How to stop translating in your head

When I asked someone to talk about a picture as I was teaching him I immediately noticed that he was translating in his head because of the errors he made and how much time it took him to form his thoughts. I stopped him and asked him to name all the things around him that he knew how to say in the language he learns. Then I told him to pay attention to not to translate. I also made him write notes on the topics he wanted to talk about in that language. The result was immediate. As soon as we continued with the exercise he stopped stuttering and taking huge breaks in between sentences. He also made much fewer grammar mistakes than he did before. All because he didn’t translate in his head.

Most people when they start to speak in a foreign language first they plan out what they want to say in their native language.

The truth is:

If you can translate whatever it is that you want to say  from your native language to your target language means that you have all the tools to say it in your target language and form your thoughts in your target language right away. Translating is a very complex task for your brain so why would you work twice as much if you could make it easier on yourself?

Use the expressions and words you have already heard or read in your target language! And this is one of the reasons why it is so important to read a lot and listen to the language so your “arsenal” gets bigger and there are more words and expressions that you can use.

A lot of people say that children learn languages faster and a lot of adults think, that there is no way that they could acquire a foreign language with such ease as children do.

As I see and hear people ask about this topic all the time I sat down to think about the possible reasons. Some of the things I’ve realized are closely linked to the problem in the title.

I firmly believe that it has nothing to do with age more so with the method you learn.

Foreign languages are taught differently to children and adults. When you teach a child you use pictures, songs, stories, and poems that they can recite and you do not or moderately include the native language in the learning process. Children only have to listen first. Then they have to repeat what they hear without understanding it. Then they are taught the meaning of certain words in the right manner (see below). Lastly, they are tested if they can understand what we tell them by asking them to do things. Basically, they learn the foreign language the exact same way they learn their native language. And because they are taught the same way they don’t translate in their head. 

Listen! Listen! Listen!

Here are some exercises to help you achieve this:

Memorizing song lyrics or poems

Memorizing something in your target language means that you are not able to translate it. It forces your brain to use the target language right away.

Translating in your head is like a bad habit that you have to get rid of

From time to time you have to remind yourself not to translate and don’t get too frustrated and hard on yourself if you do. You will notice that you will have to remind yourself less and less as time goes by and eventually it will come naturally to you.

Learn words the right way

Also, memorizing words and learning words with the right method is crucial.  How to learn new words so that you will actually remember them

The first sound Think about a word and then come up with words that start with the same sound as the word you thought about.

Scrabble The next one is Scrabble pick a long word and then try to use the letters in that word to create New words. If you are more advanced you can play actual Scrabble with someone who also speaks the language or you can look up Scrabble in your target language on the internet or you download an app if they have it in your target language.

Name things Another quick exercise that you can do is to look around yourself and name the things that you already know how to say in your target language. This helps to link the word to the object rather than linking it to the word in your native language. You can do the same thing when you buy groceries, run your errands, on your way to work, or when you take a stroll.

Summarize Summarizing a movie you’ve watched or a book you’ve read in your target language is a good idea as well since it also doesn’t involve your native language and as a result, it improves mono-lingual thinking.

I know it is frustrating but hang in there. If you do these exercises I guarantee you will improve in no time,

Zsófi

• Advanced language learning goalsOctober 29, 2022
  It is easy to set goals as a beginner. You want to speak fluently, want to understand movies, or maybe just simply create a sentence. But what can you look forward to once you’ve achieved all of this? As an advanced language learner, you can make it a goal to repeat words less and use … Read moreAdvanced language learning goals
• Language learning motivation for advanced learnersJune 3, 2022
  Say no to monotony and lack of new impulses and challenges, and get back on track. Buckle up ’cause in no time your passion for languages will be back. I guarantee you will feel the rush of emotions you used to feel in the beginning again.
• How to learn advanced vocabularyMay 14, 2022
  In order to learn advanced words, you must use advanced listening and reading resources, and once you find an unknown word you have to not only translate it but also see it in context in order to be able to use it correctly. You should also put it into practice immediately by using it in … Read moreHow to learn advanced vocabulary