this post was submitted on 16 Oct 2025
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LanguageLearning
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For language, I have lots of success through the use of structured frameworks, namely conjugation tables, sentence structure, and vocabulary. With those three things you can create a lookup table in your mind and start using the language until it becomes more automatic. If you’re using online tools (Duolingo-types) it’s easy to fall into the gamified app trap and never actually speak. One must vocalize the things one is learning in order for the language to also be processed along the vocal path. This can be done in nearly any way as long as the words are being said out loud, in a normal speaking voice. Do this in those gamified apps by speaking out loud in the target language (always the target language!) prior to writing or submitting the answer.
Finally, there is no replacement for speaking with a native speaker. You’ll get genuine responses, cultural context, and compliments. People love hearing other speaking their native tongue.
Really good points. I do something like this. I have 2 or 3 sentences in my mind that I use as the blueprints to make more. And for the non-regular conjugations, I have a spreadsheet.
And yeah, speaking out-loud is non-negotiable. Something I like to do, is speak the translation while reading the English word, and speak the English word while reading the translation.
Luckily for me, I have several short conversations in German every time I go to the grocery store, or want to buy a Döner.
Might I make one change, only ever speak in the target language. Visualize the thing, but avoid programming yourself to consider it in a non-target language.
I’ve done a few languages (~~three~~ four, I forgot to count French) to varying amounts of fluency (one of which I consider myself actually fluent), and only ever speaking the target language helps immensely.
Really? I was trying to say both with every word to help with association, something along the lines of "I want to say the word Cat, but can't remember the name for it." I figured constantly saying Cat and Die Katze together would help associate the two together.
You’ve got the right idea, just need to change the implementation. Visualize the cat when you say die katze or a cup of water when you say wasser because that’s what we do naturally in our native language, and if you want to speak fluidly, the translation needs to go from thought to words, not thought > English > German. I mean, you can do it that way, but then you’ll have to work on cutting it out later.
That's a really good point. I'll give it a shot, thanks!
du schaffst das!