of repeated exercises to improve a skill.
  • The use of repeated actions or exercises to learn something.
  • The use of the same word or phrase more than once, especially for emphasis.
  • The recurrence of a musical element.
  • A rhetorical device involving the repeating of a word or phrase.
  • other
  • A single instance of something being repeated.
scale

US /skel/

UK /skeɪl/

  • noun
  • Size, level, or amount when compared
  • Small hard plates that cover the body of fish
  • Device that is used to weigh a person or thing
  • An instrument for weighing.
  • A sequence of musical notes in ascending or descending order.
  • Range of numbers from the lowest to the highest
  • The relative size or extent of something.
  • Dimensions or size of something
  • verb
  • To adjust the size or extent of something proportionally.
  • To change the size of but keep the proportions
  • To climb something large (e.g. a mountain)
  • To climb up or over (something high and steep).
  • To remove the scales of a fish
native

US /ˈnetɪv/

UK /ˈneɪtɪv/

  • noun
  • Someone from or born in a specific country
  • Original inhabitant, e.g. before others
  • Person speaking a language from birth
  • adjective
  • Caused by natural ability; innate
associate

US /əˈsoʊʃiˌeɪt/

UK /ə'səʊʃɪeɪt/

  • noun
  • Partner in professional work, e.g. in law
  • A partner or colleague in business or at work.
  • verb
  • To connect or bring into relation, as thought, feeling, memory, etc.
  • To keep company with; to frequent.
  • To spend time with other people; mix with
  • To form a connection in your mind between things
  • adjective
  • Part of a job title indicating a junior position