Introduction
What if you could start thinking in English and gain fluency? Did you ever try thinking in English without translating in your head? I’m sure, you did. As it is suggested by most of the language experts, but it is easier said than done.
Thinking in English is crucial for gaining fluency. As long as you keep translating, you struggle to find the corresponding word in English as you think the thoughts in your native language. As a result, there is a time lag between thinking and speaking. Also, many times, it is difficult to find a corresponding word in English. Therefore, in order to speak naturally and effortlessly, thinking in English is a must.
This blog post is an attempt to help you internalize the practical techniques, with which, thinking in English would be quite easy for you. Also, it would discuss the challenges you might face on the way, the importance of thinking in English and some practical exercises to get you started on this journey to fluency.
Why Thinking in English Is Essential for Fluency?
- Quicker Responses: Once you start thinking in English, you become spontaneous as there is no time lag, that was there, when you used to translate form your native language into English. Also, you become more confident in articulating your thoughts.
- Natural Conversations: Your conversation becomes more natural as you think in English. You can use vocabulary in the right context to make your speech more powerful.
- Reduced Translation Errors: As it is obvious that it is almost impossible to find the exact corresponding word in English as you think in your native language, many often make mistakes which, eventually, leads to confusion.
- Connection Between Thinking and Speaking: One can achieve more confidence as one starts thinking in English because the thoughts get better connected with speech. As a result, the confidence goes up and your body language aids your speaking, making your speech more expressive.
Techniques for Internalizing English
Start Small: Label Your Environment in English:
- Thinking in English becomes easy when you start labelling objects to have ease in thinking about them. For example, label “door,” “mirror,” “refrigerator,” etc.
- This helps internalize vocabulary by associating English words directly with objects, and you don’t need to take help of translation.
Daily Narration:
- In my case, describing in mind, my daily routine, helped me a lot starting thinking in English. Gradually, thinking became a natural process for me. For example, “I’m making breakfast,” “I need to buy groceries.”
- You can start by narrating simple actions, and gradually move to more complex thoughts.
Visual Thinking in English:
- It can be helpful to visualize objects and situations and describe them in English. For example, if you see a dog, mentally describe it: “The dog is wagging its tail.”
- This activity aims at connecting thoughts with English words. Visualizing makes thinking in English easier.
Set Your Devices to English:
- Use English as much as possible while using devices like smartphones, tablet, laptop etc. This will help you think more and more in English daily.
- Example: Reading notifications in English helps you grasp vocabulary related to technology and everyday tasks.
Think in English Before Speaking:
- Whenever any thought appears in your mind, try thinking in English, before jumping to your native language. Start with short, simple sentences.
- For example, instead of thinking, “मैं पानी पीना चाहता हूं” (I want to drink water), think directly in English: “I want to drink water.”
Use English in Mental Notes:
When you are mentally making to-do lists or making plans in English, train your brain to do it in English. For example, “I need to call my friend,” “I have a meeting at 3 PM.”
How to Practice Thinking in English: Step-by-Step Techniques
Start with Single Words:
Initially, you may face problems thinking full sentences in English. Therefore, think of English words for everyday objects and feelings. For example, when you feel happy, think “happy,” instead of finding a corresponding word in your native language.
Move to Simple Sentences:
Gradually, try making full sentences to describe activities or events. For example, “The sun is shining today,” or “I am hungry.”
Ask Yourself Questions in English:
I used to find it useful to converse with myself by asking simple questions in English. For example, “What will I eat for dinner?” and answer them in English. This way you create opportunities to use English more and more, in terms of thoughts.
Use English in Your Inner Dialogue:
Everyone keeps talking to himself in mind, no matter what he does. Consciously, do it in English.
Example: While driving or commuting, think in English, “I’ll take a left here,” “I hope I will be able to reach on time.”
Dream in English:
Dreaming in English is a sign that your brain is getting trained to think in English. Talk to yourself in English before hitting the bed. Alternatively, you can also do reading or listening to English content to stimulate dreams in English language.
Transition to Abstract Thoughts:
- Once you get habitual to thinking in basic English move to abstract thinking. For example, try thinking about your opinions, beliefs, or feelings.
- Example: Instead of thinking “मैं यह क्यों कर रहा हूँ?” (Why am I doing this?), try thinking directly in English: “Why am I doing this?”
Overcoming Challenges When Thinking in English
Dealing with Lack of Vocabulary:
You must understand that it is normal to have limited vocabulary, in the beginning. That’s how everyone starts. That’s how I started. You must use simple words or similar meaning words, in case, you get stuck. For example, if you don’t know “delighted,” use “very happy.”
Overcoming Mental Fatigue:
You may feel hesitation or tiredness thinking in English, but practice doing it for a few minutes every day. Slowly, your mind will stop resisting and thinking in English would become natural. Then, you can increase the practice time. Consistency is more important than duration, in this case.
Breaking the Habit of Translation:
Most of non-native speakers have the habit of translating from their native language into English which is the biggest barrier in gaining fluency. Make sure, you never translate once you develop the habit of thinking in English. To achieve this, learn some common English phrases and expressions to break this habit.
Example: Instead of thinking “How do I say [X] in English?”, focus on learning direct phrases such as “Let’s get started” instead of translating the equivalent from your native language.
Using Context for Unknown Words:
If you come across any unknown word, try to guess the meaning of that word by the context, in which, it is being used. With practice, you will be able to do it easily. For example, if you encounter an unfamiliar word in a sentence, try to guess its meaning based on the other words coming before and after it.
Benefits of Thinking in English for Fluency
Faster Speaking Without Hesitation:
Thinking in English makes you spontaneous and confident. Once you stop the translation the gap between thinking and speaking automatically reduces, giving your speech a natural flow. Example: Instead of pausing to think, “What’s the English word for…,” you speak without much thinking or hesitation.
Improved Listening Skills:
Thinking in English improves listening skills, as it aids in processing the language in your brain much more quickly. You find it easy to understand speech of native speakers as you don’t need to translate each word, to get to the meaning.
Enhanced Confidence in Conversations:
You yourself can feel the confidence in your speech once you develop the habit of thinking in English. Also, the long pauses that you used to take, or the frequent mistakes you were making, would also reduce significantly.
Example: When someone asks, “How’s your day going?” you’ll respond swiftly because you’ve already been thinking in English.
More Authentic Expression:
Thinking in English gives you the freedom to express your thoughts as they emerge, in your mind. Also, you can use different aspects of English- idioms, phrasal verbs, and expressions more naturally like native speakers.
Example: Instead of translating an expression from your native language, you’ll automatically think of the English equivalent, such as “It’s a piece of cake” instead of a literal translation.
Practical Exercises to Start Thinking in English
Stream-of-Consciousness Writing:
In the beginning, take up random but easy topics and start writing your thoughts on them. Do not worry much about grammar, vocabulary or structure. The goal is to write your thoughts in English as quickly as possible.
Use English Media for Inspiration:
Watch more and more content in English by watching English movies and TV shows. You can, even, listen to English podcasts and try to think about the scenes, characters, story and dialogue in English.
Mental Conversations:
Imagine talking to your friends on different topics. This imaginary conversation helps a lot in honing the ability to think in English. I used to do that a lot as I had no speaking partner. Practice this exercise whenever you can spare a few minutes for your English practice.
Role play Scenarios:
Imagine yourself in different daily situations (e.g., ordering food at a restaurant) and mentally conduct the conversation in English.
Conclusion
Thinking in English can give you the freedom to be yourself and have enough confidence to express your thought, in any situation. For this, stopping the translation process and finding opportunities to train your brain to express ideas in English, is crucial.
Thinking in English is a skill which can be developed, with regular practice. Even a few minutes every day, for this practice, can do wonders. The more you practice thinking in English, the more natural it will become.
Taking small steps, on a daily basis, will make you stay on course. Take every opportunity to appreciate yourself when you notice that the gap between thinking and speaking is reducing. The day is not far, when you will be able to speak English fluently and effortlessly.
Share your thoughts:
Share your experiences or tips on how you practice thinking in English, in the comments section, to help others, on this journey. Also, if you have any query or concern, feel free to write in the comments.
