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  • Post last modified:January 30, 2025
how to overcome fear of speaking a foreign language

Speaking is perhaps the major issue for all of us when learning a new language. I know, I’ve been in that situation many times. You put so much effort into language learning, studying vocabulary and grammar, listening to podcasts, reading, and even speaking online with somebody.

But then, when it comes to real life, and you’re in the actual country trying to use the language and speak to locals, nothing comes out.

I have already learned 3 languages (English, German, and Spanish) and keep learning more. Throughout the years, I’ve battled my fear of speaking and practicing in public using my strategies.

In this article, I would like to share my thoughts on overcoming your fear of speaking and give you my own experience of how I did it.

9 Tips To Overcome Your Fear Of Speaking A Foreign Language

Here are my strategies for overcoming your fear of speaking. They have helped me to break through and battle my fear of speaking foreign languages. So take some notes, go out there, and practice using these tips.

Scroll down to read an explanation for each step:

  1. Put yourself into the shoes of others
  2. Find non-native speakers to practice the language
  3. Think positively
  4. Eliminate stress
  5. Don’t care about the mistakes
  6. Make fun of yourself & smile
  7. Work on your pronunciation
  8. Practice by talking to yourself first
  9. Practice makes perfect

Language Resources For Your Learning

Here are some of my favorite language-learning resources I use to learn foreign languages:

Practice speaking on iTALKI
Listen to a podcast on COFFEE BREAK LANGUAGES
Read 101 CONVERSATIONS IN SIMPLE ‘LANGUAGE
Get my LANGUAGE TRAVEL NOTEBOOK to keep track of new words
Watch TV Series & Movies on LINGOPIE.

1. Put Yourself Into The Shoes Of Others

You have probably already met a person in your life whose native language was different than that of yours. You chatted, and the person was talking to you in your native language so that you could understand each other.

How did you feel at that moment? Maybe you told yourself that the person is cool because he can talk to you in your native language. And perhaps it was the first thing you even told him that his language skills are amazing.

You immediately acknowledged the person because he was speaking to you in your native language. And it might be the person who was nervous talking to you in a foreign language.

I bet this is in everybody’s mind when they hear a foreigner speaking the local language. That is why you should never be afraid of speaking in a foreign language. Just think about that – people aren’t looking for the mistakes you might make while talking. Instead, they appreciate your effort.

put yourself into the shoes of others how to overcome fear of speaking a foreign language

2. Find Non-Native Speakers To Practice Speaking

Don’t get me wrong, practicing with native speakers is always better because you hear the natural language without mistakes. But speaking to a non-native speaker is often very encouraging.

It can help you become confident when speaking, especially if you are both on the same language level. That’s a perfect match because you will understand each other, encourage each othercorrect mistakes, and make improvements.

Although native speakers appreciate your effort to speak their language, they might indicate with their body language that you are too slow. It might discourage you from speaking the language.

Especially if you are chatting in a group full of native speakers, they talk so fast, and you might feel so little and intimidated among them.

So, I advise you to speak to non-natives just because you are on the same board, which eliminates your fear of speaking a lot. You’ll understand each other’s feelings and frustrations when learning a language, and it’ll boost your confidence.

me and my language and travel friend how to set language learning goals
My language and travel friend with me in Barcelona

👉 READ ALSO: 7 Benefits Of Learning A Language For Travel

3. Think Positively

When you program your mind that something will go wrong, it’ll happen. That’s just how life works.

But if you face a situation with a positive mindset, telling yourself this will end up wonderful, then it’ll be a great experience.

It’s the same with language speaking. Before talking to someone, even if you just want to order something and say a few sentences, tell yourself you’ll master it.

Don’t walk into the shop or restaurant with the mindset ‘what if.’ What if the people won’t understand me? What if I get stuck in the middle of the sentence… what if I keep forgetting words when speaking… ‘What if ‘… no, never say that.

Instead, say that you’ll talk in a foreign language no matter what. Positive thinking significantly helps you to overcome the fear of speaking a foreign language.

how to overcome fear of speaking a foreign language think positively

4. Eliminate Stress

You know that feeling when you try to start talking to a stranger in his language, and after, he just splashes big waves of sentences, and you have no idea what he said. Your mind is filled with stress, and suddenly, you don’t know what to do or how to respond.

Take it easy. Get rid of the stress and take your time. You can tell the person you’re practicing the language and ask him to say it once again but very slowly.

Be confident, and don’t give up in the first place just because the person is speaking too fast. If you share your feelings with the other person, he’ll understand and be more patient.

eliminate stress how to overcome fear of speaking a foreign language

👉 READ ALSO: What Is The Best Language To Learn To Travel Europe? Revealed!

5. Don’t Care About The Mistakes

Don’t care about your mistakes in the conversation because nobody else cares. Instead, see it from the other point of view. Mistakes help you to improve your language skills. When you make mistakes, you’ll realize them and remember the correct version of the sentence or word.

Next time, you won’t make the same mistake anymore because you learned a lesson from the past.

Just keep talking. You don’t even have to correct yourself while speaking. But it’s good to remember those mistakes. After you have time, you can write the sentences into your language travel notebook. It’ll help you remember the correct version even more.

don't care about the mistakes how to overcome fear of speaking a foreign language

6. Make Fun Of Yourself & Smile

We all go through embarrassing situations in life. It also happens when you speak to someone in a foreign language. You might say something ridiculous or something that doesn’t make any sense. The person just stares at you with this strange face and thinks, “What on earth is that crazy person saying?

That’s another part of your language learning process. In these kinds of situations, don’t get scared. Instead, make fun of yourself. Laugh at what you said, maybe apologize if that’s appropriate, but don’t feel ashamed.

There is no reason to feel embarrassed. Laugh, and if you don’t know how else you can express yourself, say it in English or let it go completely. Again, people will appreciate that you at least tried.

make fun of yourself how to overcome fear of speaking a foreign language

7. Work On Your Pronunciation

I’ve experienced that I was often afraid of speaking because I wasn’t sure about the pronunciation of some words. Have you had that feeling, too?

You start talking, and then you come across a word in your mind that you’re about to use in your sentence, but you aren’t 100% sure how to pronounce it, so the fear comes back.

But again, don’t worry about not pronouncing things right. If the other person doesn’t understand, stand/sit in front of him clearly and repeat. Repeat it a hundred times until he gets what you mean.

And then he can even correct you, and you can laugh and tell him you appreciate him correcting you.

PRO TIP: If you want to practice speaking at home and work on your pronunciation, check out iTalki. I’ve been using this platform to learn Spanish, which has helped me immensely. You can find a tutor that suits you best and practice speaking with him.

Check out iTalki and practice speaking your foreign language from home.

8. Practice By Talking To Yourself First

Have you ever thought of talking to yourself? It’s so much fun, try it. I often talk to myself in different languages just to practice speaking. You don’t need to say it out loud but talk to yourself in your mind.

You can do so when you walk outside; just randomly name things you see around and say what other people are doing.

Or, if you’re at your apartment, doing laundry, or cooking dinner, tell yourself in a foreign language how your day was and what you experienced, or say any thoughts you have.

You can also practice speaking in particular situations, like ordering food & drinks in a restaurant or traveling somewhere, before you will be in that situation in real life.

talk to yourself how to learn a language by yourself
Me talking to myself (recording myself) and practising German

👉 READ ALSO: How To Set Achievable Language Learning Goals: 9-Step Guide

9. Practice Makes Perfect

You have set the goal of learning and mastering a new foreign language to travel. Keep that in mind. You have to do everything possible to achieve it. If you are afraid of speaking a foreign language, you won’t make any progress.

You can only improve your language skills when you talk and have a conversation. It doesn’t even have to be a native person. Remember, you must practice repeatedly. That fear only restricts you from doing so. So could you get rid of it?

You must overcome the fear of speaking and keep practicing, no matter what. The more you speak, the easier it gets.

Laughing and smiling always ease any situation.

how to improve your language skills what is the most important skill of language learning

Why Are We Afraid Of Speaking Foreign Languages?

I’ve been reflecting on the reasons why we are actually afraid to speak foreign languages. And here is what I’ve come up with. Get some more encouragement if you need it.

🙈 We Feel Unprepared

Sometimes, we think we haven’t had enough practice, we don’t know enough words to keep the communication going, and we just don’t have enough. But hey, it’s the mindset, remember?

The best things in life happen when we don’t expect it. And so it’s with spontaneous conversations in a foreign language. The less you stress about it and the less you’re prepared, the more at peace you’ll be and the better it’ll go.

🙈 We Are Afraid Of Judgement

I understand there are people judging us from every corner. But why does it matter? You do you.

Be proud of yourself that you have come this far and you can somehow communicate in the language. The right people will appreciate it instead of judging you.

🙈 We Are Afraid Of Making Mistakes

Mistakes help us learn and improve our skills. Think about it from this point of view, and you’ll no longer feel bad for making occasional mistakes in your foreign language. Change your mindset about it.

🙈 We Want To Speak Flawlesly

We don’t need to speak perfectly. Imagine that even native speakers make mistakes. Nobody is perfect. So why would you want to speak perfectly?

Don’t stress about a conversation in foreign languages or the insecurity you might feel. Instead, just embrace it and go for it. It’ll be rewarding afterward.

BONUS: How To Learn A Language For Travel

I love learning languages to travel and live in different countries. Languages have significantly improved my life and brought me much better travel experiences. Knowing a language eliminates a lot of stress when you travel, and you’ll feel more comfortable interacting with the world around you.

So I’d like to teach you a language if you’re up for it. Check out my article and follow my guide for learning a language for travel by clicking on the image below:

WRAP-UP: How To Overcome The Fear Of Speaking A Foreign Language

These are my tips for overcoming your fear of speaking a foreign language. I totally understand how you feel. As I said, I’ve been there, and it’s one of the most uncomfortable things if you have to speak in a foreign language that you haven’t mastered well yet.

But the more you practice and the less fear you have, the better you will get in the language. So, just keep going. I believe in you.

If you have any questions about language learning or need more help, contact me at info(at)voicesoftravel.com.

Happy Learning!

voices of travel about me profile photo

About the author: Nicoletta is a travel enthusiast and passionate language learner. While traveling, she loves to connect with locals using her language skills to learn about new cultures. Look for her skiing, hiking in the mountains, or exploring new destinations as she designs travel itineraries for her clients.

LANGUAGES: Interested in more articles about foreign language?
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