How to continue a conversation in English

by Elblogdeidiomas.es · Published 25/03/2022 · Updated 12/04/2022

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It has probably happened to you that after spending a more or less long time studying English, you have had a bad experience because when communicating with a native English speaker you have not understood it and naturally, you are tormented by the idea that it has not helped you at all two years of study of that language. But do not despair, you are not the first and unfortunately not the last.

ÍNDICE DE CONTENIDOS

Pay maximum attention
Do not faint
Hold a conversation
Expressions to learn by heart
Don’t try to understand everything either

In this article we promise to provide you with a series of tips that will allow you to bury that bad experience forever, we, therefore, hope that our suggestions can help you to succeed in new conservation and cheer you up for when you are again involved in a conversation with an English.

Pay maximum attention

At first, it will take some work for you to understand what a native English speaker is saying to you and this is totally normal. You do not have to have any qualms about asking him to speak more slowly and if you tell him that you are learning his language, but that he still does not have practice, it is almost certain that your interlocutor will be friendly and willing to help you. Everyone likes that a foreigner is interested in learning their language.

As is normal when we speak in Spanish we feel safe and relaxed, these are the two qualities that you must exhibit to speak a foreign language. Relaxation comes on purpose with our first recommendation, that is, be humble and ask the favor of your conversationalist to speak slowly to you, because being relaxed is the prelude to feeling safe, and nothing better for this than paying maximum attention.

English will realize that you are trying to understand it and that you pay the utmost attention and there is no greater pride for anyone from any country, that someone puts the utmost interest in understanding it in their own language.

Do not faint

It is good to learn pre-set phrases that help us to ask please to repeat what you have not understood as “ could you, please, repeat that? Could you repeat that please? That will get us out of trouble, without a doubt, without you having to blush for it because English will politely answer you and will try to speak to you more slowly.

It is true that sometimes it can give us trouble to request that they repeat the phrases, but even if in the same conversation you have requested it more than once, you do not care, the person in front will understand it and will like your desire to learn.

Hold a conversation

It can be difficult to carry on a conversation. Even if you understand what the other person is saying, you may feel “blocked” or “frozen” when it is your turn to speak. The words or phrases you need don’t usually come to mind quickly enough.

The more opportunities you have to use and speak English, the easier it will be to find the right words when you need them. Take every opportunity you get to use your English! Check out how to practice your English for lots of ideas for finding opportunities to speak.

Expressions to learn by heart

Below we transcribe the most appropriate expressions to maintain a fluent conversation with English:

Sorry, I didn’t catch that –

Perdona, no he entendido eso.

Could you say that again? –

¿Puedes repetir lo que has dicho?

I’m afraid my English is not very good, could you speak slower? –

Perdona, mi inglés no es muy bueno, ¿podrías hablar más despacio?

Do you mean that…? –

Quieres decir que…

Don’t try to understand everything either

Of course, all things take their time, and learning English requires that, time, so it is not advisable to pretend to understand everything in a conversation, because you run the risk of becoming “heavy” asking questions, you just have to ask the necessary ones. Otherwise, the dialogue will be boring both for the English and for you. Also, if you try to keep each word, chances are that when they finish the sentence you will have forgotten everything.

It’s about picking up and learning certain words and using context to form an idea of what they are saying to you. Although it sounds complicated, it is something that our brain does quite intuitively.