Have you studied Italian for a long time, but when you need to talk you freeze because you are shy? Don’t worry, you can overcome it! You don’t believe us? Let’s take a look to our advice!
Overcome your SHYNESS and TALK ITALIAN with native speakers!
On our social media, we often receive messages by desperate students saying: “I have studied Italian for very long time, but when I need to talk with a native speaker I freeze because I’m shy!”
Well, unfortunately shyness can be a real obstacle, especially when you are learning a foreign language! But don’t worry: shyness is something we all share, and it can show in many different ways and contexts.
So, here you have some piece of advice to get rid of the tension and learn to “try” to talk in Italian, or in any other foreign language.
1. BE CURIOUS
Do not get obsessed on what you’re saying, how you are saying it, how your hair looks like, and so on… Instead, get more interested on the person you are talking to. You need to forget about yourself, and try to actually be curious on what the other person is telling you.
In this way, you will create a more natural, spontaneous and authentic relationship, and you will also feel more comfortable, helping you with your shyness.
2. BE PREPARED
Obviously, especially when you need to talk in front of a big audience, you need a little preparation in order not to embarrass yourself. You always need a guideline to follow, in order not to be left speechless!
Then, in tragic situations, when you are panicking and you feel like there is no escape but an embarrassing silence… there you have something coming in help: the random question! That is a question that can even make no sense at all, it does not really matter… the problem of answering will be of the other person anyway!
The best scenario would be to ask the other person an opinion somehow related to what you were talking about. So you could say: “And what do you think about…?”
3. EVERYBODY MAKES MISTAKES
For real, everybody, even native speakers!
Let’s just think about Italian: there are many Italian people who use in the wrong way subjunctive, conditional, “passato remoto” and so on. And not only uneducated people make mistakes. Actually, also ministers and TV showmen.
So do not be afraid: talk, talk, talk, without worrying about errors!
4. COPYING IS GOOD
Obviously we don’t mean to copy during exams or the work of others. Instead, when you are learning a new language, you can look for models to copy when you talk: people you would like to look like. For example, for their pronunciation, their intonation, their facial expressions or their way to gesticulate, their pauses, and so on.
Some good examples for Italian are: Alberto Angela and Luca Ward. When talking, try to identify yourself with them, and you will feel more brave!
Speaking of models… have you already checked out our t-shirts on our online shop LearnAmo Collection?
5. LAUGH
It might sound silly, but actually you can face everything better with a big smile and a bit of irony! Learn to laugh at yourself and at your mistakes, in this way you won’t be scared anymore that other people might laugh at you.
In the worst case, you will laugh together and everything will end smoothly! Then, time after time, these episodes will become funny memories to talk about.
6. BLA BLA BLA
This means: practice makes perfect! Talk as much as you can, try to use every occasion you have to talk.
Go out, go to a bar and drink something, try to start a conversation with someone there (maybe talking about the weather!). Or start conversations through social media, and then do Skype video-calls.
The more you talk with different people, the faster you will get used to interact with others and to overcome your shyness!
Do not miss all the other lessons!
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