Stop Trying to Make English Make Sense
One of my students recently spent almost half of our lesson explaining how grammar worked in Portuguese.
He kept trying to make English follow the same rules.
Eventually, he became frustrated and stopped taking lessons.
That experience reminded me of something I've noticed over and over again.
The people who learn English the fastest usually have two things in common:
- They aren't afraid to make mistakes.
- They stop trying to make English make sense.
That second point might sound strange.
Of course English makes sense.
It just doesn't make sense compared to your native language.
When we translate word for word, we're asking English to behave like Portuguese, Spanish, Korean, Turkish, or Mandarin. But it can't. Every language has its own logic, its own grammar, its own rhythm, its own culture, and its own way of expressing ideas.
If you constantly compare English to your first language, you'll always find something that feels "wrong."
The goal isn't to make English fit your language.
The goal is to let English be English.
Millions of people speak English every day without thinking about grammar rules or translating from another language. The language works because that's simply how English expresses ideas.
I know this is easier said than done.
I experience exactly the same thing when I speak Spanish.
I've been trying to learn the subjunctive in Spanish for 12 years. I have recently started using this technique--When I sit down to study, I let Spanish be Spanish. I tell myself to let Spanish make sense in Spanish.
The more I stop fighting the language, the easier it becomes.
Many language researchers have found that successful learners become comfortable with uncertainty. They don't need every word or grammar rule to make perfect sense before they use it. Instead, they accept that understanding grows with experience.
That mindset has helped me more than any grammar book.
So before your next English conversation or class, try something different.
Take five slow breaths.
Relax your shoulders.
Then remind yourself:
"Let English be English. It doesn't have to make sense in my language."
You don't need to understand why every expression exists before you can use it.
Sometimes the fastest way to become fluent is to stop trying to make English behave like your first language—and simply let it be English.