Fluency seems to be the ultimate goal of most language learners.
But what does fluency really mean,
and more importantly: how can you reach it in your target language?
I'll explain everything in today's video.
To start with, let's check how fluency is defined by some dictionaries.
In the Cambridge Dictionary we can read that fluency is...
"The ability to speak or write a language easily, well and quickly."
If we look it up in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, we find another interesting definition.
Fluency is "the quality or state of being fluent."
And fluent is "capable of using a language easily and accurately."
These are all good definitions but, in my opinion,
to have a clear understanding of what being fluent means
we need to get to the root of the word.
Fluency comes from the Latin word "fluo," which means to flow.
And if you think about it, when you're fluent in a particular language
then conversation with another person flows smoothly and quickly.
To sum it up, we can say that you're fluent in a language
when you speak it rather well and when communication flows
meaning that you can also understand what the other person is saying.
To make this more concrete, I think that you can consider yourself fluent in a language
when you reach a B2 level on the CEFR scale.
You don't know every single word
you do not master the language like a native speaker
but you can use it in many situations.
You can understand what you're told
and answer without too much hesitation or trouble.
Of course, you're free to use your own definition of fluency
but for the purpose of this video, I will stick with the one I've just given.
Now it's time to find out how you can become fluent in the language you're learning.
In order to reach fluency in your target language, you need to build a strong vocabulary.
It's the very first step to having a good command of the language.
Of course, you do not have to know all the words a native speaker knows.
And you should understand more words than those that you actively use.
In other words, you should have more passive vocabulary.
It's also important to focus on the right words.
You could know thousands of specialized words without being fluent.
So you should choose what you learn carefully.
My tips to learn vocab are:
Use frequency lists
Be clear about your goals
And leverage the power of a Spaced Repetition System to learn quicker
As I said, fluency implies a communication flow, which is only possible
when you understand the majority of what people tell you.
So one of your main goals on the road to fluency
should be to develop strong listening skills.
Having a good vocab will definitely help you, but it's not enough.
It's one thing to know the meaning of a word,
but it's another to be able to identify and understand
that particular word during a spoken interaction.
If you watch movies without subtitles, which I recommend,
you often miss some words that you actually know,
and that's absolutely normal.
Therefore, you should listen to the language every single day:
movies, TV series, radio shows, podcasts,
listening activities, you name it.
Multiply your interactions with the spoken language
and train your ear on a regular basis,
and each day you will be a little closer to your fluency goal.
When you think about fluency,
you probably picture someone who can speak rather quickly
and who is capable of adequately and accurately expressing their thoughts.
"Speak" and "fluently" are often paired in the same sentence,
and there's a good reason for that.
Although memorizing a lot of words
and developing strong listening skills are important,
do not forget that fluency is all about speaking.
So how do you speak the language well enough to reach fluency?
As always with language learning, the key is constant practice.
As soon as you can, you should start speaking with language partners,
tutors and other people, to develop the important skill
of translating your ideas into words.
Abbe recently recorded a video about self-conversation,
which can be quite useful, especially in the early stages.
But at some point you need to interact and speak with other human beings.
As I've already said in the past,
speaking a language is a skill that you develop with practice.
You can study concepts and memorize theories,
but when it comes to speaking a foreign language,
constant practice is paramount.
In a nutshell, in order to become fluent, you need to
put your focus on three main activities:
Memorizing key words and phrases
Developing strong listening skills and
Getting enough speaking practice
If you want more information about this fascinating topic,
I suggest watching these videos, which complement what I told you today:
How Long Does it Take to Learn a Language
How to Improve your Listening Skills at the Beginning
and When and How to Start Speaking
a Foreign Language
Of course you'll find all the links below.
That's all for today. Take care!
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