Perfectionism can make speaking a foreign language particularly challenging. The overwhelming fear of making mistakes and the feeling of not being good enough can turn conversations into stressful experiences. Based on my experience working with many students, I’d like to share some strategies to help you manage these challenges. With the right mindset, you can speak more confidently—and make conversations more enjoyable for yourself and others.

You move to a new country, eager to learn the language and use it in daily life. But time and again, your conversation partners switch to English—frustrating, isn’t it? Worse yet, this can trap you in a vicious circle that hinders your progress. In this text, I’ll break down how this circle works, its impact on your learning, and—most importantly—how to break free. With strategies from modern communication psychology, you’ll learn to handle these setbacks and even prevent them in the future!