When you are nervous to speak German | Super Easy German (74)

Summary

The video script discusses common anxieties people face when speaking German as a foreign language, including feeling less competent and spontaneous. The speaker empathizes with these feelings, drawing from personal experiences and offering three tips to overcome language-related anxiety. The first tip is recognizing and accepting general fears of speaking. The second is to consistently test one's limits by creating challenging conversational situations. Lastly, learning and memorizing standard phrases can boost confidence and facilitate more fluent communication. The script encourages viewers to practice and engage in the discussion by sharing their own tips for overcoming nervousness when speaking a foreign language.

Takeaways

• 😣 Many people feel nervous or even anxious when speaking German as a foreign language, as it can make them feel less competent than in their native language.
• 🤔 It's important to recognize if one has a general fear of speaking, as understanding this fear can help in accepting and overcoming it.
• 💪 The speaker personally struggled with these fears and found that challenging themselves repeatedly helped to become more confident in other situations.
• 🚀 A second tip is to find ways to continually test your limits, such as having conversations that push you to go a step further in your language abilities.
• 🇩🇪 In Germany, people often switch to English when they see someone struggling with German, which can be frustrating for learners who want to practice German.
• 🗣️ To overcome this, create conversation situations where you don't switch to another language, and try to learn certain sentences by heart to use in difficult situations.
• 📝 Learning standard phrases by heart can help in gaining confidence and focusing on new vocabulary and expressions during conversations.
• 📝 Examples of standard phrases include asking for repetition in German, ordering food in a restaurant, and responding to common questions.
• 🌐 The speaker mentions the importance of not just sticking to the same sentences and getting stuck, but also learning to start a conversation with a few phrases.
• 👍 The video encourages viewers to like the video and participate in the discussion by sharing their own tips for overcoming nervousness when speaking a foreign language.
• 📺 The speaker invites viewers to support German learning and their work by subscribing to their channel and looking forward to their next video.

Q & A

Why do some people feel nervous when speaking German?

Some people feel nervous speaking German because they are not as fluent or confident as they are in their native language, which can make them feel less competent and spontaneous.

What does the speaker compare the feeling of speaking a foreign language to?

The speaker compares the feeling of speaking a foreign language to feeling like a child again, as one may not be as witty or competent as they are in their native language.

What are the three tips or ideas the speaker wants to discuss to overcome the fear of speaking German?

The speaker wants to discuss recognizing if there is a general fear of speaking, finding ways to test one's limits, and learning a few standard sentences by heart to use in specific situations.

Why is it important to recognize if one has a general fear of speaking?

Recognizing a general fear of speaking is important because it allows one to understand and accept these fears, making it easier to work on overcoming them.

How does the speaker suggest dealing with the fear of speaking in front of an audience or on the phone?

The speaker suggests being aware of this fear and using challenges to become more self-confident in other situations, such as learning a new language.

What does the speaker suggest to help German learners overcome the difficulty of forming fluent sentences?

The speaker suggests creating conversation situations where learners are pushed to go a step further without switching to their native language, and learning certain sentences by heart.

Why is it frustrating for German learners when people switch to English as soon as they see the learner is struggling?

It is frustrating because it prevents learners from progressing in their conversation and getting past the point where they are stuck, hindering their language development.

What are some examples of standard sentences the speaker suggests learning by heart?

Examples include asking someone to repeat something in German, ordering food in a restaurant, and responding to common questions that people often ask.

How can learning standard sentences help in a conversation?

Learning standard sentences can help build confidence and allow the learner to focus on acquiring new vocabulary and expressions rather than getting stuck on the same sentences.

What does the speaker suggest as a way to practice German without switching to one's native language?

The speaker suggests arranging conversation sessions with a friend where they agree to speak German for a set amount of time without switching to their native language.

How does the speaker encourage viewers to engage with the content and share their own tips?

The speaker asks viewers to like the video if they enjoyed it, leave a comment sharing their own tips for overcoming nervousness when speaking a foreign language, and to subscribe to Easy German for more content.