Episode 27 - Learn English like a native speaker.

 Effortless English Podcasts

Effortless English Chat

Learn English like a native speaker. 

Alex: Hey everyone, I’m Alex.

Luna: And I’m Luna.

Alex: Welcome to Effortless English Podcasts!

Luna: Today, we’re talking about how native speakers think you should learn English.

Alex: Right.

Alex: Many English learners ask, "What’s the best way to improve?"

Luna: And guess what?

Luna: Native speakers have a lot to say about this.

Alex: They do.

Alex: But sometimes, their advice is not what learners expect.

Luna: Yeah!

Luna: Some tips sound strange but work really well.

Alex: So today, we’ll share useful advice straight from native speakers.

Luna: Plus, we’ll talk about what NOT to do when learning English.

Alex: And we’ll share our own struggles with learning English too.

Luna: Wait… struggles?

Luna: Alex, isn’t English your first language?

Alex: I mean learning advanced English, like business or technical terms.

Luna: Ah, got it.

Luna: Well, my struggles were very real.

Alex: I’m sure they were.

Luna: So real that I almost gave up… many times.

Alex: That sounds dramatic.

Luna: It was!

Luna: But I survived, and I have stories to tell.

Alex: Can’t wait to hear them.

Luna: But before we start, a quick reminder.

Alex: We have a full transcript for this episode.

Luna: You can find the link in the video description.

Alex: Also, our channel provides subtitles in multiple languages.

Luna: Just turn on CC if you need them.

Alex: Alright, let’s jump into today’s topic!

Alex: Alright, let’s get into the first thing English learners should do.

Luna: Step one.

Luna: Surround yourself with English every day.

Alex: Right.

Alex: The more you listen, read, speak, and write, the faster you improve.

Luna: Think about how babies learn their first language.

Luna: They hear it all the time.

Luna: They don’t study grammar first.

Alex: Exactly.

Alex: They listen, copy, and slowly understand.

Alex: That’s how your brain picks up language naturally.

Luna: But what if someone is too busy?

Luna: Not everyone has hours to study.

Alex: True.

Alex: But even small habits help.

Alex: Listen to English while cooking or exercising.

Luna: Or read short articles instead of scrolling social media.

Alex: Yes.

Alex: The key is daily exposure.

Luna: And don’t just listen.

Luna: Speak too!

Alex: Right.

Alex: Even if you have no one to talk to, try speaking out loud.

Luna: Talk to yourself.

Luna: No one will judge you.

Alex: Unless you do it in public.

Luna: Then people might think you’re talking to ghosts.

Alex: Moving on.

Alex: The second thing learners should do is think in English.

Luna: This is so important.

Luna: Many people translate in their heads before speaking.

Luna: That slows them down.

Alex: And sometimes, the translation doesn’t work well.

Alex: Languages don’t always match word for word.

Luna: Yeah!

Luna: Some things sound weird if you translate them directly.

Alex: So, practice thinking in English.

Alex: Start with simple things.

Luna: Like describing what you see.

Luna: “I’m drinking coffee.”

Luna: “The sky is blue.”

Alex: Then move to more complex thoughts.

Alex: Try planning your day in English.

Luna: Or have silent conversations in your head.

Luna: Just don’t argue with yourself.

Alex: Why not?

Alex: I argue with myself all the time.

Luna: That explains a lot.

Alex: Anyway, the third thing learners should do is copy native speakers.

Luna: You mean like… mimic them?

Alex: Exactly.

Alex: Listen to how they say words and copy the rhythm.

Luna: This helps with pronunciation and intonation.

Alex: Right.

Alex: Many learners pronounce words correctly but still sound unnatural.

Luna: Because their rhythm is off.

Luna: English has a special flow.

Alex: Yes.

Alex: And copying native speakers helps you sound more natural.

Luna: So, how do we copy them?

Alex: Shadowing.

Alex: Listen to a sentence and repeat it right after.

Luna: Like an echo.

Alex: Yes.

Alex: Match their speed and tone.

Luna: What if it’s too fast?

Alex: Slow it down first.

Alex: Then increase speed as you get better.

Luna: Makes sense.

Luna: But what should they copy?

Alex: Anything natural.

Alex: Movies, podcasts, interviews.

Luna: Avoid textbook dialogues.

Luna: They sound robotic.

Alex: Yes.

Alex: Real conversations are better.

Luna: Alright, last thing.

Luna: Find a method that works for you.

Alex: Everyone learns differently.

Alex: Some like structure, some like freedom.

Luna: Some need grammar rules.

Luna: Others learn by listening.

Alex: Exactly.

Alex: Try different methods and see what feels right.

Luna: If something doesn’t work, switch it up.

Alex: Don’t force yourself to follow a method that feels boring.

Luna: Learning should be fun!

Alex: Right.

Alex: The more you enjoy it, the longer you’ll stick with it.

Luna: So, to summarize…

Luna: One, use English every day.

Alex: Two, think in English.

Luna: Three, copy native speakers.

Alex: And four, find your best method.

Luna: These simple steps can make a big difference.

Alex: Alright, let’s talk about what NOT to do.

Alex: Now, let’s talk about what NOT to do.

Luna: Yes!

Luna: Because mistakes can slow you down.

Alex: The first mistake is relying too much on grammar books.

Luna: Oh, this is a big one.

Luna: Some learners think they must master grammar before speaking.

Alex: But that’s not how language works.

Alex: Native speakers don’t learn that way.

Luna: Right!

Luna: Babies don’t study grammar rules.

Alex: Exactly.

Alex: They learn by listening and speaking first.

Luna: But some learners love grammar.

Luna: They feel safe knowing the rules.

Alex: Grammar is useful.

Alex: But it shouldn’t stop you from speaking.

Luna: So, don’t wait until your grammar is perfect.

Luna: Just start talking!

Alex: Even if you make mistakes.

Luna: Yes!

Luna: That brings us to mistake number two.

Luna: Being afraid to make mistakes.

Alex: This one is huge.

Alex: Many learners stay silent because they fear saying something wrong.

Luna: But guess what?

Luna: Even native speakers make mistakes!

Alex: All the time.

Alex: And no one cares.

Luna: Exactly!

Luna: No one is judging your grammar.

Alex: The goal is communication, not perfection.

Luna: Think about little kids.

Luna: They say funny, wrong sentences all the time.

Alex: But people still understand them.

Alex: And they keep improving.

Luna: So, speak up!

Luna: Mistakes help you learn.

Alex: The more you speak, the better you get.

Luna: Alright, next mistake.

Luna: Only learning single words instead of phrases.

Alex: Yes!

Alex: Some learners memorize thousands of words.

Alex: But they still can’t speak fluently.

Luna: Because words alone aren’t enough.

Luna: You need to know how they fit together.

Alex: Right.

Alex: English is full of common phrases and expressions.

Luna: Like “How’s it going?”

Luna: If you translate word by word, it sounds strange.

Alex: But as a phrase, it makes sense.

Alex: So, learn words in context.

Luna: Listen to how native speakers use them.

Luna: Don’t just memorize lists.

Alex: Exactly.

Alex: Alright, last mistake.

Alex: Expecting fluency too fast.

Luna: Oof.

Luna: This one hurts.

Alex: Some learners think they can be fluent in a few months.

Luna: Then they get frustrated when it takes longer.

Alex: Learning a language is a long journey.

Luna: It takes time.

Luna: Even kids need years to master their first language.

Alex: Right.

Alex: So, don’t rush.

Luna: Enjoy the process.

Alex: Focus on small progress every day.

Luna: And don’t compare yourself to others.

Luna: Everyone learns at their own speed.

Alex: So, to summarize…

Alex: One, don’t rely too much on grammar books.

Luna: Two, don’t be afraid to make mistakes.

Alex: Three, don’t just learn words—learn phrases.

Luna: And four, don’t expect fluency overnight.

Alex: Avoid these mistakes, and you’ll learn faster.

Luna: Now, let’s talk about our own experiences with English learning.

Alex: Alright, we’ve talked about dos and don’ts.

Luna: Now, let’s get personal.

Luna: Let’s talk about our own English learning experiences.

Alex: Sounds good.

Alex: I’ll go first.

Luna: Of course.

Luna: Always the logical one.

Alex: Well, I like efficiency.

Alex: I don’t want to waste time.

Luna: Yeah, yeah.

Luna: So, how did you improve your English?

Alex: I focused on what I needed.

Alex: At first, I learned casual English.

Luna: Like daily conversations?

Alex: Exactly.

Alex: But later, I needed business English.

Luna: Oh, fancy.

Luna: Mr. Engineer.

Alex: Yep.

Alex: I had to write emails and give presentations.

Luna: And?

Luna: Was it hard?

Alex: At first, yes.

Alex: Business English is very different.

Alex: It’s more formal.

Luna: So, how did you practice?

Alex: I read a lot of emails and reports.

Alex: I copied how professionals wrote.

Luna: Oh!

Luna: You used the mimic method.

Alex: Exactly.

Alex: I also practiced presentations in front of a mirror.

Luna: Wow.

Luna: That’s very serious.

Alex: Well, I didn’t want to sound unprofessional.

Luna: Did you ever make mistakes?

Alex: Of course.

Alex: Once, I wrote “Let’s meat tomorrow.”

Luna: Meat?

Luna: Like beef?

Alex: Yes.

Alex: Instead of “meet.”

Luna: That’s hilarious!

Luna: Did anyone notice?

Alex: My boss did.

Alex: He asked if I was inviting him to a steakhouse.

Luna: I love it.

Luna: See?

Luna: Mistakes make great stories.

Alex: True.

Alex: Alright, your turn.

Luna: Oh boy.

Luna: Where do I start?

Alex: From the beginning.

Alex: When did you first study English?

Luna: School, of course.

Luna: But I hated it.

Alex: Why?

Luna: It was boring!

Luna: Just textbooks and grammar drills.

Alex: That’s common.

Alex: So, when did it change?

Luna: When I found something I loved.

Luna: English songs and movies.

Alex: Ah, entertainment.

Luna: Yep.

Luna: I sang along to pop songs.

Luna: Even when I had no idea what they meant.

Alex: Did that help?

Luna: Yes!

Luna: My pronunciation got better.

Luna: And I learned real phrases.

Alex: So, music was your secret weapon?

Luna: That and TV shows.

Luna: I watched a lot of sitcoms.

Alex: Which ones?

Luna: “Friends” was my favorite.

Alex: Classic.

Luna: I copied how they spoke.

Luna: Their tone, their expressions.

Alex: That’s a great way to learn.

Alex: But sitcoms are fast.

Alex: Did you struggle?

Luna: Oh, 100%.

Luna: At first, I only caught a few words.

Luna: But I kept watching.

Alex: And over time?

Luna: I understood more and more.

Alex: See?

Alex: That’s the power of immersion.

Luna: Yep!

Luna: But you know what really helped?

Alex: What?

Luna: Talking to people.

Alex: Ah, real conversations.

Luna: Yes.

Luna: My first time speaking English with a native speaker was terrifying.

Alex: What happened?

Luna: I panicked.

Luna: My brain went blank.

Alex: That’s normal.

Luna: I couldn’t remember simple words.

Luna: I wanted to run away.

Alex: But you didn’t.

Luna: Nope.

Luna: I stayed and tried my best.

Luna: And guess what?

Alex: What?

Luna: The other person was super patient.

Luna: They didn’t care about my mistakes.

Alex: That’s a great lesson.

Alex: People are usually kind.

Luna: Yes!

Luna: After that, I felt more confident.

Alex: And now?

Luna: Now, I never shut up.

Alex: I can confirm that.

Luna: Hey!

Luna: Rude.

Alex: Just stating facts.

Luna: Whatever.

Luna: Anyway, our stories prove one thing.

Alex: Learning happens when you enjoy it.

Luna: Yes!

Luna: Find what you love, and English will come naturally.

Alex: Exactly.

Luna: Alright, let’s move on.

Luna: What are the best strategies for learning English?

Alex: Alright, let’s get into some practical strategies.

Luna: Yes!

Luna: We talked about what works and what doesn’t.

Luna: Now, let’s give our listeners real action steps.

Alex: First, listen and speak as much as possible.

Luna: Yes!

Luna: And make it fun.

Alex: Find content you enjoy.

Alex: If you like sports, watch games in English.

Luna: If you love food, follow English cooking videos.

Alex: The key is interest.

Luna: Yes!

Luna: If you love it, you’ll stick with it.

Alex: And don’t just listen.

Alex: Speak too.

Luna: Even if you’re alone.

Luna: Talk to yourself.

Alex: Exactly.

Alex: Or repeat after native speakers.

Luna: Shadowing!

Luna: It really works.

Alex: Yes.

Alex: It improves pronunciation and fluency.

Luna: Alright, next strategy.

Luna: Use TV shows, podcasts, and books.

Alex: Yes!

Alex: They help you learn real English.

Luna: But don’t just watch passively.

Luna: Pay attention.

Alex: Exactly.

Alex: Listen to how people speak.

Alex: Notice common phrases.

Luna: And copy them.

Luna: Like actors practicing lines.

Alex: Yes!

Alex: And books help too.

Luna: But some learners find books hard.

Alex: Start with easy ones.

Alex: Or read stories you already know.

Luna: Oh, like Harry Potter?

Alex: Yes.

Alex: If you know the story, it’s easier.

Luna: And audiobooks help too.

Luna: Listen and read at the same time.

Alex: That improves both skills.

Luna: Alright, next tip.

Luna: Track your mistakes.

Alex: This is important.

Alex: Don’t ignore your errors.

Luna: But don’t fear them either.

Luna: Learn from them!

Alex: Right.

Alex: Keep a notebook.

Luna: Oh!

Luna: Like an “English mistake diary”?

Alex: Exactly.

Alex: Write down your mistakes and correct them.

Luna: That way, you won’t repeat them.

Alex: Yes.

Alex: It’s a great way to improve.

Luna: Alright, last tip.

Luna: Set small goals.

Alex: Yes!

Alex: Big goals can feel overwhelming.

Luna: But small goals keep you motivated.

Alex: Like learning five new phrases a week.

Luna: Or speaking English for ten minutes a day.

Alex: These small wins build confidence.

Luna: And confidence makes learning easier.

Alex: Exactly.

Luna: So, to sum up…

Luna: One, listen and speak as much as possible.

Alex: Two, use TV, podcasts, and books.

Luna: Three, track and learn from your mistakes.

Alex: And four, set small goals.

Luna: Follow these, and your English will improve fast.

Alex: Alright, next up—common questions from learners.

Alex: Alright, time for some common questions.

Luna: Yes!

Luna: We get these all the time.

Alex: First question.

Alex: “I’ve learned so many words, but I still can’t speak fluently. Why?”

Luna: Ah, the vocabulary trap.

Luna: Knowing words is not the same as using them.

Alex: Right.

Alex: Many learners recognize words but can’t recall them fast enough.

Luna: That’s because they haven’t practiced using them in real situations.

Alex: So, what’s the solution?

Luna: Speak more!

Luna: Even if you only know a few words, use them.

Alex: Yes.

Alex: Don’t just memorize.

Alex: Make sentences with new words.

Luna: And try to think in English.

Luna: When you see a chair, don’t translate—just say “chair” in your head.

Alex: Also, practice with sentence patterns.

Alex: Instead of learning “excited,” learn “I’m excited about ___.”

Luna: That way, you can use it instantly.

Alex: And use spaced repetition.

Luna: Oh, like reviewing words at different times?

Alex: Exactly.

Alex: It helps move words from short-term to long-term memory.

Luna: Alright, next question.

Luna: “My accent is really strong. How can I improve my pronunciation?”

Alex: A common concern.

Alex: But accents aren’t bad!

Luna: Yes!

Luna: Everyone has one.

Luna: The goal is clear speech, not sounding like a native.

Alex: But if you want to improve, focus on key sounds.

Luna: Like the “th” sound in “think” and “this.”

Alex: Right.

Alex: Many learners replace it with “s” or “z.”

Luna: A simple fix is putting your tongue between your teeth.

Alex: Also, record yourself.

Luna: Oh, that’s a great tip!

Luna: Compare your speech to native speakers.

Alex: And try shadowing.

Alex: Listen to a sentence and repeat it exactly.

Luna: Even better—copy TV characters.

Luna: Pick one and imitate them.

Alex: And don’t rush.

Alex: Speak slowly to improve clarity.

Luna: Next question!

Luna: “I’m scared to speak English. How do I overcome this fear?”

Alex: Ah, speaking anxiety.

Luna: Super common.

Luna: People fear making mistakes.

Alex: But mistakes help you learn.

Alex: Think about kids.

Alex: They make tons of mistakes but don’t care.

Luna: So, change your mindset.

Luna: Mistakes mean progress.

Alex: And start small.

Alex: Talk to yourself first.

Luna: Then move to speaking with a friend.

Alex: Or use voice messages.

Alex: It’s less pressure than live conversations.

Luna: Great idea!

Luna: And don’t forget—prepare key phrases.

Luna: If you’re nervous, practice common responses first.

Alex: Yes!

Alex: That way, you don’t panic.

Luna: Alright, last question.

Luna: “I’m too busy. How do I keep learning?”

Alex: Ah, the time problem.

Alex: Everyone is busy.

Luna: But learning doesn’t need hours.

Luna: Just a few minutes a day helps.

Alex: Right.

Alex: Listen to English while commuting.

Luna: Or practice during lunch breaks.

Alex: Make it part of your daily routine.

Luna: Yes!

Luna: Small habits create big results.

Alex: For example, set a five-minute goal.

Alex: Like writing one sentence in English every morning.

Luna: Or watching one short English video daily.

Alex: When you connect learning to daily tasks, it feels easy.

Luna: Exactly!

Alex: Alright, that’s it for the questions.

Luna: Now, let’s wrap up today’s episode.

Alex: Alright, we covered a lot today.

Luna: Yes!

Luna: Let’s do a quick recap.

Alex: First, we talked about what English learners should do.

Luna: Like using English every day.

Alex: Thinking in English instead of translating.

Luna: Copying native speakers to improve fluency.

Alex: And finding the best learning method for you.

Luna: Then, we discussed mistakes to avoid.

Alex: Like focusing too much on grammar.

Luna: Being afraid to speak.

Alex: Memorizing words without context.

Luna: And expecting fluency too fast.

Alex: We also shared our own English learning experiences.

Luna: Mine was all about music, movies, and trial and error.

Alex: And mine was about efficiency and business English.

Luna: Very on-brand for both of us.

Alex: True.

Alex: Then, we answered common questions.

Luna: Like why knowing many words doesn’t mean fluency.

Alex: How to improve pronunciation.

Luna: Overcoming fear of speaking.

Alex: And how to keep learning even with a busy life.

Luna: So, now it’s your turn!

Luna: We want to hear from you.

Alex: Yes!

Alex: What’s your biggest challenge in learning English?

Luna: What strategies have helped you the most?

Alex: Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Luna: Let’s learn from each other!

Alex: And if you enjoyed this episode, let us know.

Luna: Hit the like button and subscribe for more.

Alex: Also, don’t forget—

Alex: You can find the full transcript in the video description.

Luna: And subtitles are available in multiple languages.

Alex: Alright, that’s it for today.

Luna: Thanks for listening!

Alex: See you in the next one.

Luna: Bye!