– English Lyrics

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

[Music]

Hello everyone and welcome back to the

Simple English podcast. I'm your host

Lisa. Today we have a very exciting and

useful topic. How to think in English?

No more translating in your head. Have

you ever tried to speak English, but

first you had to translate from your

language to English in your mind and by

the time you finish the other person is

already waiting for your answer. I think

many of us know that feeling.

Don't worry, you are not alone.

Today I have my friend Alex here with

me. He is also an English learner and he

has some really good tips on how to stop

translating in your head and start

thinking directly in English.

As always, don't forget to check out the

free PDF file in the comment section

below to get the full transcript and

vocabulary for this episode.

[Music]

Welcome, Alex.

>> Hi, Lisa. Hi, everyone. I'm very happy

to be here. This is one of my favorite

topics because I used to translate

everything in my head and it made me

very slow. But step by step, I learned

how to think in English.

>> That's great, Alex. I think many

listeners will connect with your story.

So, let's talk about this problem first.

Why do people translate in their heads

when speaking English?

>> Yes, let's start there. I think people

translate because it feels safe. When we

learn English in school, usually we

learn by translating words from our

language into English.

For example, in school, my teacher said

dog means cho and cat means mayo.

So, from the beginning, we are trained

to translate

That's true. I had the same experience

and sometimes it's helpful at the start

but later when we want to speak fast

translation becomes a big problem.

Exactly.

Let's imagine this. You want to say I am

hungry.

But first in your head you think the

sentence in your own language.

Then you try to change the words one by

one into English.

By the time you finish, maybe 3 or 4

seconds have passed.

>> Yes. And in real conversations, people

don't wait that long. The other person

keeps talking and then you feel nervous.

>> And that's why many learners feel shy or

afraid. They know the words, but their

brain is busy translating. So speaking

becomes very slow.

>> So now the big question, why should we

learn to think in English?

because it makes everything faster.

If you think directly in English, you

don't need to translate. Words come to

your mind naturally. You can answer more

quickly and you feel more confident.

>> I agree. It's like driving a car. At the

beginning, you think, "Okay, press the

pedal, move the wheel, check the

mirror." But later, you don't think

about it. You just drive.

Yes, that's a very good example. When

you think in English, your brain saves

energy and it also helps with listening

because when you listen to a native

speaker, you don't have time to

translate every word. You need to

understand the meaning directly in

English.

>> I remember when I started watching

English movies without subtitles. At

first, I tried to translate everything,

but I couldn't keep up. My brain was too

slow.

Later I trained myself to just listen

and guess the meaning. That's when I

improved a lot.

That's a great story, Lisa. So thinking

in English helps with speaking,

listening, and also confidence.

>> Now let's get to the most important

part. How can our listeners start

thinking in English?

>> Yes, I have some simple tips that worked

for me.

Perfect. Let's hear them one by one.

>> The first tip is use simple words and

short sentences. Don't try to make long

difficult sentences in your head. For

example, instead of thinking I would

like to express that I am feeling

extremely hungry right now. Just think

I'm hungry.

>> Yes. Keep it simple. The goal is not to

speak perfect complex English. The goal

is to communicate quickly and clearly.

>> Exactly. And when you use simple

English, your brain learns to think in

English more easily.

>> What's the second tip?

>> Label things around you in English. Look

at your room. You you see a table, a

chair, a phone, a window. Instead of

thinking in your language, practice

saying the English words in your head.

Table, chair, phone, window. That's a

great exercise. I also used sticky notes

before.

I wrote mirror, door, light, and I put

the notes on those objects. So, every

time I saw them, I thought of the

English word.

>> Yes, that's a very powerful method.

>> What about the third tip?

Practice self-talk or inner talk. This

means you speak to yourself in English,

in your mind, or even out loud. For

example, when I wake up, I think, I'm

brushing my teeth. I'm making coffee.

I'm walking to school.

>> I love that. It's like telling a story

about your daily life in English.

>> Yes. And it doesn't matter if the

grammar is not perfect. The important

thing is to train your brain to use

English naturally.

>> Okay. What's the next one?

>> Watch, listen, and repeat. Listen to

English podcasts, movies, or songs. When

you hear a short sentence, pause and

repeat it. For example, in a movie, the

character says, "Let's go." Then you

pause and say, "Let's go."

Try to copy the sound, the speed, the

tone.

That's a very effective method. It's

like shadowing. You follow the speaker

immediately.

>> Yes. And it's fun. You can even copy

your favorite actor or singer.

>> And the last tip,

>> stop using translation apps for every

single word. Of course, sometimes you

need a dictionary, but if you always

translate word by word, your brain never

learns to think in English.

That's so true. I recommend learners to

use an English English dictionary. For

example, if you don't know the word

happy, don't translate it into your

language. Look at the definition in

English. Feeling good or pleased.

>> Yes. That way you connect English words

with English meanings, not with your

native language.

Now, Alex, what are some common mistakes

people make when they try to think in

English?

>> Good question. Mistake number one,

trying to use difficult vocabulary too

soon. You don't need big advanced words.

Simple is better.

>> Yes. Like instead of utilize, just say

use.

>> Exactly.

Mistake number two. always translating

grammar rules. For example, some people

think, okay, subject plus verb plus

object before speaking. That slows you

down.

>> Yes, don't overthink grammar while

speaking.

>> Mistake number three, being afraid of

mistakes.

Many learners wait too long trying to

say a perfect sentence, but actually

it's better to speak with mistakes than

to stay silent.

I totally agree. Mistakes are part of

learning.

[Music]

Now, let's move to a fun part. Alex, did

you know that babies never translate

when they learn their first language?

>> Yes, that's true. Babies just listen,

repeat sounds, and slowly start to think

in the language.

>> Exactly. A baby doesn't think, "Okay, in

my baby language, this means they just

connect words directly to actions or

feelings."

>> So if a baby can learn without

translating, we can also do it with

English. We just need to copy that

process, listen a lot, repeat, and

connect English words directly with

meaning.

That's a great reminder. So listeners,

next time you feel nervous about

thinking in English, remember if babies

can do it, you can too.

[Music]

Okay, let's wrap up today's episode. We

learned a lot. Let's quickly review.

>> Sure. First, translating in your head

makes speaking slow and difficult.

Second, thinking in English makes

communication faster and gives you more

confidence.

>> Third, we shared some tips.

Use simple words. Label things around

you. Practice self-talk.

Watch and repeat and avoid too much

translation. And don't forget to avoid

common mistakes like using difficult

words too early, focusing too much on

grammar, or being afraid of mistakes.

>> Yes, very important.

>> So, here's a small challenge for our

listeners today. Try to say one sentence

in English without translating. Just one

simple sentence like, "I'm drinking

water." Do it right now.

>> That's a great challenge. Step by step,

you will train your brain to think in

English.

>> Thank you so much, Alex, for joining us

today.

>> Thank you, Lisa. It was fun.

>> And thank you to all our listeners.

Remember, thinking in English is not

magic, it's practice. The more you

practice, the easier it becomes. Don't

give up and enjoy the journey. See you

next time on the Simple English Podcast.

Bye-bye.

>> Bye everyone.

[Music]

Okay everyone, it's time to learn some

important vocabulary related to the

topic. The first word of today is

translate. It means to change words from

one language into another.

Example, I used to translate every word

from Thai to English before speaking.

The next word is fluent. It means able

to speak or write a language easily and

smoothly.

Example, she wants to be fluent in

English so she can talk with her foreign

friends. The next word is confidence. It

means the feeling of being sure about

your ability to do something.

Example, thinking in English gives me

more confidence when I speak.

The next word is practice. It means to

do something many times to improve a

skill. Example, you need to practice

self-t talk in English every day.

The last word is mistake. It means

something you do that is not correct.

Example, don't be afraid of mistakes.

They help you learn faster.

[Music]

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
think /θɪŋk/ A1	verb - to have an opinion or belief about something
speak /spiːk/ A1	verb - to say words in order to express oneself
translate /trænsˈleɪt/ B1	verb - to change words from one language into another
english /ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ/ A1	noun - the language used in England, the United States, Australia, etc.
tip /tɪp/ A2	noun - a piece of advice
practice /ˈpræktɪs/ A2	noun - the repeated exercise of an activity to develop skill verb - to perform an activity repeatedly in order to improve skill
mistake /mɪˈsteɪk/ A1	noun - an error or fault
confidence /ˈkɒnfɪdəns/ B1	noun - the feeling of being sure about your ability or belief in yourself
simple /ˈsɪmpl/ A1	adjective - easy to understand or do
word /wɜːd/ A1	noun - a single unit of language that has meaning
sentence /ˈsentəns/ A1	noun - a group of words that express a complete thought
listen /ˈlɪsn/ A1	verb - to pay attention to sound
repeat /rɪˈpiːt/ A1	verb - to say or do something again
fluent /ˈfluːənt/ B1	adjective - able to speak a language easily and smoothly
learn /lɜːn/ A1	verb - to gain knowledge of or skill in something by study, experience, or being taught
afraid /əˈfreɪd/ A1	adjective - feeling fear or anxiety
challenge /ˈtʃæləndʒ/ B1	noun - something that is difficult or slows progress
brain /breɪn/ A1	noun - the organ in your head that controls thoughts, memory, feelings, etc.
slow /sloʊ/ A1	adjective - not moving or operating quickly
connect /kəˈnekt/ A2	verb - to join or link together

Key Grammar Structures

• By the time you finish, maybe 3 or 4 seconds have passed.

  ➔ Time clause with "by the time" + present perfect to show an action completed before another point in the future.

  ➔ The phrase "by the time" sets a deadline, and the verb "have passed" (present perfect) shows that the seconds are already gone when you finish.

• If you think directly in English, you don't need to translate.

  ➔ First conditional: present simple in the if‑clause + present simple in the main clause for a general truth.

  ➔ The word "don't" shows the negative present simple in the result clause, meaning the need for translation disappears when you think in English.

• You can answer more quickly and you feel more confident.

  ➔ Modal verb "can" + base verb for ability, followed by comparative adverbs "more quickly" and "more confident".

  ➔ "Can" expresses ability, while "more quickly" and "more confident" compare the speed and confidence with previous situations.

• It's like driving a car. At the beginning, you think, "Okay, press the pedal, move the wheel, check the mirror." But later, you don't think about it.

  ➔ Simile with "like + gerund", followed by a contrastive conjunction "but", and a negative present simple "don't think".

  ➔ "It's like" introduces a simile; "don't think" (negative present simple) shows the habit that disappears later.

• The goal is not to speak perfect complex English.

  ➔ Infinitive phrase "to speak" used as a complement after "is not", showing purpose/desired action.

  ➔ "to speak" is the infinitive that describes what the goal **is not** – speaking perfect, complex English.

• Instead of thinking I would like to express that I am feeling extremely hungry right now, just think I'm hungry.

  ➔ "Instead of" + gerund phrase, followed by an imperative clause "just think" offering a simpler alternative.

  ➔ "Instead of" signals a replacement; the highlighted word **thinking** shows the gerund, and **just think** is an imperative urging a simpler expression.

• Label things around you in English. Look at your room. You see a table, a chair, a phone, a window.

  ➔ Series of imperative sentences giving instructions; the subject “you” is implied.

  ➔ Each sentence starts with a verb in its base form (e.g., "Label", "Look", "see"), which is typical for imperatives.

• If you don't know the word happy, don't translate it into your language.

  ➔ Zero conditional: present simple in both clauses, expressing a general truth; includes a negative imperative in the main clause.

  ➔ The highlighted word **don't** appears twice – first in the if‑clause (“don't know”) and then in the imperative (“don't translate”), showing both negation and instruction.