Coucou les French learners,

Have you ever found yourself in this situation? A native French speaker asks you a question. You understand every word, but when it’s time to respond, your mind goes blank. The words are there, somewhere, but they refuse to come out. You’re frozen, unable to speak.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. It’s a common experience for language learners, and I’ve been there myself.

These moments were both embarrassing and disheartening.

I encountered this frustrating phenomenon multiple times. At a post office in Zaragoza, Spain the clerk asked me a simple question about my package. I understood perfectly, but I couldn’t formulate a response.

Similarly, in a restaurant in Braga, Portugal a waiter inquired about my meal preference. Again, I comprehended but couldn’t articulate my choice.

Why Does the “Freeze” Happen?

This “freezing” occurs for several reasons:

• Pressure: the sudden need to respond quickly can trigger anxiety.
• Perfectionism: the fear of making mistakes or to not be understood can paralyze us.
• Processing Time: our brains need time to switch from receptive (listening) to productive (speaking) language abilities.
• Lack of Automaticity: our brains haven’t yet developed automatic responses to common situations.

Practical Strategies to Overcome the Freeze

• Prepare Common Responses: repeat phrases for everyday situations so they become automatic. Check out this FREE pronounciation video to get comfortable at giving your opinion in French. Click here!
• Buy Time: Use phrases like “Laissez-moi réfléchir” (Let me think) or “C’est une bonne question…” (That’s a good question) to give yourself a moment to compose your thoughts.
• Visualize Success: Imagine yourself responding confidently in various scenarios.
• Regular Immersion: You need more input! Expose yourself to French daily through podcasts, videos, or conversations to build your comfort level. Click here to listen to my conversations with inspiring people from France and all over the world.

In our online French program, you build your confidence through comprehensible stories. You get to think and respond in French naturally, without the dreaded “freeze.”

Our supportive community of learners provides a safe space to speak French and grow.

Join us and gain

CLARITY: progress step by step through stages and make French become clear to you. Understand French with ease.

COMMUNITY: meet weekly and keep yourself accountable through the most caring and invested community. Think French naturally.

TRANSFORMATION: feel empowered. Be fluent in French. Transform yourself and get a new soul. Speak French freely.