Gabrielle asks: "When I don't understand, I often just smile, nod, and pretend I do. How can I stop this?" Episode Summary: Is it normal to pretend you understand? Every language learning journey starts like this Persistence is the name of the game In terms of stages, here's how I see it: Lower level: You still have a lot to learn, so don't be surprised if you don't understand. Keep studying. Have conversations with sympathetic listeners. Higher level: This is the stage where you need to get used to the vocabulary of everyday life, especially if you've been in "study mode" for a long time. Speak as much as possible, and focus on the situation/conversation, not the language. Record your conversations and analyse them later. Remember: You don't need to understand everything Keeping the conversation going is key Make general points Tell stories Ask

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