One of the best ways to communicate better in English even if it is not your mother tongue is to just jump right in. Spend time with English speakers and join in their conversations. Don’t worry if you don’t know a particular word, the best thing is to communicate!
Today we are with David who is from Brussels, Belgium. He grew up in a French speaking household.
David, which languages did you speak while you were growing up?
We spoke only French at home, we learned Dutch and English at school.
What was the most difficult part of learning English for you?
Vocabulary was the most difficult. The words looks like French, but they are not. If you try to say a French word with an English accent, you will get your point across. It may not be exactly the right word, but English speaking people will understand.
How did you practice speaking English?
I traveled to Great Britain and I stayed with a family who didn’t speak French. I was forced to speak English for everything! I visited the UK once a year during vacation.
What advice do you have for someone is starting to learn English?
Listen to the news in English, to help build up a passive knowledge, read books in English, and to speak to English speakers who don’t know French. This will force you to speak English.
Thank you very much David, for sharing with us your experience in learning how to speak English, even if it is not your native tongue.
