💢007

[00:00.000 --> 00:09.360]  Hello, everyone. Welcome back to the Simple English Podcast, where we help you improve
[00:09.360 --> 00:15.000]  your English skills one episode at a time. I'm your host, Lisa, and today we have a special
[00:15.000 --> 00:19.960]  guest joining us. We're talking about something that every English learner wants to know,
[00:19.960 --> 00:24.680]  how to speak English fluently. But here's the big tip. You need to think in English
[00:24.680 --> 00:31.620]  first. Sounds interesting, right? Absolutely, Lisa. Hi, everyone. I'm Brian. I've been
[00:31.620 --> 00:37.220]  teaching English for over ten years, and today I'm excited to share some practical tips on
[00:37.220 --> 00:42.280]  how you can train your brain to think in English. Trust me, it's one of the most powerful ways
[00:42.280 --> 00:49.200]  to become fluent. Yes, it is. So, if you're struggling with speaking,
[00:49.200 --> 00:53.860]  or maybe you find yourself translating from your native language before you speak, this
[00:53.860 --> 01:00.440]  episode is for you. We'll explain why thinking in English is the key, how to do it, and of
[01:00.440 --> 01:04.660]  course we'll share some fun facts along the way to keep things interesting. Let's dive
[01:04.660 --> 01:10.480]  right in. Don't forget to check out the free PDF file in the comment section below to get
[01:10.480 --> 01:21.040]  the full transcript and new vocabulary for this episode. Brian, let's start with the basics.
[01:21.040 --> 01:26.220]  Why do you think learning to think in English is so important for fluency? That's a great
[01:26.220 --> 01:31.620]  question, Lisa. The main reason is that when you think in English, you cut out the middle
[01:31.620 --> 01:37.820]  step of translating. Translation takes time and can lead to mistakes. When you think directly
[01:37.820 --> 01:43.960]  in English, your responses are faster and more natural. You don't have to pause and figure
[01:43.960 --> 01:48.300]  out how to say something because you've already got the thought in English. It's like training
[01:48.300 --> 01:54.680]  your brain to think automatically in English, right? Exactly. Imagine you're in a conversation,
[01:54.680 --> 01:58.900]  and someone asks you a simple question like, what's your favorite food? If you think in
[01:58.900 --> 02:02.860]  your native language first, you'll have to mentally translate the answer like, oh, in
[02:02.860 --> 02:07.380]  my language, this is how I say it, and then turn it into English. By the time you're ready
[02:07.380 --> 02:12.080]  to speak, the conversation may have moved on. But if you're already thinking in English,
[02:12.080 --> 02:18.060]  you can quickly respond, I love pizza, or my favorite food is sushi. It keeps the flow
[02:18.060 --> 02:22.880]  natural. Yes, I've had those moments where I'm stuck thinking about how to say something,
[02:23.020 --> 02:25.680]  and by the time I figure it out, the topic has changed.
[02:26.540 --> 02:32.000]  Exactly. And that's one of the main frustrations learners face. But when you train your brain
[02:32.000 --> 02:37.280]  to think in English, you'll find yourself responding more smoothly, without those awkward pauses.
[02:37.280 --> 02:42.880]  That's so true. Now, for someone who's just starting to work on thinking in English,
[02:43.100 --> 02:47.920]  how can they begin? I mean, thinking in a new language sounds a bit difficult at first.
[02:48.460 --> 02:53.820]  It can feel challenging, but there are some simple ways to start. One of the easiest methods
[02:53.820 --> 02:58.980]  is to narrate your daily activities in English. For example, when you wake up in the morning,
[02:59.220 --> 03:04.920]  think to yourself, I am brushing my teeth, I am making coffee, or I am getting ready for work.
[03:04.920 --> 03:10.220]  These are simple thoughts, but over time, you'll get used to thinking in English without even
[03:10.220 --> 03:16.780]  realizing it. I love that idea. So, it's about building a habit by talking to yourself in your
[03:16.780 --> 03:22.940]  head, right? Yes, exactly. And as you get more comfortable, you can start thinking about more
[03:22.940 --> 03:28.900]  complex things. For example, if you're at work, you could think, what do I need to do today? Or,
[03:28.900 --> 03:34.580]  how should I approach this task? This builds your vocabulary and helps you practice using English
[03:34.580 --> 03:41.400]  for more than just basic thoughts. That's really practical advice. And what about when learners don't
[03:41.400 --> 03:48.100]  know a word in English? Should they stop and look it up or just keep going? Good question. I always tell
[03:48.100 --> 03:54.040]  my students not to stop if they don't know a word. Instead, try to use simpler language to explain it.
[03:54.040 --> 03:59.160]  For example, let's say you don't know the word microwave. Instead of stopping to look it up,
[03:59.400 --> 04:04.820]  think of how to explain it. The machine that heats my food quickly. That way, you're still thinking
[04:04.820 --> 04:10.220]  and speaking in English, even though it's not the exact word. That makes so much sense. You're keeping
[04:10.220 --> 04:16.780]  the flow of English going in your mind rather than interrupting it. Exactly. The goal is to keep your
[04:16.780 --> 04:22.300]  brain in English mode, even if you don't have the perfect word. The more you practice, the more words
[04:22.300 --> 04:26.980]  you'll naturally learn. And when you look up those words later, you'll remember them better because
[04:26.980 --> 04:32.260]  you had to actively think around them. I think a lot of learners get stuck trying to be perfect with
[04:32.260 --> 04:37.020]  every word. But it's more important to keep thinking in English rather than worry about exact
[04:37.020 --> 04:43.540]  translations, right? That's exactly it. It's all about progress, not perfection. You don't need to be
[04:43.540 --> 04:49.840]  perfect to be fluent. Fluency means being able to communicate ideas easily and smoothly, even if
[04:49.840 --> 04:55.360]  you don't know every single word. Over time, as you build your vocabulary, the words will come.
[04:56.120 --> 05:01.560]  That's encouraging. And what about silent conversations? I've heard you mention this
[05:01.560 --> 05:08.020]  technique before. Can you explain how it works? Absolutely. A silent conversation is simply talking
[05:08.020 --> 05:12.180]  to yourself in your head. It's a great way to practice thinking in English when you're alone.
[05:12.180 --> 05:17.380]  Let's say you're walking to the store. You can ask yourself questions like, what do I need to buy?
[05:17.640 --> 05:22.320]  Or what should I have for dinner tonight? Then try to answer them in English. This way, you're
[05:22.320 --> 05:28.200]  practicing conversation without needing a partner. That sounds like a really useful exercise. You're
[05:28.200 --> 05:33.620]  basically training your brain to keep thinking in English, no matter where you are. Exactly. And the
[05:33.620 --> 05:39.460]  great thing is, you can do this anytime, anywhere. Whether you're on the bus, waiting in line, or even
[05:39.460 --> 05:46.100]  exercising, you can have a silent conversation with yourself. It's a simple, no-pressure way to improve
[05:46.100 --> 05:51.940]  your English thinking skills. And the more you do it, the more natural it becomes, right? Yes,
[05:51.940 --> 05:56.040]  with consistent practice, your brain will start to automatically think in English without you even
[05:56.040 --> 06:01.860]  trying. It becomes a habit. At first, it might take effort, but over time, it'll feel natural, just like
[06:01.860 --> 06:08.420]  thinking in your native language. I love that. It's like building any other habit. The more you do it,
[06:08.500 --> 06:13.920]  the easier it gets. And what about immersing yourself in English environments? Does that help
[06:13.920 --> 06:19.960]  with thinking in English too? Definitely. Immersion is one of the best ways to get your brain into
[06:19.960 --> 06:25.840]  English thinking mode. This could be as simple as listening to English podcasts, watching TV shows in
[06:25.840 --> 06:31.120]  English, or even reading books. The more English you hear and see around you, the more your brain gets
[06:31.120 --> 06:37.040]  used to processing the language. So, even if you're not living in an English-speaking country,
[06:37.040 --> 06:43.280]  you can still create that environment for yourself. Exactly. For example, if you like watching YouTube
[06:43.280 --> 06:48.880]  videos, try switching to English content. Or if you enjoy listening to music, choose English songs.
[06:48.880 --> 06:53.520]  It's all about surrounding yourself with the language so your brain has more opportunities to practice.
[06:53.520 --> 06:58.400]  That's great advice. It's all about making English a part of your everyday life.
[06:58.960 --> 07:05.840]  So, to recap, thinking in English is about cutting out translation, practicing simple daily thoughts,
[07:05.840 --> 07:11.280]  having silent conversations, and surrounding yourself with the language. Is that right?
[07:11.280 --> 07:17.920]  Exactly. And remember, it doesn't happen overnight, but with consistent practice,
[07:17.920 --> 07:22.880]  you'll see real progress. Just keep at it, and soon enough you'll notice yourself thinking
[07:22.880 --> 07:29.200]  and speaking in English naturally. That's so inspiring. Thank you for breaking it down so
[07:29.200 --> 07:34.800]  clearly, Brian. Okay, let's take a little break for a fun fact, Brian. Did you know that children
[07:34.800 --> 07:39.280]  usually start thinking in their second language after just one year of consistent exposure while
[07:39.280 --> 07:45.440]  adults take longer? Wow, that's fascinating. It's probably because children aren't afraid of making
[07:45.440 --> 07:50.800]  mistakes, and they're always learning through play and interaction. But the good news is,
[07:50.800 --> 07:54.720]  even as adults, we can still train our brains to think in English with practice.
[07:54.720 --> 08:02.720]  Exactly. It might take more effort for adults, but it's definitely possible. So, listeners,
[08:02.720 --> 08:07.840]  don't be discouraged if it feels tough at first. Your brain is like a muscle. The more you practice
[08:07.840 --> 08:14.320]  thinking in English, the easier it gets. Brian, this has been so helpful. To wrap things up,
[08:14.320 --> 08:19.280]  let's do a quick recap. Why is thinking in English the secret to fluency?
[08:19.840 --> 08:24.640]  Well, thinking in English helps you respond faster and more naturally in conversations.
[08:24.640 --> 08:30.080]  It also cuts out the translation step, which can slow you down and lead to mistakes. And remember,
[08:30.080 --> 08:35.840]  it's something you can practice daily by describing your actions, having silent conversations with yourself,
[08:35.840 --> 08:41.600]  or even labeling things around you in English. Such great advice. And if you're listening today,
[08:41.600 --> 08:47.760]  remember, the key to fluency isn't just speaking more, but thinking in English, too. Thank you so
[08:47.760 --> 08:54.800]  much for joining us today, Brian. Thank you, Lisa. It was a pleasure. And thank you, listeners. If you
[08:54.800 --> 08:59.760]  enjoyed this episode and found it helpful, don't forget to like, subscribe, and share it with someone
[08:59.760 --> 09:05.200]  else who's learning English. And let us know in the comments. Are you already thinking in English?
[09:05.200 --> 09:08.000]  What challenges do you face? We'd love to hear from you.
[09:13.280 --> 09:18.800]  Now it's time to learn some important vocabulary related to the topic. The first word of today is
[09:18.800 --> 09:25.360]  native speaker. It means a person who speaks a language as their first language. Example,
[09:25.360 --> 09:30.400]  to speak like a native speaker, try to think in English rather than your own language.
[09:31.120 --> 09:37.360]  Next word is environment. It means the conditions that surround someone. In language learning,
[09:37.360 --> 09:44.080]  it refers to the language atmosphere you create around you. Example, creating an English-speaking
[09:44.080 --> 09:52.480]  environment can help you think in English throughout the day. Next word is expression. It means a word or
[09:52.480 --> 10:00.000]  phrase used to convey an idea, feeling, or thought. Example, learning common expressions in English helps
[10:00.000 --> 10:07.920]  you think and communicate faster. Next word is silent conversation. It means talking to yourself
[10:07.920 --> 10:16.000]  mentally without speaking out loud, useful for practicing a language. Example, having silent conversations
[10:16.000 --> 10:23.520]  in English while walking can improve your fluency. Next word is immersion. It means the method of
[10:23.520 --> 10:31.840]  learning a language by surrounding yourself with it in everyday life. Example, watching English TV shows
[10:31.840 --> 10:39.360]  and listening to English podcasts help create an immersive environment. The last word of today
[10:39.360 --> 10:46.000]  is context. It means the situation or background information that helps explain the meaning of
[10:46.000 --> 10:52.640]  something. Example, understanding the context of a sentence makes it easier to think in English without
[10:52.640 --> 11:03.520]  translating. Thank you for listening to our episode of the Simple English Podcast. I hope you learned
[11:03.520 --> 11:09.440]  something new and helpful today. Please give us a like and subscribe for video like this. Share it with
[11:09.440 --> 11:14.320]  your friends and let us know what you think in the comments section below. We'll be back with more
[11:14.320 --> 11:25.120]  interesting discussions soon.