Poco a poco se llega lejos
One of the keys to speaking a language fluently is to stop translating. When you start thinking in Spanish, everything feels more natural and automatic. But how can you do it?
Here are some easy and effective strategies to help you:
1. Start with simple thoughts
Use basic phrases you need every day:
- Tengo hambre.
- Hace calor.
- Hoy es miércoles.
Say them out loud or think them quietly. Do it several times a day to train your brain.
2. Make mental lists in Spanish
Practice naming things in your environment:
- What you see in the kitchen
- What you need to buy
- Your tasks for today
This helps grow your vocabulary naturally.
3. Talk to yourself quietly or in your mind
Describe what you’re doing:
- Estoy abriendo la ventana.
- Voy a preparar café.
- Tengo que enviar un correo.
This connects actions to words in Spanish without needing translation.
4. Change your phone or apps to Spanish
Set your phone, social media, or GPS to Spanish.
This gives you daily contact with real vocabulary, in context.
5. Think in images, not translations
Don’t think “table = mesa”.
Think directly of a mesa when you see one.
This step is very important to avoid mental translation.
6. Ask yourself: how would a native speaker say this?
While reading or listening, think:
“¿Cómo lo diría yo si fuera hispanohablante?”
This helps you use natural structures and words.
7. Correct yourself in Spanish
If you make a mistake, don’t switch back to English. Try again in Spanish:
No es “fue al mercado”… es “fui al mercado”.
This trains your internal voice to stay in Spanish.
📝 Download the free study sheet: “Train Your Mind in Spanish”
This free printable will help you practice these habits every day.
It includes:
✔️ Common Spanish phrases
✔️ Daily thinking exercises
✔️ A mini progress checklist
🎁 Get it for free:
Learning Spanish, poco a poco 
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