Shadowing Practice: How to Stop Translating and Start Thinking in English (B1-B2) - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Hey, hey, hey.
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Welcome back, everyone.
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So, let me ask you something.
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When someone says to you in English, what did you do this weekend?
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What happens inside your brain?
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Do you immediately think of the answer in English, or do you first think of the answer in your own language, then translate it word by word into English, and then say it?
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Oh, Thomas, you just described my entire life.
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I mean, that was me for years.
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Years! thinking in my first language, translating everything, and by the time I finally finished translating, the conversation had already moved on.
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Exactly.
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And that is the biggest problem, and honestly the biggest secret that most English learners never figure out.
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Today, we are going to talk about how to stop translating in your head, and how to start thinking directly in English, naturally, smoothly, like it's second nature.
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And trust me, if you stay with us until the end of this video, you will understand why you translate, how to break that habit,
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and what small daily things you can do to make English feel like your language.
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So are you ready?
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Let's go.
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This is going to be a good one.
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Alright Grace, let's start with the big question.
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Why do people translate in their heads?
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Because it's not like people want to do it.
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Nobody wakes up in the morning and says, oh I would love to slow myself down by translating every single sentence today.
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Right.
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It's not exactly a fun hobby, but it happens automatically.
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And I think the reason it happens is very simple.
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When we first learn a language, we learn it through our first language.
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Our teachers explain English to us in our native language.
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The dictionary we use gives definitions in our native language.
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Even the grammar rules, we compare them to our own language's grammar.
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So from the very beginning, our brain builds a bridge.
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A bridge that goes native language, English.
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That is a perfect way to describe it.
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A bridge.
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And that bridge is actually helpful at the beginning.
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When you're a beginner, you need that bridge.
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If you don't know the word apple in English, it's totally fine to think, oh right, in my language we say X, and in English that's apple.
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That's normal.
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That's healthy for a beginner.
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But the problem is, and this is the key thing, most learners never take the bridge away.
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Even when they've been learning English for two, three, five, ten years.
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They still need that bridge for every single sentence.
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And that bridge slows everything down.
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Think about it this way.
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Imagine you're driving from your house to the supermarket.
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At first, you need GPS.
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You follow every instruction.
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Turn left, turn right.
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In 200 meters, turn around.
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But eventually, if you go to that same supermarket enough times, you don't need the GPS anymore.
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You just know the way.
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Your brain has memorized the route.
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You drive there automatically.
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Oh, I love that comparison.
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The GPS is the translation.
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And at some point, you need to turn off the GPS and just drive.
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Exactly.
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And the goal of today's conversation is to help you start driving without the GPS.
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To help you start thinking in English without that constant translation in the middle.
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Does that make sense?
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It makes total sense.
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And actually, Thomas, I want to add something here, because I think a lot of learners feel guilty when they catch themselves translating.
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They think, oh, I'm so bad at English, I still translate, I'll never be fluent.
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And I just want to say, please don't feel that way.
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Yes, please, please, please do not be hard on yourself about this.
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Translating in your head is not a sign that you're failing.
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It's just a sign that your brain is still using its old habit.
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And habits can be changed.
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Slowly, with practice, with the right approach, your brain can learn a new habit.
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the habit of thinking directly in English.
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Beautifully said.
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Okay, so let's talk about how.
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How do we actually start doing this?
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Alright, part two.
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And this is where things start to get really practical.
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The first thing I want to talk about is what I call the no translation zone.
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And before you panic, let me explain.
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I'm not saying you need to be perfect.
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I'm not saying you can never think in your language again.
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Good, because that would be scary.
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Very scary.
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What I mean by the no translation zone is this.
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Creating certain moments in your day, maybe just 10 or 15 minutes, where you make a little promise to yourself.
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For the next 10 minutes, I will try my best to only think in English.
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Not translate, just think directly in English.
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Okay, so how do you actually do that?
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Because it's one thing to say, think in English, but it's another thing to actually do it.
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Like, what does it look like in practice?
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Great question.
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And this is where I want to introduce something I call English thinking triggers.
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These are simple, everyday situations where you can practice thinking in English.
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And here's the best part.
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You don't need to be in a class.
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You don't need a textbook.
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You just need your normal life.
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I love this already.
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Give me an example.
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Okay.
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Let's say you wake up in the morning.
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You open your eyes.
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Your first thought might be in your native language, right?
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Oh, it's Monday, I don't want to get up, I'm so tired.
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Normal.
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But what if, just as an experiment, you tried to have that same thought in English?
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Oh, it's Monday, I'm tired, I don't want to get up, I need coffee.
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Simple thoughts, short sentences, nothing complicated.
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Oh, that's actually really nice, and it's so easy.
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Because those morning thoughts, I'm tired, I need coffee, what should I have for breakfast, those are not difficult sentences.
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Those are simple, short thoughts that any B1 learner already knows.
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Exactly.
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And that is the key.
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You start small.
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You don't start by trying to think in English about complicated topics like politics or economics.
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You start with the simple, everyday thoughts.
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I'm hungry.
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This coffee is good.
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It's cold outside today.
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I have a meeting at 3.
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Small thoughts, simple English.
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And over time, those small thoughts become automatic, and then your brain starts reaching for English first before your native language.
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That's when things start to change.
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That's when the magic happens.
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And let me say this clearly for our listeners.
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The goal is not perfection.
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The goal is practice.
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Even if you make mistakes in your English thinking, even if you can't find the right word, that's completely okay.
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That struggle is actually helping your brain grow.
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Yes, because when you can't find a word, what do you do?
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You look for another way to say it.
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You describe it differently.
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You use different vocabulary.
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And that is exactly how fluent speakers think.
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They don't always have the perfect word.
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They just work with what they have.
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Beautifully said, Grace.
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Now let's talk about the second big strategy, because this one is a game changer.
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Okay, part three.
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This one is really important, and I think it might surprise some people.
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One of the main reasons people translate is because of how they learn new vocabulary.
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Most learners, and I totally understand why, Most learners learn vocabulary like this.
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English word?
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Translation in their language.
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So they see the word curious, and they write, curious equals word in their language.
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Yeah, that's how I learned for years.
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Flashcards with English on one side, translation on the other.
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Right.
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And look, flashcards are not bad.
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They can help you remember words.
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But there's a problem.
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When you learn words through translation, your brain creates a connection that goes like this.
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English word?
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Your language word.
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So every time you hear or see the word curious, your brain first has to go through the translation in your head to understand it.
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That takes time.
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Even if it's just half a second, it's still a delay.
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And in a real conversation, those half seconds add up quickly.
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Exactly.
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So the solution is to train your brain to create a different kind of connection.
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Instead of English word, your language word, you want English word, image, feeling, situation.
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English word meaning, not translation.
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Okay, I love this.
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But can you explain how to do that?
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Because for some people, this might sound a little abstract.
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Absolutely.
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Let me give you a concrete example.
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The word anxious.
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If you learn it with translation, your brain stores it like anxious equals native language word.
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But what if instead you learned it like this?
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Anxious is that feeling before a big exam, when your stomach feels tight, when you can't stop thinking about something, when you check your phone every five minutes.
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Now your brain stores anxious as a feeling, as a situation, not as a translation.
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Oh, that's so smart.
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Because now when you feel anxious, your brain doesn't need to go through any translation.
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It just says, oh, this feeling, this is anxious.
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Exactly.
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And you can do this with any word.
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Instead of translating exhausted, picture yourself after a very long day of work.
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Your feet hurt.
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Your eyes are heavy.
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You can barely keep them open.
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That is exhausted.
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Now when you hear the word, you feel it.
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You don't translate it.
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This is called learning words in context, right?
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Or with mental images?
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Yes, exactly.
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Learning in context.
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Learning with images, with emotions, with situations.
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This is how children learn their first language, by the way.
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A child doesn't learn the word hot by reading a translation.
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They touch something hot.
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They feel the sensation.
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And they hear the word hot.
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And the connection is made directly.
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No translation.
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Just word.
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Real-world experience.
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That's such an important point, Thomas.
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We always talk about learning like a child when it comes to language, and this is exactly what that means.
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Not translating.
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Just connecting the word directly to the world.
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And practically speaking, when you're studying new vocabulary, instead of writing the translation, try this.
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Write an English sentence using the word.
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Or describe what the word means in simple English, like a mini English dictionary.
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For example, exhausted, when you are extremely tired.
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More than just tired.
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You feel like you have no energy at all.
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That's it.
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No translation needed.
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I love that.
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You're basically becoming your own English teacher.
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You're teaching yourself English in English.
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And that is the start of building what I call an English-to-English brain.
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A brain that doesn't need a native language in the middle.
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A brain that goes straight from thought to English.
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Okay, this is really good.
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I feel like we're giving our listeners so much to think about, And I also want to remind everyone, if this is helpful, please take a second to like this video and subscribe to the channel.
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It really, really helps us to keep making content like this for you.
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We put a lot of love into these videos, and your support means everything to us.
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It really does.
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And if you're watching this on replay, welcome.
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We're so happy you found us.
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Now, let's keep going.
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Part 4.
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Okay, so here is something that I see happening with so many intermediate English learners, and it breaks my heart a little bit.
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Not really breaks my heart, but it makes me want to help them immediately.
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What is it?
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What do you see?
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I see learners who pause in the middle of a sentence because they are searching, desperately searching, for the perfect word, the exact word.
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And while they're searching, they freeze.
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The conversation stops.
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The other person waits.
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And the learner starts to feel embarrassed.
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And then anxiety sets in.
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And then they feel even more blocked.
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Oh yes, I've been there.
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That awful moment where you know what you want to say, but you can't find the exact English word and you just freeze.
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Like a computer that's trying to load a file and it just stops.
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The spinning wheel of death.
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Oh, the spinning wheel of death.
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I love that.
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And yes, that's exactly what it looks like from the outside too.
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But here's the thing.
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Fluent speakers do this too.
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Native speakers also sometimes forget a word.
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They also search for the right expression.
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The difference is they don't stop.
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They keep talking.
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They use a different word.
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They describe what they mean.
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They say, um, or you know, or what's the word, and they keep moving.
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So fluency is not about knowing every single word.
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It's about keeping the flow.
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Yes, that is one of the most important things I will say today.
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Say it with me everyone.
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Fluency is about keeping the flow, not about having perfect words.
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Fluency is about keeping the flow.
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I like that.
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And this is where I introduce what I call the good enough rule.
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The good enough rule says when you can't find the perfect word, use a good enough word and keep going.
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Don't stop.
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Don't freeze.
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Don't apologize.
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Just describe it differently.
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Use a simpler word or keep the sentence moving.
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Can you give us some examples of this
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because I think people will really benefit from hearing what this looks like in practice.
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Absolutely.
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So let's say you want to say the word frustrated, but in that moment you forgot it.
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What do you do?
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Instead of stopping and trying to translate it, you say something like, I felt really not happy.
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Like I was trying to do something and it wasn't working and I felt really, you know that feeling?
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Like annoyed and tired at the same time?
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And guess what?
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The other person completely understands you.
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And they might even help you find the word.
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Exactly.
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They might say, oh, you mean frustrated?
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And then you say, yes, frustrated.
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That's the word.
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And now you've learned that word in a natural, real conversation, not from a textbook, from life.
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I love that.
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And it takes so much pressure off because a lot of learners feel like
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if they don't say exactly the right word, they failed.
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But that's just not true.
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It's absolutely not true.
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Language is about communication, about connecting.
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And even if your sentence is not perfect, if the other person understands you, you have succeeded, you have communicated.
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That's the goal.
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So the good enough rule basically gives you permission to be imperfect?
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Yes, it gives you permission to be human.
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Because perfect is the enemy of fluent.
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When you're too focused on being perfect, you stop being natural.
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And natural English is always better than perfect but robotic English.
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That's such a good point.
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Okay, I want to share a quick personal story about this.
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When I was learning English, I was once in a conversation with a native speaker, and I wanted to say the word umbrella.
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I completely forgot it, just blank.
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So I said, you know the thing you use when it's raining, the stick with the round part on top?
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And the person laughed, not in a mean way, in a fun way, and said, and umbrella.
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And we both laughed, and I never forgot that word again.
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That is a perfect example.
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Because you described it, you communicated, and you learned, all in one real moment.
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No textbook could give you that.
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And the person didn't think less of me for not knowing the word.
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If anything, they enjoyed helping.
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Most people enjoy helping.
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Most people are kind.
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So don't be afraid to describe and keep going.
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That is the good enough rule in action.
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Okay, part five, and this is one of my absolute favorites.
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I want to talk about self-talk.
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Self-talk means the silent conversation you have with yourself inside your head all day long.
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Every single person in every language has this internal voice that narrates their life, thinks through problems, plans their day, and processes their emotions.
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Oh yes, that little voice that never stops.
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For me it's very loud.
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For most of us it is.
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And here's the thing, that internal voice is almost always in your native language, even for very advanced English learners.
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So the challenge, and also the opportunity, is this.
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Can you start having that self-talk in English?
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This is interesting.
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So instead of thinking in my language, what should I make for dinner tonight, I think in English, what should I make for dinner tonight?
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Exactly.
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And it sounds so simple, almost too simple.
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But I promise you, if you practice self-talk in English every day, even for just 10 minutes, your brain will start to shift.
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Slowly, gradually.
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It will start reaching for English first.
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OK, so let's talk about how to actually do this.
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Because I know some listeners are thinking, but Thomas, I don't know how to think in English.
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I don't have enough words.
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And that's a fair concern.
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It's a very fair concern.
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And my answer is, start with what you know.
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Don't try to think in complex, advanced English.
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Think in simple B1 English.
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Short sentences, basic vocabulary.
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That's completely fine.
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Can we walk through a typical day?
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Like, what does English self-talk look like from morning to evening?
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I love that idea.
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Let's do it. So, morning.
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You wake up.
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Your self-talk in English might sound like this.
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Oh, it's early.
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I'm tired.
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What time is it?
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7 o'clock.
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Okay.
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I need to get up.
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I really don't want to.
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But I have work today.
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Okay, come on.
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Get up.
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Let's go.
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Simple, natural.
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Just like how you'd think in your native language, but in English.
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And notice these are short sentences.
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I'm tired.
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I need to get up.
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Let's go.
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Nothing complicated, no subjunctive tense, no complicated grammar.
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Just simple, real language.
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Exactly.
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And then during your day, while you're cooking, for example, you might think, OK, I need to add the tomatoes now.
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Wait, did I already put salt in?
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I can't remember.
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Let me taste it.
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Hmm.
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Yes, it needs more salt.
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and maybe some pepper.
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Okay, that's better.
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Just narrating what you're doing.
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Simple English.
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Oh, I do this sometimes when I cook.
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I narrate like I'm a cooking show host.
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And now I add the garlic.
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A generous amount because I love garlic.
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And the kitchen smells amazing.
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It's actually really fun.
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That's perfect.
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That's exactly what I'm talking about.
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You're creating a mental cooking show in English.
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And every time you do that, Your brain is building new pathways, English pathways, connections between thoughts and English words.
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And it's free, it's private, nobody can hear your thoughts, so there's no pressure, no embarrassment.
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You can think in English without anyone judging you.
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That's the beauty of self-talk.
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It's the safest practice space in the world, your own mind.
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And you can do it anywhere, in the shower, on the bus, at the gym, while walking the dog.
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Any moment of quiet or routine activity is a perfect opportunity for English self-talk.
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Okay, I want to add something practical here.
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What if you're thinking in English and you get stuck?
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You don't know a word.
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What do you do?
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Two options.
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Option one, use a simpler word or phrase to describe it, like we talked about in the good enough rule.
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Option two, make a mental note.
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Tell yourself, I need to look up this word later.
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And when you have a chance, look it up, in English.
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Remember, English to English.
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Don't translate it.
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Find the English meaning.
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So you're turning your moments of not knowing into learning moments.
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Every gap in your vocabulary is actually an opportunity.
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Exactly.
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Every blank is a lesson waiting to happen.
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And over time, those blanks get smaller, your vocabulary grows, your self-talk gets richer, and before you know it, you're thinking in English automatically without even trying.
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That sounds like a dream, but it's actually achievable.
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It is absolutely achievable.
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I've seen it happen with so many learners.
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It just takes consistent practice, small steps, every day.
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Now, let's move on to part six, because I want to talk about something that I think a lot of people overlook, and it has to do with listening.
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Part six, listening without subtitles.
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Now, I know what some of you are thinking, but Thomas, subtitles help me understand.
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Why would I remove them?
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And you're right.
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Subtitles absolutely help understanding, especially at the beginning.
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But, and this is important, there's a problem with always relying on subtitles, especially subtitles in your native language.
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Oh, I totally know this problem.
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When you watch a series or a movie with subtitles in your own language, your eyes go straight to the subtitles.
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You're basically reading your native language and listening to English at the same time.
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Your brain picks the easier option and just reads.
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Bingo.
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Your brain takes the path of least resistance.
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Why work hard to understand the English audio
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when the answer is right there in your language at the bottom of the screen?
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So your listening skills don't improve.
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Your ability to process English in real time doesn't grow.
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And here's the connection to today's topic.
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Your brain never practices thinking in English because it's always getting the answer in the native language first.
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So the subtitle is like a crutch, helpful when you first start walking, but you need to put it down at some point.
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Perfect analogy, a crutch.
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And the goal is not to throw it away suddenly, that would be dangerous for a beginner.
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But gradually, as you improve, you want to rely on it less and less.
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So what's the step-by-step approach?
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How do someone at B1, B2 level use listening to start thinking in English?
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OK, here's a practical approach.
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Step 1, watch or listen with English subtitles.
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Not your native language, English.
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This way, if you miss something, you read it in English.
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Your brain stays in English mode the whole time.
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That's already a huge change for a lot of people.
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Huge.
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And then step two, watch shorter clips, maybe three to five minutes, and then pause.
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After you pause, ask yourself, what did I just watch?
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Can I summarize it in English?
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Not translate it into my language.
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Summarize it in English.
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Even a few sentences.
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Even simple ones.
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So you're immediately processing what you heard and putting it back into English.
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Exactly.
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Exactly.
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And that is you thinking in English.
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You're taking what you heard, understanding it and then producing it.
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All in English.
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No native language in the middle.
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And what about step three?
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Step three, and this is the advanced level.
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Watch or listen without subtitles.
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Just the audio.
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And try to understand.
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Yes, you might miss some words.
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Yes, you might not catch everything.
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But you'll be surprised how much you do understand.
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And more importantly, your Your brain will be working hard to process English in real time.
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And that hard work is exactly what builds fluency.
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I want to say something about this.
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Because I think some people will feel frustrated when they watch without subtitles and they don't understand everything.
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And I just want to say, that's okay.
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You're not supposed to understand 100% without subtitles right away.
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Absolutely.
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Even native speakers don't always catch every word.
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In fast speech, in mumbled speech, in strong accents, even native speakers sometimes miss things and say, sorry, what did you say?
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And that's completely normal.
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So the goal isn't perfection.
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It's practice.
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It's getting your brain used to processing English in real time.
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And over time, with regular practice, you'll notice something amazing.
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You'll start hearing English and understanding it immediately.
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Without translation, without thinking about it, just instant understanding.
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And that's exactly what thinking in English feels like.
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It feels like understanding without effort.
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That sounds incredible.
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And you know what?
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It is incredible when it happens.
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It's one of those language learning moments that makes you feel so proud of yourself.
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It really is.
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Alright, let's move on to part 7.
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We're going to talk about something practical you can do every single day, something that combines everything we've talked about so far.
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Part 7.
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The English Journal.
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Now some of you might be thinking, oh, a journal, that sounds like homework.
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I know, I know, stay with me here.
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Is it homework though?
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Because I actually love journaling.
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When did it become homework?
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Exactly.
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It's not homework.
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Think of it as a personal conversation with yourself in English.
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Here's the idea.
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Every day, you write a few sentences or a paragraph or however much you want about your day,
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your thoughts, your feelings, your plans in English.
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And you're not writing for a grade.
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You're not writing for a teacher.
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You're just writing for yourself to practice.
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That's the key.
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There's no pressure.
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There's no judgment.
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You write whatever comes to mind.
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Today was a good day.
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I had coffee with a friend.
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We talked about our plans for the summer.
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I'm a little tired right now.
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I need to sleep early tonight.
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That's it.
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That's a complete English journal entry.
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And notice, you're doing something really powerful when you do this.
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You're taking your thoughts, which normally come in your native language, and you're expressing them in English.
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You're creating a habit of expressing yourself in English.
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And every time you do that, you're building that English pathway in your brain.
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You're practicing going from thought, English, without the translation in the middle.
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Now, I have a question.
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What if someone doesn't know how to write something?
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They have a thought in their native language, but they don't know how to say it in English.
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Great question.
523
Option one, write it anyway, in the simplest English you can, even if it's broken, even if it's not grammatically perfect.
524
The act of trying is the important thing.
525
to look it up.
526
But look it up in English.
527
Search for how to say, describe it, in English, and you'll find the phrase you need in English.
528
And then you can add that phrase to your journal, and the next time you need it, your brain already has it stored.
529
Exactly.
530
Your journal becomes a living vocabulary book, a record of your growing English mind.
531
I love that phrase, your growing English mind, because that's exactly what it is.
532
Every day that you practice, your English mind grows a little.
533
Not a lot, not overnight, but a little.
534
And little by little adds up to a lot.
535
And if you keep a journal for three months, just three months, and then you read back your old entries, you will be amazed at how much you've improved,
536
because you'll be able to see it right there on the page.
537
Your English in month three will be so much smoother than your English in month one.
538
That's such a motivating thought, because a lot of language learners feel like they're not improving.
539
They feel stuck.
540
But if you have a journal, a record, you can see the improvement.
541
It's right there in black and white.
542
Visible progress.
543
That is one of the most motivating things in the world.
544
Alright, let's talk about part eight, because I want to address something that is very, very common, and sometimes it holds people back in a major way.
545
Part eight.
546
And this one is a little more personal, a little more emotional, I want to talk about fear.
547
Because I genuinely believe that one of the big reasons people translate in their head, even when they don't want to, is fear.
548
Fear of what exactly?
549
Fear of making mistakes.
550
Fear of sounding stupid.
551
Fear of saying the wrong word and people laughing at you.
552
Fear of not being good enough.
553
And that fear causes people to slow down, to go through the safe route of translation,
554
because at least when they translate they feel more sure that what they're saying is correct.
555
I can completely understand that.
556
I've felt that fear for years.
557
Every time I opened my mouth in English in front of a group, my heart would beat faster, my mind would go blank, and I would start translating, because it felt safer somehow.
558
And here's the irony.
559
The translation often makes it worse.
560
Because now you're slow.
561
Now you're stumbling.
562
Now you're losing your train of thought in the middle of translating.
563
And you end up feeling even more embarrassed than if you had just spoken naturally.
564
Oh, I know that feeling.
565
You've been translating for five seconds, you've lost track of where you were, and now the sentence makes no sense.
566
It's the worst.
567
Yes.
568
And it happens to so many people.
569
So let's talk about fear directly.
570
First, I want to say something important.
571
Making mistakes in English is not shameful.
572
It is proof that you are learning.
573
Every mistake is evidence that you are trying.
574
And trying is brave.
575
I love that.
576
Every mistake is evidence that you are trying.
577
That's really beautiful.
578
Think about it from the other person's perspective.
579
When a foreigner speaks English to you, even with mistakes, what do you think of them?
580
Do you think, oh, how embarrassing for them?
581
Or do you think, wow, this person speaks English.
582
That's impressive.
583
I mean, honestly, I always think it's impressive.
584
When someone speaks a foreign language, any foreign language, I'm immediately impressed, even if they make mistakes.
585
Most people feel that way.
586
Most people are not listening for your mistakes.
587
They're listening for your meaning.
588
They want to understand you.
589
And as long as your meaning is clear, they're happy.
590
And even when people do notice a mistake, most of the time they are kind about it.
591
They either help you gently or they just understand what you meant and move on.
592
Right.
593
The harsh, critical audience that language learners imagine in their heads, that audience mostly doesn't exist in real life.
594
Most real people are kind.
595
Most real conversations are forgiving.
596
So the fear is often bigger than the actual danger.
597
Much bigger.
598
The fear lives in your imagination.
599
And the antidote to that fear is action.
600
Speaking.
601
Trying.
602
Failing a little.
603
Getting up.
604
Trying again.
605
Every time you speak English and survive, even with mistakes, your brain gets a tiny bit more comfortable, a tiny bit braver.
606
And slowly, slowly, the fear gets smaller and your English gets bigger.
607
Exactly.
608
And when the fear gets smaller, something amazing happens.
609
You stop translating so much because the translation was a defense mechanism, a way to feel safe.
610
But when you don't need that safety net as much, you start speaking more freely, more naturally, more in English.
611
So working on the fear is actually working on the translation habit at the same time?
612
They are deeply connected, yes.
613
Fix the fear.
614
And the translation habit starts to loosen its grip.
615
And I want to say one more thing about mistakes.
616
This is important.
617
You need to make mistakes to improve.
618
There is no way around it.
619
Language learning is not a clean, mistake-free process.
620
It is messy.
621
It is imperfect.
622
It is human.
623
And that's actually what makes it beautiful, I think.
624
The messiness, the trying and failing and trying again.
625
It's such a human experience.
626
A very human experience.
627
All right, let's go to part nine.
628
And this one is about something really fun, using media and entertainment to train your brain to think in English.
629
Part 9.
630
Okay, I know this is people are going to enjoy, because this is where I tell you that watching TV,
631
listening to podcasts, and enjoying music can actually be part of your English learning strategy.
632
Wait, are you telling me that watching my favorite English series is homework?
633
I'm telling you that watching your favorite English series, in the right way, is absolutely homework, and very enjoyable homework.
634
I can work with that.
635
Okay, tell me more.
636
So we've already talked about watching without native language subtitles, but I want to go deeper.
637
I want to talk about a technique called active watching.
638
Most people watch passively.
639
They sit back, they relax, they let the English wash over them.
640
And that's fine.
641
It's still better than watching in their native language.
642
But active watching is more powerful.
643
What does active watching look like?
644
Active watching means you're engaged with the language as you watch.
645
So for example, you hear a phrase you like, you pause, you repeat it out loud, Maybe a couple of times.
646
You notice how the speaker said it, their intonation, their rhythm.
647
You try to copy it, and then you let it go and continue watching.
648
Oh, so it's like shadowing.
649
It's a form of shadowing, yes.
650
Shadowing is when you repeat what you hear as quickly as possible, almost at the same time.
651
It's a great technique for improving pronunciation, rhythm, and also importantly, for getting your brain used to producing English without thinking.
652
Because when you shadow, you don't have time to translate.
653
You just repeat.
654
That's a brilliant point.
655
Shadowing forces you out of translation mode because it happens too fast to translate.
656
Exactly.
657
And even if you don't fully understand every word while you're shadowing, your mouth and your brain are still practicing English patterns, natural English patterns, The way sentences flow,
658
the way phrases connect, and that is incredibly valuable.
659
What about music?
660
How can music help with thinking in English?
661
Music is wonderful because it makes language memorable.
662
When you learn words and phrases through music, they stick.
663
They go into your long-term memory in a way that a list of vocabulary never will.
664
So listening to English songs, really listening, paying attention to the lyrics, is a great way to absorb natural English.
665
And some songs use very natural, conversational English.
666
Not old-fashioned, not textbook English.
667
Real, modern, everyday English.
668
Absolutely.
669
And you can look up the lyrics of your favorite English songs and read them while you listen.
670
Notice the phrases.
671
Notice how certain things are said.
672
Notice the idioms, the slang, the expressions.
673
These are things that fluent speakers use every day. And podcasts.
674
Because a lot of our listeners probably listen to podcasts, including this one.
675
Yes, including this one.
676
Podcasts are amazing for English listening because they're conversational.
677
They're not scripted like a newsreader.
678
They're natural.
679
People talk over each other, they use filler words, they laugh, they go off topic, just like real life.
680
And listening to that kind of English trains your brain for real conversations.
681
And the thing about podcasts is that you can listen while doing other things — while cooking,
682
while exercising, while commuting — so you can get a lot of English listening time without having to sit down and study.
683
Right.
684
It becomes part of your daily routine.
685
Daily exposure to natural English is one of the most powerful things you can do for your fluency.
686
The more English you hear, the more your brain gets used to it, the more it processes English automatically, the more you start thinking in English, because English is everywhere in your world.
687
Okay, I love this part, because it makes learning feel less like a chore and more like a lifestyle.
688
Like, this is just how I live.
689
I listen to English, I watch English, I think in English.
690
It's not a class, it's just my life.
691
And that is the goal.
692
When English becomes part of of your life, not just something you study for exams.
693
That's when real fluency starts to develop.
694
That's when you stop translating and start living in English.
695
Part 10.
696
We're almost at the end, and I want to give you the final, most advanced piece of advice.
697
This is the piece that ties everything together.
698
And it's a little scary, but I promise it's worth it.
699
Okay, now I'm nervous.
700
What is it?
701
The advice is, speak before you think.
702
Or more precisely, Speak while you think.
703
Don't wait until your sentence is perfectly formed in your head before you open your mouth.
704
Start talking.
705
Let the words come out, and trust your English brain to fill in the rest.
706
Okay, I can already feel the anxiety of our listeners rising.
707
Speak before I think.
708
What if I say something wrong?
709
And there it is again, the fear.
710
But here's why this is so important.
711
When you wait until your sentence is perfect, when you plan every word before speaking, you are thinking in your native language,
712
building the sentence there, translating it, and then saying it.
713
That whole process takes a long time, and it feels unnatural.
714
Right.
715
Like reading from a translation machine.
716
Exactly.
717
But when you start speaking, when you trust yourself and just begin, something interesting happens.
718
Your English brain wakes up.
719
Your memory kicks in.
720
The words start to come.
721
Maybe not in the perfect order, maybe not with the perfect grammar, but they come.
722
It's like jumping into the pool instead of standing at the edge testing the water.
723
Perfect analogy.
724
And yes, the water is cold at first.
725
But you adjust.
726
And swimming, speaking English spontaneously, becomes more and more natural the more you practice it.
727
So how do you build up the courage to do this, especially for someone who has been translating for years?
728
It feels so risky.
729
Start in safe environments.
730
Practice with people you trust — a friend, a language partner, a teacher, or even by yourself.
731
Practice speaking out loud in English.
732
Narrate your actions.
733
Describe what you see.
734
Answer imaginary questions.
735
If someone asked me right now what my favorite food is, what would I say?
736
I would say, I love pasta.
737
I like it because it's very, very filling, satisfying, both.
738
I like pasta because it's filling and satisfying.
739
See, you figured it out as you spoke.
740
And every time you do that, you're proving to yourself that your English brain can handle it, that you don't always need to plan everything first.
741
And gradually, gradually, the planning shrinks, the translation shrinks, and the spontaneous English grows.
742
Until one day you're in a conversation and you realize, wait, I just said that whole thing without translating once.
743
And that moment is incredible.
744
That is the moment.
745
I remember mine.
746
I was in a conversation and I was laughing and talking, and then I stopped and thought, I was just thinking in English, completely in English.
747
and I felt so proud of myself.
748
That feeling is the reward for all the practice, all the effort, all the moments of I can't find the word
749
and my grammar is wrong and why is English so hard sometimes.
750
All of it leads to that beautiful moment where the language just flows.
751
And once you have that moment, it starts happening more and more.
752
And you realize you're not just learning English, you have English.
753
It's yours.
754
It is yours.
755
And that is the most empowering feeling in the the language learning journey.
756
Alright, let's wrap up with the outro, because we want to leave you with something to practice right now.
757
Okay everyone, we've covered so much today.
758
Let me quickly recap the main things we talked about.
759
Number one, why we translate in our heads.
760
It's a habit built from how we learn, and it's okay, but we can change it.
761
Number two, the no translation zone.
762
Give yourself 10 to 15 minutes a day where you try to only think in English.
763
Start small, start simple.
764
Number three, build an English-to-English brain by learning vocabulary through meaning, images and situations, not translation.
765
Number four, a bit enough rule.
766
Fluency is about keeping the flow, not about having perfect words.
767
When you don't know a word, describe it.
768
Keep going.
769
Number five, self-talk.
770
Have your daily internal monologue in English.
771
Narrate your morning.
772
Narrate your cooking.
773
Narrate your walks.
774
Your mind is the safest practice space in the world.
775
Number six, use listening to train your brain.
776
English subtitles, active watching, shadowing, podcasts, music.
777
Make English part of your daily environment.
778
Number seven, the English journal.
779
A few sentences every day about your life, your thoughts, your feelings, in English.
780
No pressure, just expression.
781
Number eight, tackle the fear.
782
Mistakes are proof that you are trying.
783
Most people are kind.
784
Most audiences are forgiving.
785
Speak, try, fail a little, get back up.
786
Number nine, entertainment as training.
787
Music, series, podcasts, shadowing, these are all powerful tools to train your brain to think in English naturally.
788
And number 10, speak before you think.
789
Jump into the pool, start the sentence, trust your English brain to follow.
790
Now, here are your practice challenges for after you finish watching.
791
Ready?
792
Practice challenge number one.
793
Tonight, or right now if you can, spend three minutes narrating your immediate environment in English.
794
Just look around you and describe what you see.
795
I'm sitting in my living room.
796
There is a blue sofa next to the window.
797
I can see the street outside.
798
It's starting to get dark.
799
Simple.
800
Easy. Do it.
801
Practice challenge number two.
802
Start a journal.
803
Today.
804
Right now.
805
Open a notebook or a note on your phone and write three sentences about your day. In English.
806
No translation.
807
Just your thoughts in English.
808
Three sentences.
809
That's all.
810
Practice challenge number three.
811
The next time you don't know a word in English, don't translate it.
812
Describe it.
813
Use different words.
814
See if you can get your meaning across without the exact word you were looking for.
815
And practice challenge number four, our favorite.
816
Come to the comment section and write a few sentences in English.
817
Tell us, what is the hardest part of thinking in English for you?
818
Is it the vocabulary, the grammar, the speed, the fear?
819
Write it in English, no translations, and share it with our community.
820
Because you know what?
821
Our comment section is one of the most beautiful places on the internet.
822
No, really.
823
People are so kind and supportive, And when you write your comment in English, even with mistakes, other learners see it and feel inspired.
824
You inspire each other.
825
And that's the power of community.
826
You are not learning English alone.
827
You have us, and you have thousands of other learners all over the world, all on the same journey, all fighting the same translation habit, all trying to think in English,
828
all making progress, little by little.
829
And we are so proud of every single one of you for being here, for choosing to learn, for not giving up, for watching until the end.
830
that takes commitment, and commitment is what gets results.
831
So before we go, one final thing.
832
We want to share a key phrase from today, a phrase we want you to remember, and we're going to say it slowly and clearly so you can really hear it.
833
Ready?
834
Here it is.
835
Fluency is not about being perfect.
836
Fluency is about keeping the flow.
837
Let's say it again, slowly.
838
Fluency is not about being perfect.
839
Fluency is about keeping the flow.
840
One more time.
841
Say it with us.
842
Fluency is not about being perfect.
843
Fluency is about keeping the flow.
844
Perfect.
845
Write that down.
846
Put it on a sticky note.
847
Make it your phone wallpaper.
848
Because that phrase, that idea, can change the way you approach English.
849
And if this video helped you today, even a little, please give it a thumbs up and subscribe to the channel if you haven't already.
850
We make these videos with so much love and effort, and your support helps us keep going.
851
Every like, every subscribe, every comment, it means the world to us.
852
Truly.
853
And share this video with a friend who's learning English, or a friend who translates in their head, because that friend might really need to hear this today.
854
You never know whose learning journey you might change.
855
We'll be back very soon with another great video.
856
Until then, practice yourself talk, write your journal, keep the flow, and remember...
857
Your English is growing every day.
858
Even on the days when it doesn't feel like it, it's growing.
859
Take care, everyone.
860
Bye for now.
861
Keep thinking in English.
862
You've got this.
863
See you in the next one.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “How to Stop Translating and Start Thinking in English”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: English, word, language, brain, translation. This video has 863 sentences and 7434 words to shadow. The speech runs for 40:33. The speaker talks fast, about 183 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds. 88% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| translate verb | /tɹænzˈleɪt/ | To change spoken words or written text (of a book, document, movie, etc.) from one language to another. |
| learner noun | /ˈlɜɹnəɹ/ | One who is learning; one receiving instruction. |
| fluency noun | /ˈfluːənsi/ | The quality of smoothness of flow. |
| subtitle noun | /ˈsʌbtaɪtəl/ | A heading below or after a title. |
| vocabulary noun | /vəˈkæb.jə.lə.ɹi/ | A usually alphabetized and explained collection of words e.g. of a particular field, or prepared for a specific purpose, often for learning. |
| narrate verb | /ˈnæɹeɪt/ | To relate (a story or series of events) in speech or writing. |
| homework noun | /ˈhoʊmˌwɝk/ | Exercises assigned by a teacher to a student which review concepts studied in class. |
| podcast noun | /ˈpɑdˌkæst/ | A program, especially an audio program, produced on a regular basis, delivered over the Internet in a compressed digital format and designed for playback on… |
| anxious adjective | /ˈæŋkʃəs/ | Nervous and worried. |
| grammar noun | /ˈɡɹæm.ə(ɹ)/ | A system of rules and principles for the structure of a language, or of languages in general. |
| listener noun | /ˈlɪs(ə)nɚ/ | Someone who listens, especially to a speech or a broadcast. |
| fluent adjective | /ˈfluənt/ | That flows; flowing, liquid. |
| frustrate verb | /ˈfɹʌsˌtɹeɪt/ | To disappoint or defeat; to vex by depriving of something expected or desired. |
| textbook noun | /ˈtɛkst.bʊk/ | A coursebook, a formal manual of instruction in a specific subject, especially one for use in schools or colleges. |
| pause noun | /pɔːz/ | A temporary stop or rest; an intermission of action; interruption; suspension; cessation. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| get up verb | To move in an upward direction; to ascend or climb. | |
| go through verb | To travel from one end of something to the other. | |
| look up verb | /ˌlʊk ˈʌp/ | To have better prospects. |
| wake up verb | /ˌweɪk ˈʌp/ | To stop sleeping; to awake. |
| add up verb | To take the sum of; to total. | |
| add up to verb | To have a particular effect in combination. | |
| build up verb | To erect; to construct. | |
| come out verb | /ˌkʌm ˈaʊt/ | To be discovered; to be revealed. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- What happens inside your brain?
- How do we actually start doing this?
- Yes, because when you can't find a word, what do you do?
- They might say, oh, you mean frustrated?
- Can we walk through a typical day?
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect continuous have/has been + -ing — an action that started earlier and is still going on | they've been learning · You've been translating · has been translating |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | has memorized · I've been · you've learned |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | can be changed · is called · is made |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | someone who has · friend who translates |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 138 contractions and reduced forms, such as you're, don't, I'm. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: pathway /ˈpæθˌweɪ/, rhythm /ˈɹɪð.əm/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: anxious /ˈæŋkʃəs/, conversational /ˌkɒnvə(ɹ)ˈseɪʃənəl/, flashcard /ˈflæʃˌkɑɹd/, perfection /pɚˈfɛk.ʃən/, dictionary /ˈdɪk.ʃəˌnɛ.ɹi/
- Long words — get the stress right: vocabulary /vəˈkæb.jə.lə.ɹi/, achievable /əˈt͡ʃivəbəl/, conversational /ˌkɒnvə(ɹ)ˈseɪʃənəl/, analogy /əˈnæləd͡ʒi/, supermarket /ˌsupɚˈmɑɹkət/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like translate, learner, fluency.
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.