Welcome back to Inside English Podcast.

I'm Mia.

And I'm Jack.

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

It's something many learners struggle with.

Absolutely, Jack.

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

Exactly.

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

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

That's right.

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

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

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

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

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

Yeah, I can imagine how frustrating that would be.

I think a lot of learners feel the same way.

Totally.

So Maria decided to try something different.

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

The first thing she did?

She immersed herself in English as much as possible.

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

TV shows with the English subtitles on instead of Spanish.

Oh, that's a great technique.

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

Exactly.

But it didn't stop there.

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

She described what she was doing out loud.

It sounds a bit silly, but it really worked.

You know what they say.

Practice makes perfect, right?

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

Yep.

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

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

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

Wow, that's an inspiring story.

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

Thinking in English is a skill.

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

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

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

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

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

Right.

The key here is exposure.

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

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

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

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

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

Focus on simple ideas.

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

That's a good point.

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

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

Exactly.

And tip number three is to use English every day.

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

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

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

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

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

That's a good one, Mia.

And don't forget, be patient with yourself.

Thinking in English doesn't happen overnight.

It takes time.

But with consistency, you'll see improvement.

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

Sure thing.

Here are four important words we've used.

Immerse – to be completely involved in something.

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

Fluency – the ability to speak or write a language easily and accurately.

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

Translate – to change words from one language to another.

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

Journaling – writing down thoughts and ideas, usually in a diary or notebook.

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

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

Question 1.

Why is it so hard to think in English?

That's a great question.

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

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

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

Exactly.

It's like building a new habit.

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

Question 2.

How long does it take to start thinking in English?

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

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

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

That's right.

And remember, the journey is different for everyone.

The key is consistency.

Stick with it, and you'll get there.

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

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

Thanks for joining us.

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

You've got this.

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