Stop Translating in Your Head — Do THIS Instead

0:00 If you still struggle to think 100% in English, then this is for you.

0:06 If you're new here, hi, I'm Gabby,

0:08 your American English fluency coach here at Go Natural English.

0:12 And today we're talking about something

0:15 that can completely change your English fluency.

0:19 Stop translating in your head and do this instead.

0:24 Maybe this happens to you.

0:26 Someone asks you a simple question in English and inside your brain,

0:31 there's a whole emergency meeting happening.

0:33 You hear English, you translate it into your native language,

0:37 and you think of your answer in your native language,

0:41 you translate it back into English, then you check the grammar,

0:45 then maybe you wonder, you doubt yourself, is this natural?

0:50 Is this how people really speak in real life or is this just...

0:53 what I learned in my textbook,

0:56 but by the time you're ready to answer, the conversation has already moved on.

1:01 You lost your chance.

1:03 If that sounds familiar, you are not the problem.

1:08 You're not bad at English.

1:09 You just were taught the wrong way.

1:11 You're using a process that you learned in your classroom

1:16 from your textbook that is too slow for real conversation.

1:21 So today, I'm going to show you how to start thinking more directly in English.

1:26 Not by forcing your brain, not by memorizing more grammar rules,

1:31 but by building an English environment around your real life.

1:36 And I think this is actually really fun because here's the truth.

1:41 You don't start thinking in English by translating faster.

1:46 It's always going to slow you down.

1:48 You start thinking in English by living more of your life through English.

1:54 So here, the obstacle is the way.

1:57 The obstacle, English fluency, is the way.

2:01 Living your life through English is the way to fluency.

2:05 So now I'm gonna share concrete,

2:08 specific examples that you can use to start thinking in English today.

2:14 This is going to improve your fluency so much, and I'm so excited.

2:17 Just before we jump in, I want to let you know about a special project that I've

2:23 started and I want to invite you to join and go deeper in your fluency with me.

2:29 If you enjoy these free lessons and you want daily private English lessons,

2:35 join as a YouTube channel member or a private fluency podcast member,

2:41 whichever you prefer.

2:42 Some people prefer watching on YouTube.

2:45 Some people prefer listening to the podcast.

2:47 The link is in the description.

2:50 You'll get short, about 15 to 20 minute daily private

2:54 English lessons designed to help you immerse yourself in real English.

2:59 They're conversational lessons with real learning and everyone,

3:03 we do talk about vocabulary to expand

3:07 the way you express yourself and real life English.

3:12 This will help you to start thinking in English more naturally.

3:16 And there's no big commitment.

3:17 You can just try it for a month and see for yourself.

3:21 Also, we've kept this super affordable because we want to help as many

3:26 people as possible around the world to improve their fluency and confidence.

3:31 So this is honestly one of the best

3:33 ways to make English part of your everyday life.

3:36 It's easy.

3:37 It's simple.

3:38 All you have to do is watch along with the videos

3:41 that I make for you and repeat after me.

3:44 Just copy and repeat me.

3:46 Repeat after me.

3:47 Even if you're busy, you can do this.

3:50 Okay.

3:50 So now let's talk about why translation keeps you stuck.

3:55 This is important to understand the problem.

3:58 Most people learning English were trained

4:01 to treat English like a school subject.

4:04 You study vocabulary, you memorize grammar rules, you translate sentences,

4:08 you fill in the blanks, you answer textbook questions.

4:13 Can you relate to any of this?

4:14 Did you have to do this?

4:17 All of that can help you build a solid foundation,

4:21 but real English conversations do not sound like a textbook.

4:25 And when you go from the classroom and your textbook to real life English,

4:30 you can feel overwhelmed, stressed out, and honestly feel kind of bad

4:35 about your English because there is a big gap.

4:38 But again, it's not your fault.

4:41 See, native speakers do not usually speak like your teacher.

4:45 And that's why I'm here to help you understand how to bridge

4:49 that gap between your old English class and real life English now.

4:54 So your teacher might say, for example, what are you doing?

4:59 But in real life, especially in casual American English,

5:02 people often say, what are you doing?

5:04 Or what are you up to?

5:07 Or even what you doing?

5:09 These are all ways to ask the same

5:11 thing that you might not have heard or learned,

5:15 but this is important to start getting familiar with how natives really speak.

5:19 If your brain is waiting to hear that perfect, clear textbook English,

5:24 you may not recognize real life English when you hear it.

5:28 That's one reason you feel like I know English,

5:32 but I still can't understand people.

5:35 You may know the clean version of English.

5:38 The real life gives you the connected version.

5:43 So let's compare.

5:45 Textbook English.

5:47 What are you going to do?

5:50 Real spoken English.

5:51 What are you going to do?

5:53 Textbook English.

5:55 I do not know.

5:57 Real spoken English.

5:59 I don't know.

5:59 Textbook English.

6:01 Did you eat yet?

6:04 Real spoken English.

6:06 Geet yet?

6:07 That one sounds funny, but yes, some people really do say it that way.

6:11 Textbook English.

6:13 Do you want to?

6:16 Real spoken English.

6:18 You wanna?

6:19 Textbook English.

6:20 I am going to.

6:22 Real spoken English.

6:24 I'm gonna.

6:25 Now I'm not saying you always need to speak this casually,

6:28 but you absolutely need to understand it.

6:31 Because if you only study perfect textbook English,

6:34 Real English will sound blurry, messy, confusing, and too fast.

6:39 But it's not random.

6:41 It has patterns.

6:42 Native speakers connect words.

6:44 We reduce sounds.

6:46 We drop sounds altogether.

6:48 We blend words together.

6:50 So part of thinking in English is training

6:52 your brain to recognize English as it is actually spoken,

6:56 as you hear it, not just as it is written and as you know how to read it.

7:02 So here's the big mindset shift for today.

7:06 Fluency is not translation.

7:09 Fluency is direct connection.

7:12 You want to connect an English word with the real meaning,

7:17 an English phrase with the feeling, an English sound with the situation,

7:22 an English expression with real life use, not English to your native language

7:28 to the meaning to your native language to English.

7:32 So that middle step is what slows you down.

7:36 So instead of asking,

7:37 how do I translate this or how do I say this in my native language?

7:41 Ask, when would I use this in English?

7:45 For example, don't just translate, I'm running late.

7:49 That could mean something very different

7:52 if we translate this directly, literally.

7:55 Connected to the situation, you're leaving the house, you're stuck in traffic.

8:02 You're texting someone, you're five minutes behind schedule,

8:05 that's when you say, I'm running late.

8:09 Now the phrase is not just a translation, it's connected to your real life.

8:14 That's how you start thinking in English,

8:17 connecting real life phrases with real life situations.

8:21 So now maybe you've heard people say, just immerse yourself in English,

8:25 and maybe you think, okay, Gabby, but I don't live in the United States.

8:30 I don't have English speaking friends.

8:32 I don't work in English all day.

8:34 It's okay.

8:35 I get it.

8:36 Immersion does not have to mean moving to another country.

8:39 Immersion means creating more English contact points throughout your day.

8:44 And I think this can be fun.

8:46 I want you to remember this phrase, start slow and grow.

8:51 You don't need to change your whole life overnight.

8:54 Start with small, repeatable habits.

8:57 Five minutes of journaling.

8:59 listening to a song in English, one Netflix scene with English subtitles,

9:06 one voice note to yourself, one short conversation,

9:10 one private podcast lesson a day.

9:13 The goal is not to study English for three hours once a week.

9:17 The goal is to touch English every day

9:21 in ways that feel meaningful, meaningful to you.

9:24 Now, let me teach you five useful phrases for this topic

9:28 because even as we talk about learning to think in English,

9:33 we can improve your vocabulary.

9:35 So number one, of course, think in English.

9:38 This means you connect ideas directly in English without translating every word.

9:44 For example, and please repeat after me.

9:47 I'm trying to think in English instead of translating everything.

9:51 Next, real life English.

9:54 This means English as people actually use it in normal conversations.

9:58 For example, I want to understand real life English, not just textbook English.

10:03 Next, word for word translation.

10:07 This means translating each individual word

10:10 instead of understanding the whole idea.

10:13 For example, word for word translation makes me speak too slowly.

10:18 Next, daily immersion.

10:20 This means surrounding yourself with English a little bit every day.

10:25 For example, daily immersion helps my brain get used to English.

10:30 Next, natural expression.

10:32 This is a phrase that sounds normal to native speakers.

10:36 For example, instead of translating from my language,

10:40 I want to learn natural expressions.

10:43 Now, repeat after me.

10:45 I want to think in English.

10:47 I want to understand real life English.

10:50 Moving away from word for word translation.

10:54 Daily immersion helps me improve.

10:56 I'm learning natural expressions.

10:59 Beautiful.

11:00 Great job.

11:01 Now let's learn five phrasal verbs that connect beautifully to this topic.

11:08 First, to pick up.

11:10 Now this has many meanings,

11:13 but today we're talking about the meaning to learn something naturally.

11:18 often without formal study.

11:21 For example, you can pick up natural English by listening every day.

11:26 This is what children do.

11:28 They pick up language from hearing it again and again.

11:32 Next, get used to, to become comfortable with something over time.

11:38 For example, at first fast English sounds difficult, but you'll get used to it.

11:44 This is huge.

11:45 You don't need to understand everything in English immediately.

11:49 You need repeated exposure.

11:51 Next, tune in means to listen or pay attention, especially to audio or video.

11:59 For example, tune into English podcasts while you're cooking or walking.

12:04 Next, speak up to say something more clearly, confidently or publicly.

12:11 For example, Creating a private podcast can help you speak up in English.

12:18 To keep up with means to follow or understand something that's moving quickly.

12:25 For example, at first it's hard to keep

12:28 up with native speakers, but it gets easier.

12:30 Now repeat after me.

12:32 I can pick up English naturally.

12:35 I'm getting used to fast English.

12:38 I tune in every day.

12:40 I'm learning to speak up.

12:42 I can keep up with real conversations.

12:46 Excellent.

12:47 I love this for you.

12:49 Now, here's one of the most important points in this whole episode.

12:53 Do not just study English.

12:55 Do things through English.

12:58 There's a big, big difference.

13:00 Studying English is when English is the subject.

13:04 You're solely focused on English.

13:07 Doing life through English is when English becomes the tool.

13:12 For example, instead of only writing practice sentences in a notebook,

13:16 write a real letter in English.

13:18 You could write to a politician about an issue you care about.

13:22 You could write to an organization you support.

13:25 You could write letters to seniors in assisted

13:28 living who may not have family visiting them.

13:31 You could write encouraging notes to people who are lonely.

13:35 You could write to inmates through a legitimate,

13:38 safe letter writing program if that's something meaningful to you.

13:42 I'm just sharing these examples as ways that you

13:46 can use English in real life as a tool and it will help you develop your fluency

13:52 and give you meaning and motivation while you do it.

13:56 Now, English is not just an exercise.

13:58 English is helping you express your values.

14:01 That is powerful because your brain

14:05 remembers language better when there's emotion,

14:08 purpose, and real meaning attached to it.

14:12 Now let's talk about speaking.

14:14 A lot of learners say, I don't have anyone to practice with.

14:18 And I understand that is a real challenge,

14:21 but I also want to gently challenge you.

14:25 You can create reasons to speak.

14:27 You could start a YouTube channel in English.

14:31 It doesn't have to be public at first.

14:32 You can make all the videos private.

14:35 You could start a podcast in English and not publish it until you're ready.

14:40 You could record voice notes to yourself.

14:44 You could explain your day in English.

14:47 You could review a book, a movie,

14:49 a recipe, a news story, or personal experience.

14:53 The point is, at this level, give yourself a reason to keep speaking.

14:58 Don't wait for an assignment from your teacher.

15:01 In fact, I want to empower you through these lessons

15:04 to give you ideas to use English in the real world.

15:08 even if you don't feel quite ready yet.

15:11 This might be the push or the sign that you've been waiting for.

15:15 If you're only waiting for the perfect conversation partner,

15:19 you may wait forever.

15:22 But if you start speaking privately or publicly,

15:25 you train your mouth, your brain and your confidence.

15:29 And later when a real conversation happens, your English is already warmed up.

15:34 So let's build what I call your immersion ladder.

15:39 You don't need to jump from textbook

15:42 exercises to full speed native conversations overnight.

15:44 That's too much pressure.

15:46 Instead, climb the ladder step by step.

15:49 Step one, journaling.

15:51 Write three sentences a day in English,

15:54 in a notebook, on your phone, in a word doc.

15:58 For example, today I feel a little tired,

16:02 but I'm proud of myself because I practiced English.

16:06 Step two, music.

16:08 Listen to songs that you like in English.

16:11 Look up the lyrics.

16:12 Sing along.

16:14 I did this a lot when I was learning Spanish.

16:16 It was a huge help.

16:18 Music helps with rhythm, pronunciation, connected speech, and emotional memory.

16:25 Step three, Netflix or YouTube.

16:28 Watch short clips in English.

16:30 Don't try to understand the whole movie perfectly, but watch one scene.

16:35 Repeat one line.

16:37 Notice how people really speak.

16:40 And step four, private speaking practice.

16:43 Record yourself answering simple questions.

16:46 For example, what did I do today?

16:49 What am I looking forward to?

16:51 What is one thing I care about?

16:53 And step five, real conversations.

16:57 Talk with people online, in a class,

17:00 in a community, while traveling or in your workplace.

17:04 Step six, travel or routine change.

17:07 If possible, take a trip where you can practice

17:10 English outside your normal routine in your native language.

17:13 It doesn't have to be a huge, expensive trip.

17:16 Even a short trip, a conference, a retreat, a meetup,

17:22 or a local intentional event that you're interested in can help.

17:28 Or if you're traveling internationally, go to a local event there.

17:32 The key is to put yourself in a situation

17:36 where English becomes useful, not just academic.

17:40 It's not just about the grades.

17:42 It's about how you and use English in real life.

17:46 So this is exactly why I created Private Daily Lessons.

17:51 If you want help making English part of your daily life,

17:55 join as a YouTube channel member or a Private Fluency Podcast member.

17:59 The link is in the description.

18:01 You'll get daily private English lessons about 15 minutes

18:05 a day so you can immerse yourself in real English consistently.

18:10 This is for you if you want to think in English,

18:14 understand natural American English,

18:15 and build fluency without needing to sit down with a textbook for hours.

18:20 No commitment.

18:21 Try it for a month and see for yourself.

18:24 Okay, now let's talk about what this sounds like in real life.

18:28 Let's compare the translating version and the natural version.

18:32 So imagine someone asks, what are you up to this weekend?

18:36 A translating answer might sound like,

18:38 I will make the cleaning of my house and maybe I will see a movie.

18:43 It's understandable, but it sounds translated.

18:46 Very strange.

18:48 A more natural answer,

18:49 I'm probably going to clean up around the house and maybe watch a movie.

18:54 Notice, clean up around the house.

18:57 Probably going to.

18:58 Watch a movie.

19:00 Very normal, very natural.

19:03 Another example.

19:04 What are you doing later?

19:06 Textbook brain hears, what are you doing later?

19:11 Natural answer.

19:13 Not much.

19:14 I might grab a dinner with a friend or I'm just

19:18 taking it easy tonight or I'm catching up on some work.

19:21 Now let's practice those.

19:23 Not much.

19:24 I might grab dinner with a friend.

19:26 I'm just taking it easy tonight.

19:28 I'm catching up on some work.

19:30 These are the kind of phrases you want to absorb as whole chunks.

19:35 Don't translate every word.

19:37 Let the whole phrase speak for you.

19:41 Learn the whole phrase connected to the situation.

19:45 Now here's a big fluency tip.

19:48 Think in chunks, not individual words.

19:51 A chunk is a group of words that native speakers commonly use together.

19:55 For example, I'm running late.

19:58 I'll get back to you.

19:59 That makes sense.

20:00 I'm looking forward to it.

20:02 Let me think about it.

20:03 I'm not sure yet.

20:04 I'm trying to figure it out.

20:06 I didn't catch that.

20:08 What are you up to?

20:09 I'm taking it easy.

20:10 When you learn chunks, you don't have to build every sentence from zero.

20:15 You can pull a phrase from memory and use it.

20:18 That's how real fluency feels.

20:21 It's not perfect grammar construction every time.

20:24 from scratch, from zero, it's having useful language ready when you need it.

20:29 So instead of studying one word at a time, like late, learn I'm running late.

20:36 Instead of studying the word understand, learn that makes sense.

20:41 Instead of studying one word like busy, learn I've got a lot going on.

20:47 That is real English.

20:49 So let me tell you a quick personal story.

20:52 When I was learning Portuguese, I remember feeling frustrated because I

20:56 could understand my teachers pretty well.

20:58 They spoke clearly, they used organized sentences, they slowed down for me,

21:02 and I thought, okay, I'm getting good at this.

21:05 Then I went outside into real life and suddenly I felt like I knew nothing.

21:11 People were speaking fast, they were using slang,

21:14 they were cutting words, they were laughing, they were talking.

21:19 over each other and I remember thinking wait, did I study the wrong language?

21:24 But I didn't study the wrong language.

21:26 I'd studied the classroom version and now I needed the real life version.

21:32 So I started listening more.

21:34 I paid attention to repeated phrases.

21:37 I copied what people actually said.

21:40 I stopped trying to translate every single

21:43 word and slowly things started to click.

21:47 Not all at once, but little by little.

21:49 And that is what I want for you.

21:52 So don't be discouraged if real English feels fast.

21:55 It's not a sign that you're failing.

21:57 It's a sign that you're ready for the next level.

22:00 Now let's practice.

22:02 Repeat after me.

22:04 I don't need to translate every word.

22:07 I can connect English directly to meaning.

22:10 I'm learning real life English.

22:13 I'm getting used to fast English.

22:16 I can pick up natural phrases by listening every day.

22:20 I'm going to start slow and grow.

22:23 I can make English part of my daily life.

22:26 I don't just study English.

22:27 I do life through English.

22:30 I can write, speak, listen, and think in English every day.

22:34 My fluency is growing one day at a time.

22:38 Beautiful.

22:39 Now let's make this practical.

22:42 Here's your challenge for the next seven days.

22:45 Every day, do one small thing through English.

22:49 Write three sentences in English about your day.

22:52 Listen to one song in English and read the lyrics.

22:55 Watch one short YouTube video or a Netflix scene in English.

23:01 Record a one minute voice note in English.

23:05 Write a letter, comment, email,

23:07 or message in English about something you care about.

23:12 Repeat five natural phrases out loud.

23:15 Have one real conversation, even if it's short.

23:19 So do one of these things each day.

23:22 Those were seven activities.

23:24 You can do one each day for the next seven days.

23:28 And remember, you're not trying to be perfect.

23:30 You're training your brain to connect English with your real life.

23:33 That's how you stop translating.

23:36 So let's review what we learned today.

23:38 You can expect native speakers to sound like real life English,

23:44 not like your teacher or your textbook.

23:46 In real life, people don't always say, what are you doing?

23:50 They say, what are you doing?

23:52 So if you want to understand real English, you need real English input.

23:57 To think in English, you must immerse yourself in English,

24:00 but start slow and grow.

24:02 Use journaling, music, Netflix, YouTube, podcasts,

24:05 voice notes, real conversations, and travel when possible.

24:10 Don't just study English, make English a part of your daily life.

24:14 Write through English, speak through English,

24:17 listen through English, think through English,

24:20 create through English, and most importantly,

24:24 learn chunks, not just individual words.

24:27 This is how your English becomes faster, smoother, and more natural.

24:32 I want to leave you with this thought.

24:34 You do not become fluent by translating perfectly.

24:38 You become fluent by living imperfectly through English every day.

24:43 So take the pressure off.

24:45 You don't have to understand every word.

24:47 You don't have to speak perfectly.

24:49 You don't have to sound like a native speaker tomorrow,

24:52 but you can take one small step today.

24:55 One sentence, one song, one voice note, one conversation,

25:00 one private lesson, one real life moment in English.

25:05 This is how fluency grows.

25:08 If you want daily support with this join as a YouTube channel member

25:13 or a private fluency podcast member The link is in the description You'll

25:18 get daily private English lessons about 15 minutes a day to help you

25:23 immerse yourself in English Understand natural

25:25 American English and start thinking in English.

25:28 There's no commitment.

25:29 Try it for a month and see for yourself I'm Gabby from go

25:34 natural English And thank you so much for watching and learning with me today.

25:38 So in the next episode, we'll keep building your real life fluency.

25:42 So make sure you subscribe and turn on notifications.

25:46 And remember, don't just study English, live through English.