Learning a foreign language is no easy feat. As the reasonable person you are, you probably wouldn’t expect to start speaking the new language you’re studying anytime soon. After all, as of now, you can’t understand what people are saying nor can you form sentences in the language. You're only just learning your first words.
It would be crazy to assume that you could start speaking the language from day one, right? Well, actually… In a way, you could. And in fact, you should. ☝️
Start now
I’m not claiming that you would start conversing freely in the foreign language right from the start. However, starting to speak the language using the words and phrases you already know is a highly attainable goal. And there's no better time to start than now. Put what you’ve learned into practice right away.
Do not wait until you're “better” at the language. There will always be a new “better.” And by the time you feel you know enough to start practicing speaking, you will have wasted several months or even years learning the language without ever learning to speak.
The only way to learn to speak a language is by speaking it. So, if your goal is to speak a foreign language, you should start practicing speaking as early as possible, which is right now.
The only way how to learn to speak a language is by speaking it.
Forget your fear
Speaking a new language might be intimidating, but it's always easier to start when you're a beginner than later when you're more critical about your own mistakes—and trust me, you'll make plenty of them along the way. However, making mistakes is not a bad thing. (On the contrary, it will help you learn the language faster.
If you speak right from the start, your language skills will develop more quickly. You will manage to talk with the vocabulary you know. You'll get used to the feeling of speaking in a foreign language and avoid freezing mid-sentence.
Go sentence by sentence
If you have just picked up learning a language, it might be difficult to know where to start: Which sentences should you choose to learn first? When and where should you use them? Start with the sentences that are common and useful in daily life.
For beginners, I would recommend simple but universal sentences that can be used in all kinds of situations. The following are some that you could start using right away.👇
Hi!
Bye!
Yes.
No.
I don't know.
I am here.
Where is it?
It's here.
Just a moment.
Let's go.
Get started with these phrases. Continue learning and incorporating new sentences into your daily life, as well. You’ll find plenty of these useful, everyday sentences on Speakly, so you can pick from there. 😉
You could also ask a friend or use Google Translate to help you come up with new sentences. However, when it comes to Google Translate, make sure the provided translation is accurate.
Hone your pronunciation
This is another reason to start speaking right away. If you start practicing speaking skills from day one, you’ll invest more time in drilling correct pronunciations.
You’ll train your mouth and tongue to form the correct shapes needed for foreign sounds. You’ll become accustomed to the specific rhythm and melody of the language. You’ll also train your ears to recognize these sounds.👂
When learning with Speakly, listen to the pronunciation of the sentence, repeat it several times, and start using the sentence as often as you can. You can do the same with the sentences you have translated with the help of Google Translate.
So, try to speak the language whenever you can to get as comfortable with it as possible.
Practice by yourself
If you are living abroad or otherwise in a setting where you will have plenty of opportunities to use the language, it will be easy to start incorporating the language into your daily life. But how do you practice if you have no one with whom to do so? You could find a language-learning partner, convince your friends to learn with you, or you could talk to yourself.
Talking to yourself might sound a bit weird at first but once you get used to it, you'll see that it's a great tool. In different situations, say the sentences to yourself out loud or repeat them in your head.
This way, you will build a habit of using the language and once you have an opportunity to talk to another person, you will have already gotten accustomed to using the language.
Bonus tip: Save the sentence
If there’s a sentence you would use often but you just can’t remember, save it as the wallpaper on your phone. 📲
Every time you check your phone, you’ll see the sentence, and this will help you remember it faster.
And in case you want to use the sentence, just take out your phone and read it from there. Reading the sentence will help you get started. Over time, you’ll get comfortable with saying it.
Start speaking now!
Don't wait for the perfect moment—there is no perfect moment. Start practicing now. Pick out a few sentences you already know and start using them in your everyday life. Use those sentences as often as you can. 🙏
Once you get used to these, add more to your sentence list. Also, try creating new sentences with the vocabulary you know. The more you practice, the easier it gets! 😉
