Are you currently learning any foreign language? Do you think in that language or still translate every sentence in your head?
I have been an English learner for more than 30 years and an English teacher for more than 17 years. At first, of course, it was impossible to think in English. However, the more time I spent learning it, the easier it became to make English my second native language. Now I think mostly in English, and my dreams are often in English too.
So, I do believe it’s possible to start thinking in a foreign language if your goal is to master it and not just learn a few phrases for traveling. Here are a few ways to do that:
1. Every day spend at least 30 min doing something in your target language.
You may do your hometask, read or write something, watch a movie or communicate with a native speaker. I am saying “30 min”, but the main thing here is consistency. The more time you spend doing something in your target language, the faster you will master it. Start small and increase the time as you go.
2. Whenever you put your thoughts on paper, do it in your target language.
If you like journaling, do it in a language that you’re learning. If you like to make plans, to-do lists, or write down your goals, do it in your target language. You will be sending signals to your brain saying that this is the language you want to start thinking in. Very soon it will become a natural thing to do, and you will wonder why you haven’t started doing it sooner.
3. Whenever you are trying to express your thoughts, choose the easiest words and structures.
Don’t take me wrong, I believe to say that you’ve mastered the language, means you can use complex structures and advanced vocabulary. Although, don’t forget a very important universal rule, my friends: baby-steps! You can achieve a lot if you take small steps but regularly and consistently. I’ve seen it so often when people start translating complicated sentences from their native language and get stuck because they don’t have enough vocabulary and don’t know all grammar structures. Give yourself a break! For now, choose simple words that come to your mind. There will be time after you have read tons of books in your target language when your speech will become more sophisticated and you will be able to impress your audience!
These are the main rules. I will continue this topic later and will be adding more ideas and methods for you. We could definitely add the importance of reading and watching movies in your target language, but it seems too obvious. So, let’s just stop at these three for now. Baby-steps :)! Enjoy!
