Hello, I'm Camille. Welcome back to my YouTube channel.
If you don't know me, I'm so glad that you're here.
Today I'm talking about something that I know many of us struggle with including myself and that is translating from your native language and not being able to think directly in English.
Don't worry, you're not alone. You know, it's like that moment when you're trying to speak English but your brain is working overtime and you're translating every single word and you're like, why am I doing this?
I've been there, I've learned a lot of languages, and I've learned how to not translate directly Now, when I speak Portuguese, I'm just speaking Portuguese.
I'm thinking in Portuguese. Here's the thing, thinking in English isn't like some fancy skill.
It's actually crucial for achieving true fluency.
And today I'm going to share some tips that will help you finally break free from the translation trap and allow you to finally start thinking in English.
By the way, if you haven't seen, I write English books.
These are short story books. I'll leave a link in the description box if you want to purchase them.
They're a great resource to help you in your English language learning journey.
Okay, so just picture this. You're out, you're having coffee or tea with your English-speaking friend, and they ask you a simple question.
But before you can answer, your brain is like panic mode.
Maybe it even freezes. because you're first having to understand the English and then you're trying to translate it from your native language back into English and then finally speak.
And by that time you're lost. You're so far behind.
It's frustrating, isn't it? This has happened many times, even to me.
Sometimes it feels like it takes me a minute to get out a Turkish sentence because I'm thinking of the... the word endings and the suffixes and I just want to be able to speak and not have to think.
And so I'm gonna give you some great tips in this video to help you with that. imagine yourself finally sitting down with that friend not translating in your head and not doing all the mental gymnastics, and that is what we're gonna work on. today.
So direct translation doesn't often work because languages aren't just about words, but they're about culture too.
Let's take Turkish for example, because that's the language I'm currently studying. there is this word or this phrase, which is coligelson, which in English, if you translate it directly, it means May it come easy.
But in English, we would never say that to somebody.
We would never say, may it come easy. But the general idea of that is said when somebody's working or they're studying, you say, may it come easily to you, like, I wish you well, or I encourage you with your work.
And in English, we wouldn't say, may it be well, we would just be like, yeah, I hope you have a great day or enjoy studying or I hope everything works out or things like that.
And so we can't directly translate a lot of phrases.
Okay, I'm thinking of this Portuguese word saudades And it has no direct translation.
It is something that Brazilians say to express this emotional state of missing someone or something.
Like if they miss Brazil, they could be like, oh, saudades.
If they miss me, you know, saudades. But in English, it would be like, there's no exact translation, but it would be sort of like longing. or nostalgia, and I would never tell someone longing. like it just doesn't work but saudages is perfect or like the turkish kolay gels and it's perfect in those cases so directly translating a lot of times just doesn't work and we can't do it in many cases.
I realized that when learning foreign languages, I sort of give up my native language and I just have to accept I can't translate it directly into this language because it doesn't work with the culture, with the language.
And that's totally okay. So let's talk a little bit about understanding mental translation.
Let's break that down. What is that really like?
It's like having a tiny interpreter in your head working in overtime, converting every single word back and forth from the language to your target language. from your native language to your target language.
It seems helpful at first, but it's actually holding you back from true fluency and natural, smooth conversations.
When we learn a new language, our brain naturally wants to connect to what we already know, our native language.
It's like using training wheels when learning how to ride a bike.
They're helpful at first, but at some point, they become a hindrance rather than a help.
And once we learn how to ride our bike without training wheels, we can go faster, we can go farther, we can achieve more.
And that's what it's like with language learning.
So the biggest issue with mental translation is the time delay that it creates in conversations.
And in the beginning, it's normal. Your brain is trying to understand a whole new system a way of thinking and you're going to be slow.
Like I said, sometimes it takes me like a minute to form a more complicated Turkish sentence.
And it's frustrating for me, but it is part of the learning curve and the learning process that we have to go through and that it's hard to avoid.
And then of course, there's that like mental exhaustion, just constantly translating these two languages running. parallel processes in your brain and it's like no wonder you're tired after speaking English for a little bit.
So let's transition. Let's get into the practical stuff, the strategies that actually work.
And I would say the first thing you should do is immerse yourself with your target language, which in this case is English. like every single day.
So think of it like you're learning how to swim.
You can look at water, you can read about water, You can touch water, but until you actually get in the water, you're not gonna learn how to swim.
Or like driving a car. You can read about driving a car.
You can even do all of these practical lessons on paper.
I know I'm supposed to stop here or I know this is the mechanics of the car.
But unless you get in the car and try to drive it, you're probably not going to learn how.
So think of language learning in that sense.
Like I have to be in it I have to immerse myself to really learn it.
And I often hear, but I don't like have a speaking partner.
I don't have money. How can I practice? And I would say yes, having a speaking partner is awesome.
But if you don't have one, try speaking out loud to yourself.
It might be a little weird at first, but it works.
It really works. You can talk to yourself while you're doing the dishes, while you're getting dressed, while you're taking a shower and instead of translating words, Try thinking in images.
When you see a dog, don't think, you know, perro which is dog in Spanish.
Just think dog or just think mug. This is a mug.
It's not a taza in Spanish. It's a mug. or in your daily habits, make it a part of your life.
You can change your phone's language to English And every time you check your phone, which let's be honest, it could be a lot. practicing English.
Or if you're struggling with basic vocabulary, label things around your house.
Put a sticky note, mug. desk, book, things like that so your brain is connecting and thinking in English.
It's seeing English and it's connecting in English.
So making your environment as English as possible.
And during those daily activities while you're brushing your teeth or making your breakfast, think in English.
You know, you can think simple things. I'm hungry.
My coffee is hot. And then as your English gets more advanced, you can think more technical.
I love a savory breakfast. I added some salt and pepper to my eggs this morning.
And here are some immersion tips where it gets a little fun if you're a little more advanced.
These are challenging, a little warning, but if you're really wanting to stop thinking in English, try even putting No subtitles when you watch a YouTube video or Netflix.
Try to turn the subtitles off. And your level has to be at least intermediate to do this, and you'll think, but I'm missing a lot.
And it's true, but actually your brain will adapt pretty quickly.
So just give it a try and see what happens and turn your commute into learning English time with podcasts.
I love real life podcasts, which is... what my podcast is because you can learn practical day-to-day English with that.
And of course, don't forget social media.
You can follow English-speaking accounts that match your interests.
Do you love cooking? Follow actual real-life chefs.
Fashion, follow fashion bloggers. I can't encourage you enough to follow your passion.
It makes this journey so much more enjoyable My husband and I actually just a week ago started watching this Portuguese vlogger who's traveling from Portugal to India through hitchhiking.
He has no money. He's making money on the way by like selling water or selling his drawings.
And it's so entertaining. We don't even feel like we're learning, but we are.
We're learning Portuguese. We're getting a lot of input from a native here in Portugal, and we're enjoying it.
And I think that should be the goal. So if you're looking for even more things to do, Start keeping an English only journal.
I do this with Turkish. I write a few sentences a day, sometimes a page.
You can write your thoughts. You can write about your day, your dreams.
And don't be so worried about the grammar.
Just let your thoughts flow and write. I have a Turkish friend who corrects me, but say you don't have anyone to correct your journal, you can actually send it to chat and be like, correct my English and it'll send you back maybe not a perfect version, but a better version.
You can also join language exchange programs.
I love having phone calls with natives. It's a great way to practice. the language I'm learning, and then to help them learn English.
And my favorite two apps for finding natives are HelloTalk and Tandem.
They both have paid versions, but you can do the free version as well.
They even have small group rooms that you can join to just listen or to practice speaking.
Here is a challenge. Try to stop using those translation apps.
Instead, use Context clues to understand new words just like you did when you were using your own native language.
And if you don't understand a word in English, instead of using translate, try to look it up in an English dictionary and see if you can understand it.
That way, it's just a way for your brain to get more immersed with just English and to start just thinking more in English.
Also, read books in English or articles.
Again, following your interest, what you enjoy, and making sure the level is suited for you.
Because you might be overwhelmed thinking, how can I read a whole book in English?
But if you set out even to read one page a day, you'll be able to read a whole book in six months or a year, depending on how long it is.
I even encourage you to read a page out loud.
Reading out loud is a great way to get yourself familiar with the words.
And even if you don't see in that exact moment your progression when you're speaking, if you've been reading out loud, it will help your speaking.
You can practice filming yourself in English.
This is an amazing way to grow because then you can watch yourself.
And don't worry about your mistakes. Just press record.
Record an introduction. about who you are if english is like more advanced for you if your level is advanced try a vlog about your day record a book summary or a movie summary, and this is a sure way to grow.
This one might be a little harder for some of you, but if you can plan a trip to an English-speaking country, I highly encourage you to do it because being in the country and the culture is always so motivating.
You see everything in English, signs, menus, billboards, products.
You can practice with shopkeepers, in restaurants, at the store. or even out on the street.
And when I travel, I'm always super motivated to really press in and learn more.
And remember, Be kind to yourself. It's easy to beat yourself up, to be frustrated, to be mad at yourself because you don't want to make so many mistakes.
You probably want to be at a higher level than you're at, and that's why you're watching this video.
I really understand. It takes a lot of time.
There's no quick overnight fixes. So be kind to yourself and start small.
Think in simple phrases. I love coffee.
My name is Camille. Just simple things if that's where you're at and then progress and progress and celebrate. your victories.
Did you finally order coffee in English?
That is a win. Did you have a short conversation with a friend?
Celebrate it. Did you finally think in English?
Yay! Be so proud. Be so proud and just remember, be consistent, be consistent, be consistent.
That was a lot. Let's just recap, which means just to highlight again the key points.
Remember, immerse yourself in English, practice speaking out loud, think in images, make English a part of your daily life, read books, watch movies without subtitles, label things, record yourself, and celebrate your progress.
I would love to hear from you. Share your experiences in the comments.
What techniques have worked for you or what challenges are you facing when it comes to English?
Start with just one thing today. Maybe you can change your phone to English today.
Or maybe you can go label some items in your home.
Just take that first step. Don't forget to check out my other videos on my channel, to subscribe to my channel, And check out my resources as well, like my books and my courses.
I've linked some really helpful things for you guys in the description box.
Remember, you've got this. I'm so proud of you and I'm with you.
Thank you so much for watching this video.
I'll see you again next week. Bye.
