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Hey Reader,

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Can you think in your target language? Or do you still depend on translation?

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You probably don't think about thinking in your target language very often. But you should. It's the missing link between knowing the language and writing or speaking it well.

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And until you start thinking in your target language, you have to depend on the painful alternative of simultaneous translation to communicate with others.

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Simultaneous translation is manageable for quick chats. But it's mentally exhausting for longer ones and limits your ability to keep up with fast-moving conversations or meetings.

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This fact is burned into my memory thanks to a simultaneous translation I once did in São Paulo. It was a 90-minute corporate event, and I had to translate in both directions: From English to Portuguese and from Portuguese back to English, all while the speakers continued their talks.

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My brain was fried by the end of the event, and I'll never do anything like it again. But what's crazy is that this is exactly what happens when you have conversations in your target language while thinking in your native one.

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The sooner you stop translating and start thinking in your target language, the more enjoyable and sustainable your language practice and interactions will become.

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I used to do this when I lived in São Paulo and it was super helpful. I would make observations about the things I noticed while I was walking, riding the metro, or grocery shopping – anything to activate my thinking muscle.

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Once you're comfortable with that, the next step in the progression is to think out loud. Giving yourself permission to voice your thoughts alone has many benefits:
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• It helps you get clarity
• It raises your self-awareness
• It's a fun way to brainstorm ideas or stories

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These are the same hidden benefits of Rocket Fuel's video challenges. But unless you're a Rocket Fuel user, thinking out loud has the same limitations as thinking to yourself:
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• There's no reward or product
• There's no human contact
• There's no feedback

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One solution I've been experimenting with is recording my voice notes with the AI web app, AudioPen.

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AudioPen is one of the 3 AI-powered tools I mentioned in my last email. To recap, AudioPen lets you:
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• Get a summary of what you said
• Change the length and style of the summary
• Choose the input and output language of your voice note

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Its multiple use cases and ease of use have made it the digital Swiss Army knife of my day-to-day routine. But today I'll focus on the uses that help me improve my thinking in Portuguese.

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Let's start with the transcript of my reply (in 🇧🇷 Portuguese) to a recent Rocket Fuel challenge about travel hosts, with the AudioPen summary just below it:

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If you can understand Portuguese, you'll notice my original reply is a messy brainstorm full of doubt. You'll also notice the improvements (and corrections) in AudioPen's version.

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But I want to highlight what I think are the 3 main benefits of using AudioPen for voice notes in your target language:

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1. It Incentivizes Thinking Out Loud

I made Rocket Fuel because it's the product I wish existed in Portuguese. In less than 5 minutes, you can read, listen to, and speak English. Every reply leads to personal feedback, too.

But unlike my students, I don't have a teacher sending me feedback on my replies. This always discouraged me from replying to my own challenges... until now.

With AudioPen, I can get indirect feedback that helps me improve my Portuguese thinking. That incentivizes me to think out loud in Portuguese more often, and it can do the same for you in your target language.

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2. It Suggests New Vocabulary and Structure

AudioPen uses some words I didn't originally use to make my reply clearer (e.g. apoio, desempenhou, acolheu). It also rearranges my thoughts sensibly. This is powerful feedback.

By giving me different structures and words to organize my thoughts, it offers me better ways to express myself about this topic. It also gives me new words for my vocabulary workflow.

This is exactly what you need when you're trying to start thinking more in your target language.

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3. It Helps You Find Your Voice

Maybe the reason you're not thinking in your target language is because you haven't found your voice. Not voice as in vocals, but voice as in style.

When you speak your target language, you have to embody a persona. That might be the same persona as your native tongue, but that's not always the case.

Luckily, AudioPen can rewrite your summary in a variety of pre-installed styles (or a customized one, if you're feeling experimental) and find the one that suits you. And if you re-read it out loud, you'll start to make it your own.

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​Give AudioPen a try during your next study session and let me know what you think (and hopefully, speak).

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Did you find this useful? Please consider forwarding it to a friend who's on the same journey as you.

If your friend sent this email to you and you don't want to miss the next one, you can sign up for more at schoolofjuan.com.

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Have a great week!

– Juan

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