Written by Gabriela Estrada

Nothing is more common when learning English than getting out of conversation with the typical "I don't understand you"followed by a laugh of relief. Of course, it's easier to get out of the pressure of not understanding than to deal with it, even with basic vocabulary and simple arguments. Saying, "Wait, are you talking about...? At least it keeps the conversation flowing.

But there's nothing to worry about, we've all been there at some point, the important thing is not to stay in that loop. If you want to start responding: "let's talk" (and become fluent in the language, read to the end and learn how to use your brain. use your brain to your advantage to continue an English conversation at your own level and pace. Let's get started!

How to avoid overuse of "I don't understand you"

While it is valid and necessary to use this phrase when you haven't understood something, excessive habit can completely negate the act of constructing more sentences in English. It doesn't matter if the conversation centers on that "I don't understand", in fact, that's the starting point for moving forward. Sometimes it's a matter of learning vocabulary, or it's also a matter of a need to activate listening.

In these cases, it takes willpower to move forward. That's why, as of today, the decision is in favor of the "let's understand English"..

Do not completely eliminate the "I don't understand you"What we need to do is to enrich the vocabulary, identify the reason for the why listening paralysis is occurring and train the brain to to recognize learned and unlearned words.

The first step is to change that mental inertia that is holding you back and then make the decision to continue in the face of the difficulty, to look for a strategy to understanding, instead ofinstead of simply stopping.

The contrast of listening: passive mind vs. active mind

• The passive mentality is the one that gets stuck in a loop. It is the one that focuses on the 90% that it doesn't recognize and stops the conversation with "I don't understand you". This only leads to isolation and fear of the next conversation.
• The active mentality is the one that decides to apply strategies. It is the one that focuses on the 10% of keywords they do know, dares to blurt out a specific question, and keeps the interaction going, even if it's just to understand the topic and then move on. This is amazing when the learner realizes that he/she overcame the pressure and finally understood and continued the conversation.

How to understand in order to converse: here is the key!

The strategy for understanding English requires structure and methodology. Its initial goal is not the total understanding of the subject, but the deduction of it..

At Planeta Immiland Educationwe apply a wide variety of activities to bring students to understand from level zero. Here I share some of them:

1. Vocabulary hunting (the famous keywords): when you hear someone talking fast, ignore filler words (articles, prepositions) and focus on nouns, verbs and adjectives. nouns, verbs and main adjectives. nouns, verbs and adjectives.

Suppose you heard: "Yesterday... airport... lost... luggage..."you could already activate your mind to deduce that it is about something that happened at an airport, something that was lost, what could it be? A suitcase, a ticket, etc. Then start to enrich the conversation with concrete questions and answers on the same topic.

1. Deduce the context: how do you deduce it? key words (keywords) to establish the framework of the conversation. This is phenomenal for gaining trust and further interaction. When listening, the brain looks for the image that represents the words and associates known events.
2. Create your own bridge to the conversation: instead of giving up, use your key words and ask with interest: "Wait, did you say you lost your luggage?" (Wait, did you say you lost your luggage?).

Note: in this example, a sentence of paralysis and surrender was successfully converted into a clarification question. clarifying question. This is just what keeps the communication alive!

Overcome the "I don't understand you with a certified methodology and qualified teachers

The will to move forward is very useful for learning English, but it does not stand alone. You need the basis of a good certified methodology.

At Planeta Immiland, we offer English and French courses endorsed by Languages Canada. Our our certified teachers go beyond just teaching teaching phrases; here the teaching is a whole system for learning. Lessons are designed so that new vocabulary is presented in real contexts and within a safe environment for reinforcement and reinforcement. safe environment for reinforcement and correction..

In addition, the methodology uses the international standards required for immigration certifications, so that students learn according to their objectives, whether it is work, study, adaptation to life in Canada or emigration.

In this link, https://www.planeta-immiland-education.com/ you can explore our online academy and learn about our English and French programs.

If you would like to start your language training with us, take our free placement test and after the results review the content and registration forms for the level that corresponds to you.

In conclusion, the next time you want to use the phrase "I don't understand you", think about how much your listening skills are activated and the level of your vocabulary to continue conversing. Remember that the will goes much better with the structure of a certified certified methodology and the support of qualified teachers.

I hope this topic will help you to move forward with English. Thank you very much for reading, see you soon!

With love, 

Planeta Immiland Education