How to think in a foreign language

Training yourself to think in a foreign language is an exercise in mind discipline – much like meditation. Depending on your level, right now you might first think of what you want to say in your native language, and then translate it into your target (foreign language). By thinking in a foreign language first, you won’t have to translate—which will help you become more fluent in your target language. 
It can be quite challenging at first, but if you follow these tips you’ll notice huge improvements in your foreign language acquisition in no time at all:


1: Play target language music over and over: It’s an excellent way to condition yourmind to start thinking in another language.


2: Think in single words: When: When your mind is clear and you’re not busy, one to two times a day. Start by thinking in single words. You might not be able to make important decisions in your target language yet, but you can notice your surroundings in this language by thinking the names of objects that you see, or actions that you do.

a) Use your phone. Change your phone’s lock screen to say “Think in your target language!” This way every time you look at your phone, you get a reminder.

 b) Turn it into a game. Give yourself points every time you remember to think in your target language for five minutes. Once you reach a certain number of points, you can give yourself a reward!

c) Leave notes around the house. For example, leave a note on your bathroom mirror with words that you would use in a bathroom. This reminds you to do your daily target language thinking, and gives you a group of vocabulary words you can use The more you grow your skills, the more you can add to your thoughts, and soon you’ll be thinking in full sentences.



3: Spend time describing things you see around the house to yourself in your target language and every time you start to think in your native language, block it out by talking over the top of yourself in your target language. Starting out, forget about verbs and concentrate on describing things. If you’re at Elementary Level, you probably know basic nouns (house, dog, man, bread, etc.) and basic adjectives (big, small, long, short, etc.) If you have limited vocabulary this will get boring quickly but it will motivate you to acquire new words to use. You’ll learn vocabulary faster this way as new words become associated with actual objects that you see, rather than dictionary definitions.



4: Make up conversations. When: When you’re alone and not busy, once a day. How: Of course, when you speak to other people you don’t just tell them about your day. Conversations come in many different topics, so you’ll want to practice conversations as well. And to practice, all you have to do is make some up! Choose a topic and pretend you’re speaking to someone about it. If you’re getting ready for an interview, you can pretend to be at the interview. If you’re just trying to learn a new list of vocabulary words, you can ask yourself questions about the words.
For example, if you’re planning to go to a restaurant soon you can practice a conversation with the waiter. Think of both the waiter’s parts and yours. Your conversation might look something like this:

Waiter: “Hello, and welcome to our restaurant. Do you know what you’ll be ordering?”

You: “I’m not sure yet. What do you recommend?”

Waiter: “If you like seafood, our fish of the day is fantastic.”

You: “Great, I’ll have that, then.”

You can try the conversation in different ways, and seeing how differently it turns out each time.
Since you’re practicing in your head, you can focus better on the topic—instead of being distracted by pronunciation or fear of speaking to an actual person. You can also practice anywhere.

Practice out loud and with a partner after you’ve done some pretend conversations in your head, once you’re more comfortable with the topics and the details. This way you can be confident in what you’re going to say—and how you’re going to say it.


5. Build your vocabulary: When: Every time you think in English. How: As soon as you can, write down the “definition” in your target language or the word in your native language. Carry around a little book or use a note app on your phone. Every time you can’t think of a word (or don’t know a word) in your target language, write it down. At the end of the day, look up these words in your target language and write them down. This will help you fill in the gaps in your vocabulary.


6. if your target language is English, use an English to English dictionary: When: Every time you look up a word. How: When you feel more comfortable thinking in English, make sure to do this in your daily life whenever possible. This includes looking up words in an English to English dictionary (with definitions in English). The less you translate, the easier it will become to just think and speak in English.


7. Use It or Lose It: There’s an expression in English: “Use it or lose it,” which basically means if you don’t practice an ability, you might forget it. This idea can be used to help you remember new target language vocabulary. The best way to remember a new word is to use it right away so it will stay in your memory. When you learn a new word, try to say it in sentences a few times over the next week and you’ll never forget it.


8. Learn and Study Phrases: Speaking your target language fluently means being able to express your thoughts, feelings and ideas. Your goal is to speak your target language in full sentences, so why not learn it in full sentences? You’ll find that your target language is more useful in your everyday life if you study whole phrases, rather than just vocabulary and verbs. Start by thinking about phrases that you use frequently in your native language, and then learn how to say them in your target language.


9. Don’t Study Grammar Too Much: The key to learning a language is finding a balance between studying and practicing. Speaking a foreign language fluently isn’t the same as knowing perfect its grammar – even native speakers make grammar mistakes! Fluency is about being able to communicate. That’s why sometimes it’s important to put the grammar textbook away, so you can go out and practice those writing, reading, listening and speaking skills in the real world.


10. Don’t Be Afraid to Make Mistakes: Sometimes it can be difficult to put all those rules and words together into a simple sentence. Don’t let the fear of saying something wrong stop you from speaking at all. Even if you think you’re making a mistake, keep speaking anyway. Most of the time, people will understand what you’re trying to say, even if you make a mistake. Plus, the more you speak, the easier it gets, and the more quickly the right words will come to mind .