With summer holidays approaching, a language expert has revealed why Brits should stop chasing perfection and focus on simple, practical language skills before travelling abroad.
Whether ordering food, asking for directions or trying to speak to a taxi driver, many people freeze because they think they need to sound fluent before opening their mouth.
But language expert Julie Richard at Kelvinside said the real secret is not perfection – it is having a go.
She said learning even a handful of local phrases can completely change the way people experience a country, helping them feel more confident, more connected and more respectful when travelling.
Julie said: “Learning a language is about communication, not perfection. If you manage to get your message across, even with mistakes, that is still a success.
“Please and thank you are a really good beginning. Even trying to say those basics in the local language goes a long way. It shows respect, and local people are often much more likely to help you or have a conversation with you if they can see you are trying.”
Julie warned there is no magic shortcut to becoming fluent in a few weeks, despite the number of apps and websites promising quick results.
Instead, she said the best way to learn is to immerse yourself, listen properly and be brave enough to make mistakes.
“Going to the country is the best thing you can do because you are immersed in it. You have to survive and work things out,” she said.
“You could sit with a book for hours and learn hundreds of words, but by the time someone speaks to you, the conversation may have already moved on. For a holiday, it is much better to learn the basics and actually use them.”
Julie said travellers should focus on phrases they will genuinely need, rather than trying to memorise huge vocabulary lists.
“Pick a few words or phrases that are useful for your trip. Maybe one week your goal is learning how to order in a restaurant, ask for the bill or ask for something you need.
“Do not try to take on too much. Your brain can only hold a certain amount at once, so small chunks are much more useful. Learn five words, practise them, and do not move on until you feel confident.”
One of Julie’s biggest pieces of advice is to stop trying to translate the way you speak in English.
“Sometimes people think, ‘This is the level I speak at in English, so I need to say the exact same thing in French or Spanish.’ But your English will be far beyond your level in another language.
“Keep it really simple. Use short sentences. If you only know the present tense, use that. Do not fall apart halfway through a sentence because you are trying to use the future tense or make it sound perfect.
“If part of the sentence is in the local language and part of it is in English, that is okay. You are still communicating.”
Julie also said people should not be put off if someone replies in English after hearing them attempt the local language.
“If someone answers you in English, let them. But do not let it stop you trying again next time.
“If people correct you, it is usually because they are trying to help, not because they want to stop you speaking. Think about how much broken English we hear every day. It is completely fine to go to another country and use broken French or broken Spanish.”
For nervous travellers, Julie suggested writing key phrases on a piece of paper at first.
“If you are anxious, have it written down. Once you have said it a few times, your pronunciation will become clearer, and you will feel more confident.
“There is a real proud moment when you have practised a phrase, you use it and it works. You think, ‘That was amazing.’ That is how confidence builds.
Julie’s language-learning hacks
Start with the polite basics
Julie said travellers should learn the words and phrases they are most likely to use first, including “please”, “thank you”, “can I have?” and “do you speak English?”
“Even if you start a sentence in the local language and finish it in English, you are still having a go. That effort matters.”
Use mini flashcards
Julie recommended making small flashcards with English on one side and the foreign language on the other.
“Have your keywords for the holiday and do five words a day. Do not move on to the next five until you feel confident with them.
“Some people like writing them out, some people like colour, some people like saying them out loud. You need to find what works for you.”
Practise out loud, even to your pet
Julie said one of the biggest barriers is feeling embarrassed by pronunciation, so people should practise speaking before they go.
“Repeat the words, sing them, shout them, talk to the mirror or talk to your cat.
“I always tell pupils that pets are great because they listen and they do not answer back. It helps you stop feeling self-conscious.”
Use Google or apps for pronunciation
If you are unsure how to say a word, Julie advised using translation tools with audio.
“There is so much help now. You can type a word into Google and often there is a speaker icon so you can hear it and repeat it.
“That is really useful for pronunciation, especially in languages where the way a word looks and the way it sounds can be very different.”
Turn on foreign-language Netflix, Disney+, or Prime
One of Julie’s favourite hacks is changing the language settings on streaming platforms.
“You can watch your favourite show or film in another language. Because you already know what is happening, you start to pick up common words naturally.
“You are hearing the language; the pronunciation patterns and the words people actually use. That repeated listening really helps.”
Julie said subtitles can also help, especially for harder languages or unfamiliar alphabets.
“If you know the scene is happening in a café, for example, you can start matching what you are hearing with what you are seeing. It makes the language feel much more real.”
Do not make it feel like a school test
Julie said many adults carry nerves from school language lessons, but using a language on holiday should feel very different.
“The last time lots of people studied a language was at school, so it can feel like you are being tested. But this is not about grammar marks.
“It should feel enjoyable. The aim is to get across what you are trying to say, not to be perfect.”
Photo by SpotOn POS: https://www.pexels.com/photo/efficient-counter-service-in-a-modern-restaurant-37594407/
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