Effortless English Podcasts
Effortless English Chat
How to Train Your English Ears from Zero.
Alex: Hi everyone, welcome back to Effortless English Podcasts.
Alex: I'm Alex.
Luna: And I’m Luna.
Alex: Today, we're talking about something super common but often ignored.
Alex: What do you do when you don’t know how to say something in English?
Luna: Oh, this happens to me all the time.
Luna: Like when I want to say something, but the word just disappears.
Alex: Exactly.
Alex: A lot of learners freeze in that moment.
Alex: They either say nothing or switch back to their native language.
Luna: And then feel super frustrated later, right?
Alex: Yep.
Alex: They think, “Why couldn’t I say that? I knew what I wanted to say!”
Luna: Or even worse—they avoid speaking altogether because they’re afraid it’ll happen again.
Alex: We’re here to help with that today.
Alex: I’ve been digging into this topic.
Alex: I read articles, watched videos, and even tested some of the advice myself.
Luna: And I want to know—what actually helps in real life.
Luna: Not just in a classroom or a textbook.
Alex: So we’ll look at why this happens, what you can do in the moment, and how to fix it long term.
Luna: Plus, we’re going to share some of our own stories.
Luna: Because trust me, we’ve both been there.
Alex: Absolutely.
Alex: And just so you know, if you want to read along or check something later—
Alex: We have a full transcript of this episode.
Alex: You can find the link in the description box below.
Luna: Also, if English is not your first language, don’t worry.
Luna: Our show includes subtitles in many languages.
Luna: Just turn on the CC option to choose your language.
Alex: One last thing before we jump in—
Alex: Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel.
Alex: It really helps us out and keeps you up to date on new episodes.
Luna: Alright!
Luna: So, let’s start with why this happens.
Luna: What kind of moments make us go, “Ugh... I don’t know how to say this”?
Alex: I think it’s more common than people admit.
Alex: Especially when you know the idea in your head but can’t find the right English words.
Luna: For example, when I was in Thailand, I tried to explain I wanted spicy but not too spicy.
Luna: But I didn’t know how to say that.
Luna: So I just kept saying “No fire mouth!” and made a fire gesture with my hand.
Alex: “No fire mouth”?
Alex: That’s amazing.
Luna: Well, it worked!
Alex: Yeah, that brings up a good point—
Alex: Most people focus too much on perfect grammar or the “correct” words.
Alex: But communication is more than that.
Luna: Totally.
Luna: It’s about getting the idea across—even if it’s weird or funny.
Alex: But before we get into creative solutions—
Alex: Let’s look at the real problems first.
Alex: Why do people get stuck?
Luna: What actually makes you go blank when trying to speak English?
Alex: We’ll break that down next.
Luna: Let’s go!
Alex: So let’s break it down.
Alex: What actually causes people to get stuck when speaking English?
Luna: I think the number one reason is simple—
Luna: They just don’t know the word they need.
Alex: That’s B-1 right there.
Alex: Not knowing the word.
Alex: For example, someone wants to talk about a “ladder” but they’ve never learned that word.
Alex: So they freeze.
Luna: Yeah, and then they start panicking like, “Oh no, what’s the word? What’s the word?”
Luna: And by the time they remember or give up, the moment is gone.
Alex: The good news is, this is super normal.
Alex: Even native speakers sometimes forget words.
Luna: I do it in Chinese all the time!
Luna: I’ll be like, “You know, that long thing... that you climb...”
Alex: Exactly!
Alex: So the real problem isn’t forgetting.
Alex: It’s not knowing what to do after you forget.
Luna: Totally agree.
Luna: And the second big problem, B-2, is not knowing how to make a sentence.
Alex: Ah yes.
Alex: You know the words.
Alex: You just don’t know how to put them together.
Luna: Like someone might know “I,” “want,” and “eat,” but doesn’t know if they should say “I want eat” or “I want to eat.”
Alex: Yep.
Alex: So they hesitate, and then they go quiet.
Luna: And that hesitation makes them feel like they’re bad at English.
Alex: When really, it’s just a grammar habit they haven’t built yet.
Luna: I’ve seen that a lot with learners.
Luna: They’re afraid of saying the wrong sentence.
Luna: Which brings us to B-3—fear.
Alex: Fear of making mistakes.
Alex: Fear of being laughed at.
Luna: Or fear of being judged.
Luna: Especially by native speakers.
Alex: This fear can be strong enough to stop people from speaking at all.
Luna: And that’s so sad, because speaking is how we learn!
Alex: I agree.
Alex: I’ve seen professionals in meetings stay quiet, even when they had great ideas—
Alex: Just because they didn’t want to risk saying something wrong.
Luna: I totally understand that.
Luna: But it’s a mental block.
Luna: And the more you avoid speaking, the stronger that block gets.
Alex: That’s why we need to talk about this openly.
Alex: It’s okay to mess up.
Alex: Nobody speaks perfectly all the time.
Luna: Not even us!
Luna: I mess up English all the time.
Alex: Same here.
Alex: And the last big issue—B-4—is when you can’t keep up.
Alex: You know the words.
Alex: You know the sentence.
Alex: But the other person talks too fast.
Luna: So fast that your brain just stops working.
Luna: You’re like, “Wait... what did they say?”
Alex: And by the time you figure it out, they’ve already moved on.
Luna: That’s the worst feeling!
Luna: You want to respond, but you’re still stuck two sentences ago.
Alex: A lot of people call this “mental blanking.”
Alex: It’s like your brain just freezes under pressure.
Luna: And this is especially common in new environments.
Luna: Like when you first arrive in a foreign country.
Alex: Or when you’re in a job interview.
Alex: Or when someone says something really fast and unexpected.
Luna: Even if your English is good, stress can shut it down.
Alex: It’s not about ability.
Alex: It’s about pressure.
Luna: So to recap, the four common problems are—
Luna: One, not knowing the word.
Alex: Two, not knowing how to build the sentence.
Luna: Three, fear of being wrong or judged.
Alex: And four, your brain freezing when others speak too fast.
Luna: If you’ve had any of these happen to you—
Luna: Don’t worry.
Luna: You’re definitely not alone.
Alex: We’ve all been there.
Alex: And coming up next, we’ll share some personal stories.
Alex: Moments when we had no idea what to say—
Alex: And how we got through it anyway.
Luna: Those will be fun.
Luna: And a little embarrassing.
Luna: But very real!
Luna: Okay, now it’s story time.
Luna: Let me tell you about the time I went to Italy.
Luna: It was my first solo trip.
Luna: I was super excited... and totally unprepared.
Alex: That sounds promising already.
Luna: So I was in this cute little bakery, right?
Luna: And I wanted to buy a croissant.
Luna: But I didn’t know the word for croissant in Italian.
Alex: Isn’t it just “cornetto”?
Luna: Well, yes, now I know that!
Luna: But back then, I had no clue.
Luna: So I stood there, pointing at the glass case.
Luna: And I said, “Umm... that one... the moon bread!”
Alex: Moon bread?
Alex: That’s amazing.
Luna: I mean, it looked like a crescent moon, okay?
Luna: The lady behind the counter just smiled and said, “Cornetto.”
Luna: And I nodded like, “Yes! Cornetto! That’s what I said!”
Alex: That’s a perfect example of what we’re talking about.
Alex: You didn’t know the word, but you still made it work.
Luna: Yeah, I didn’t let the missing word stop me.
Luna: I used description, hand gestures, and even weird names.
Alex: That’s what matters—keeping the conversation going.
Luna: Alright, your turn.
Luna: Tell us about your workplace story.
Alex: Alright, picture this.
Alex: I was in a team meeting, talking about a software bug.
Alex: I wanted to say “we should isolate the problem.”
Alex: But the word “isolate” completely disappeared from my brain.
Luna: Uh-oh.
Alex: So I paused, and I said, “We need to... umm... take the problem away from the rest.”
Alex: And then I made a motion with my hands, like separating things.
Luna: Did they understand?
Alex: Yeah!
Alex: One of my teammates said, “You mean isolate it?”
Alex: And I was like, “Yes! That’s the word!”
Luna: I love that.
Luna: You didn’t stop.
Luna: You found another way to say it.
Alex: I learned that from experience.
Alex: When I freeze and wait for the “right” word, I usually lose the moment.
Alex: But if I keep talking, the word often comes back.
Luna: Or someone else helps you out, just like in your meeting.
Alex: Exactly.
Alex: People don’t mind helping you if they see you’re trying.
Luna: And those little moments teach you more than any textbook.
Luna: Like now I’ll never forget “cornetto.”
Alex: And I’ll never forget the hand motion I used for “isolate.”
Luna: So the key lesson?
Luna: Speak anyway.
Luna: Even if it’s messy, strange, or “wrong.”
Alex: Communication is not about being perfect.
Alex: It’s about making the other person understand.
Luna: And sometimes, that’s exactly how we learn the word we needed in the first place.
Alex: So, now that we’ve shared our horror stories—
Alex: Let’s talk about what you can do when you get stuck.
Luna: Yes! Let’s get into the good stuff.
Luna: The survival tricks.
Alex: Strategy one—use simpler words to describe what you mean.
Alex: Let’s say you forget the word “microwave.”
Alex: You can say, “the machine that makes food hot fast.”
Luna: Or if you forget “refrigerator,” just say “cold food box.”
Luna: That actually sounds kind of cute.
Alex: You’d be surprised how well that works.
Alex: Most people will get the idea.
Luna: Plus, it keeps the conversation flowing.
Alex: It’s like building with Lego.
Alex: If one piece is missing, use smaller ones to build the same shape.
Luna: I like that.
Luna: Simple is better than nothing.
Alex: And often, you already know the words—you just need to rearrange them.
Luna: Alright, what’s strategy two?
Alex: Ask the other person what the word is.
Luna: You mean, like, directly say “How do you say this in English?”
Alex: Exactly.
Alex: Or you can describe the word first, then ask, “What’s the word for that?”
Luna: That takes some courage though.
Alex: True, but it also invites connection.
Alex: Most people enjoy helping others with language.
Luna: One time, I wanted to say “laundry detergent,” but I forgot.
Luna: So I said, “the soap for clothes... what do you call that?”
Luna: And the guy at the store said, “Detergent?”
Luna: Boom.
Alex: Simple and effective.
Alex: It shows effort and helps you learn.
Luna: Okay, third strategy—use gestures.
Luna: I love this one.
Luna: I’ve acted out entire meals using just my hands.
Alex: That sounds like a performance.
Luna: It kind of was!
Luna: But when I forgot “grilled fish,” I just pointed at the menu and made a sizzling sound.
Alex: And they understood?
Luna: Perfectly.
Luna: They even smiled.
Alex: Using your body helps break the silence.
Alex: A hand gesture, a face, a sound—it all adds meaning.
Luna: And it takes pressure off your brain.
Luna: Because now you’re using more than just words.
Alex: Some people think gestures are childish, but they’re not.
Alex: They’re part of real communication.
Luna: Totally agree.
Luna: Okay, last one—strategy four.
Luna: Use examples.
Luna: Like, start with “It’s like...” and then explain something similar.
Alex: I do this all the time.
Alex: If I forget the word “thermometer,” I might say, “It’s like the thing you use when you’re sick to check your heat.”
Luna: And the other person might say, “Oh, a thermometer?”
Luna: Boom—problem solved.
Alex: Exactly.
Alex: “It’s like...” gives your listener a clue.
Luna: It also gives you time to think.
Alex: Right, it’s a bridge.
Alex: You’re not stopping—you’re moving forward slowly.
Luna: And it makes the listener more patient.
Alex: Because they see you’re trying.
Luna: So just to review—
Luna: One: Use simple words to describe what you mean.
Alex: Two: Ask the listener what the word is.
Luna: Three: Use body language and gestures.
Alex: And four: Say “It’s like...” and give an example.
Luna: These are all things you can do right away.
Alex: No fancy grammar.
Alex: No perfect vocabulary.
Luna: Just simple tools that work.
Alex: And with practice, they get easier.
Luna: So next time you get stuck, don’t freeze.
Luna: Try one of these tricks.
Alex: And if one doesn’t work, try another.
Alex: It’s all part of the learning game.
Alex: Alright, we’ve covered what to do in the moment.
Alex: Now let’s talk about how to get better at this over time.
Luna: Yes, because getting stuck is normal—
Luna: But staying stuck doesn’t have to be.
Alex: First tip—start building a habit of descriptive language.
Alex: That means training yourself to describe things instead of naming them.
Luna: So instead of thinking “What’s the exact word?”
Luna: You think, “How can I explain what it is?”
Alex: Right.
Alex: Like if you forget “vacuum cleaner,” say, “the thing that cleans the floor with air.”
Luna: Or if you forget “earphones,” say, “the little speakers for your ears.”
Alex: It’s not perfect, but it works.
Alex: And the more you practice, the faster your brain gets at it.
Luna: Okay, second step—practice explaining English in English.
Luna: Don’t translate.
Luna: Just try to stay in the language.
Alex: For example, take the word “umbrella.”
Alex: Instead of looking it up in your native language, ask yourself:
Alex: “What is it? What does it do?”
Luna: And then say: “It’s something you use when it rains. It keeps you dry.”
Alex: That’s right.
Alex: You just explained “umbrella” without using another language.
Luna: This is hard at first, but so helpful.
Luna: It forces your brain to think in English.
Alex: And that’s the goal—to build thinking skills, not just memory.
Luna: Third tip—practice in easy situations first.
Luna: Don’t wait for the scary moment in a meeting or interview.
Alex: Start by describing simple things in your room.
Alex: Like, “This is a pen. I use it to write.”
Alex: “This is a mug. I drink tea from it.”
Luna: It feels silly, but it’s powerful.
Luna: You’re building your “language muscles.”
Alex: Just like in the gym—you start with light weights.
Alex: Then slowly go heavier.
Luna: And your fluency grows the same way.
Alex: Final step—practice in real-life situations.
Alex: You don’t need to be perfect.
Alex: You just need to try.
Luna: Try describing what you’re doing while you cook.
Luna: “I’m cutting the vegetables.”
Luna: “Now I’m frying them in a pan.”
Alex: Or talk to yourself while walking.
Alex: “I’m going to the store.”
Alex: “I see a dog. It’s big and brown.”
Luna: And if you’re really serious—
Luna: Act out full conversations.
Luna: Pretend you’re ordering coffee, even if you’re at home.
Alex: That’s what language learners call “shadow practice.”
Alex: You copy real situations to build comfort.
Luna: Or even better, find a language buddy.
Luna: Practice these things together.
Alex: The key is to make these habits automatic.
Alex: So when the real situation comes—
Alex: You’re not frozen. You’re ready.
Luna: And these steps don’t need to take hours.
Luna: Five minutes a day is enough.
Alex: Consistency beats intensity.
Luna: So to sum it up—
Luna: Step one: Build your description habit.
Alex: Step two: Explain words in English.
Luna: Step three: Practice in easy situations.
Alex: Step four: Use real-life or simulated situations.
Luna: Bit by bit, these will make a huge difference.
Alex: You won’t just learn English.
Alex: You’ll start thinking in English.
Luna: Okay, now I want to talk about something real.
Luna: Not grammar, not vocabulary—just feelings.
Luna: Because a lot of the time, the thing stopping you isn’t English.
Luna: It’s fear.
Alex: Yeah, fear is a huge part of it.
Luna: For me, it was perfectionism.
Luna: I wanted to sound perfect.
Luna: If I couldn’t say it right, I didn’t want to say it at all.
Alex: That sounds familiar.
Luna: I used to plan my sentences in my head first.
Luna: Then say them.
Luna: And if I made even one mistake, I would feel embarrassed.
Luna: I thought people would laugh or think I was dumb.
Alex: But they didn’t, right?
Luna: No, they didn’t care.
Luna: That’s the thing.
Luna: Most people just want to understand you.
Luna: They don’t expect you to be perfect.
Luna: That was a big shift for me.
Luna: I realized I could still connect with people, even with broken English.
Luna: In fact, when I made mistakes, people were usually kind.
Alex: That’s true.
Luna: I started to let go of the idea that mistakes mean failure.
Luna: I started to think of them as part of learning.
Luna: Like, “Oh cool, I said it wrong, now I know how to say it right.”
Luna: It took time, though.
Luna: I had to talk to myself a lot.
Luna: I had to say, “It’s okay, just try.”
Luna: And honestly, every time I spoke anyway, I felt stronger.
Alex: That’s growth right there.
Luna: So if you’re listening to this and you feel scared—
Luna: Please know that’s normal.
Luna: But also know that fear doesn’t have to win.
Luna: You can speak.
Luna: You will make mistakes.
Luna: But that’s how you learn.
Luna: That’s how you build confidence.
Luna: Not by waiting until you’re perfect—
Luna: But by speaking even when you’re not.
Alex: I think that’s one of the most powerful messages today.
Luna: Thanks.
Luna: It’s from experience, not a textbook.
Luna: So here’s my advice:
Luna: Be kind to yourself.
Luna: Be okay with small steps.
Luna: Don’t wait until you “feel ready.”
Luna: Just start.
Luna: Because confidence isn’t something you wait for.
Luna: It’s something you create by doing.
Alex: Alright, now let me take over for a bit.
Alex: I want to talk about strategy—specifically, efficient strategy.
Alex: Because I’m lazy.
Alex: I don’t like wasting time.
Luna: You said it, not me.
Alex: When I started learning Spanish, I didn’t try to learn everything.
Alex: I built a few mental templates—what I call “thinking models.”
Luna: What do you mean by that?
Alex: Let’s say I want to ask for help.
Alex: My model might be: “Hi, I need help with ____.”
Alex: Then I just plug in the word—“my bag,” “directions,” “ordering.”
Luna: So you don’t freeze because the frame is already there.
Alex: Exactly.
Alex: You don’t have to create a sentence from zero.
Alex: You just reuse patterns.
Luna: That’s smart.
Alex: And I do the same with common situations.
Alex: I have sentence starters like—
Alex: “Can you tell me…”
Alex: “I’m looking for…”
Alex: “How do I get to…”
Luna: So basically, a list of phrases ready to go.
Alex: Yep.
Alex: I call it my “phrase bank.”
Alex: You only need ten to twenty of these to cover 80% of real life.
Luna: That’s way less than people think.
Alex: Exactly.
Alex: It’s not about knowing everything—it’s about knowing what matters.
Alex: And if I really get stuck—
Alex: I use tools.
Luna: Like translation apps?
Alex: Yeah.
Alex: Or voice-to-text.
Alex: I say what I want in my language, the app turns it into English.
Luna: But doesn’t that make people lazy?
Alex: Only if you rely on it all the time.
Alex: I use it as a backup, not a crutch.
Alex: It gives me the confidence to keep talking.
Luna: That’s fair.
Luna: And sometimes, it’s faster than panicking.
Alex: Exactly.
Alex: In a high-pressure moment, I’d rather get help from my phone—
Alex: Than stand there saying nothing.
Luna: So your three steps are:
Luna: One, use mental templates.
Luna: Two, build a phrase bank.
Luna: Three, use tools when needed.
Alex: Right.
Alex: None of this replaces practice.
Alex: But it gives you something to fall back on.
Luna: And that alone can make a huge difference.
Alex: Think of it like packing your bag before a trip.
Alex: You don’t take everything.
Alex: Just the things you’ll need the most.
Luna: And a translator app, just in case.
Alex: Always.
Alex: Now let’s answer some of the questions we hear all the time.
Luna: These are things we’ve heard from learners, friends, and even ourselves.
Alex: First one—what if I completely don’t know how to say something?
Luna: Like, totally blank?
Alex: Yeah.
Alex: You don’t know the word, can’t describe it, and nothing comes out.
Luna: That’s the worst.
Luna: I’ve been there.
Alex: Me too.
Alex: Here’s what I do: I pause, smile, and say, “I don’t know the word, but I’ll try to explain.”
Luna: That takes the pressure off instantly.
Alex: It buys you time, and the listener knows what to expect.
Luna: And most people will lean in and help.
Alex: If that doesn’t work, point at something or show with your hands.
Luna: Or say, “Let me show you” and draw it or act it out.
Alex: It doesn’t have to be perfect.
Alex: Just stay in the conversation.
Luna: That’s the key.
Luna: Don’t shut down—stay in it.
Alex: Question two:
Alex: How do I make people understand me if I can’t say the exact word?
Luna: Oooh, this is where creativity helps.
Luna: Say what it’s like.
Luna: Use examples.
Luna: “It’s like a phone, but smaller.”
Luna: “It’s like tea, but cold.”
Alex: Or describe what it does.
Alex: “It’s something you wear when it rains.”
Alex: “It helps you see at night.”
Luna: And your tone helps too.
Luna: If you sound open and friendly, people will want to understand you.
Alex: I always remind learners: You’re not doing a test.
Alex: You’re having a conversation.
Luna: And conversations are messy by nature.
Luna: That’s okay.
Alex: Last question—
Alex: “Will people laugh at me if I say something wrong?”
Luna: Oh man, this one makes me sad.
Luna: The truth is, most people won’t laugh.
Luna: They’ll be impressed that you’re even trying.
Alex: That’s right.
Alex: You’re speaking a second language.
Alex: That’s a big deal.
Luna: And if someone does laugh at you—
Luna: That says more about them than about you.
Alex: Yep.
Alex: Their laughter is their problem, not your mistake.
Luna: So don’t let the fear of judgment stop you.
Luna: Everyone makes mistakes.
Luna: Even native speakers.
Alex: Especially native speakers!
Luna: What matters is that you speak.
Luna: You try.
Luna: You grow.
Alex: And we’re proud of you for that.
Alex: Always.
Alex: Alright, let’s wrap things up.
Alex: We’ve covered a lot today.
Luna: Yeah, so let’s do a quick review.
Luna: First, we talked about common problems—
Luna: Forgetting words, getting stuck, feeling afraid, or going blank.
Alex: Then we shared our own experiences.
Alex: Real-life stories where we had no idea what to say—but made it work anyway.
Luna: After that, we gave you four easy tricks to use when you’re stuck.
Luna: Describe it.
Luna: Ask for help.
Luna: Use gestures.
Luna: Or say “It’s like…” and explain.
Alex: Then we went deeper.
Alex: We showed you how to train your brain for long-term improvement.
Alex: Describe daily things.
Alex: Think in English.
Alex: Practice simple situations.
Alex: And simulate real conversations.
Luna: I shared how I let go of my fear of being perfect.
Luna: How I learned to make mistakes and still keep talking.
Alex: And I shared my lazy guy strategies—
Alex: Mental templates, phrase banks, and smart use of apps.
Luna: Then we answered some big listener questions.
Luna: What to do when you don’t know anything.
Luna: How to be understood.
Luna: And whether people will laugh at your English.
Alex: The answer?
Alex: Keep going, even if it’s messy.
Luna: Because progress doesn’t need to be perfect.
Luna: It just needs to happen.
Alex: You’re not alone in this.
Alex: We’ve been there too.
Luna: And honestly, you’re doing better than you think.
Alex: So the next time your mind goes blank—
Alex: Smile.
Alex: Breathe.
Alex: And try anyway.
Luna: You’ve got more tools now than you did before.
Luna: And more courage too.
Alex: And if you forget everything we said—
Alex: Just remember this:
Alex: Keep speaking.
Alex: Keep trying.
Alex: That’s how fluency grows.
Luna: That’s how you grow.
Alex: Alright, that’s it for today’s episode.
Luna: If you enjoyed this, please leave us a comment below.
Luna: Tell us your stories.
Luna: We’d love to hear how you’ve handled tough speaking moments.
Alex: And don’t forget to subscribe to our channel.
Alex: That way, you’ll never miss an episode.
Luna: Also, remember you can find the full transcript in the video description.
Luna: And subtitles are available in many languages—just turn on CC.
Alex: Thanks for spending time with us.
Luna: Keep learning, keep laughing, and keep going.
Alex: See you next time.
Luna: Bye for now!
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