Stop Obsessing Over "Fluency" – You Might've Gotten Language Learning All Wrong From the Get-Go
Sound familiar?
You’ve crammed three thousand words, your phone’s chock-a-block with language apps, but when you meet someone from overseas, all you can manage is still just “Hello, how are you?”. You start to question everything: what does “fluent” even really mean? This seemingly unreachable goal feels like a massive mountain, leaving you gasping for air.
We often think learning a new language is like sitting a never-ending exam, with “fluency” being the perfect score on the test. But today, I want to tell you: that idea is completely off the mark, right from the very start.
Forget about exams. Learning a language is actually much more like learning to cook.
Look at Language as Cooking, and It All Clicks
Of course not.
They’d probably stare blankly at a pile of top-shelf ingredients (the words you’ve crammed), with no clue how to fire up the stove, or how to combine them, ultimately serving up an "inedible mess" – a real dog's breakfast.
Isn't that pretty much where we're at with language learning? We’re obsessed with “how many ingredients we’ve memorised,” instead of “how many signature dishes we can actually whip up.”
“Fluency” isn't about how many words you know; it’s about whether you can use the words you do know to whip up a "decent feed" – which means having effective communication.
Three Myths About “Fluency” – Like Three Useless Cookbooks
Once you start looking at language through the lens of cooking, a lot of those long-standing head-scratchers suddenly become crystal clear.
1. Myth One: Vocabulary Size = Fluency?
Someone once dubbed me "not fluent" because I stumbled on an uncommon word during a chat.
That’s as ridiculous as saying a Sichuan master chef isn't any good because they don't know how to handle French escargots.
A true master chef doesn’t aim to know every ingredient in the world; they can take common ingredients on hand and whip up something amazing. Likewise, the hallmark of a language whiz isn’t knowing every single word in the dictionary, but skillfully using the vocabulary they do have to express their thoughts clearly and effortlessly.
2. Myth Two: Is "Fluency" a Black-and-White Finish Line?
We often assume language proficiency has only two states: "fluent" or "not fluent."
That’s like splitting chefs into only "master chefs" and "kitchen newbies." But the truth is, if someone can only whip up scrambled eggs and tomatoes, do they count as being able to cook? Absolutely! They’ve sorted their own lunch, haven’t they?
Your language proficiency is exactly the same. If today you can successfully nail ordering a coffee in a foreign language, you’ve got "coffee-ordering fluency". Tomorrow, if you can chat to a mate about a movie, you’ve got "movie-chatting fluency".
"Fluency" isn't some distant finish line; it’s a dynamic, ever-expanding range. Your goal shouldn't be "to become a Michelin-star chef," but rather "what dish do I want to master today?"
3. Myth Three: Are Native Speakers "Perfectly Fluent"?
Ask your mates around you – do they know all the idioms in English? Do they know the meaning of obscure words like "sesquipedalian," "profligate," or "chthonic"?
Chances are, they wouldn't have a clue.
Stats show that the vocabulary a native speaker masters in their lifetime typically only makes up 10-20% of their mother tongue's total vocabulary. Yep, if there were a "massive exam" on our native language, every one of us would flunk.
Native speakers are "fluent" not because they know absolutely everything, but because in their familiar life and work domains, they use language effortlessly and naturally. They're experts in their own "culinary patch," not all-knowing food gods.
Stop Chasing Shadows, Start Real "Cooking"
So, stop asking "how can I become fluent?"
Instead, ask yourself a more specific, more powerful question: "What do I want to achieve with a foreign language today?"
Do you want to have a yarn with a new mate from overseas about your hometown? Or maybe understand an article about your favourite celebrity? Or hold a quick meeting with a client?
Break down that insurmountable "fluency" mountain into bite-sized "mini-recipes" you can actually get stuck into. Each time you tick one off, your confidence and capability will grow.
The essence of learning isn't just about "input"; it's about "creation." The best way to learn is to get straight into the "kitchen" and get your hands dirty.
Of course, fumbling around in the kitchen alone can feel a bit isolating and overwhelming, especially when you can't find the right "ingredients" (words) or don't know the "cooking steps" (grammar).
That's where a good tool comes in, like a sous chef always on call. For instance, the Intent chat app, with its built-in AI translation, is like your "smart cookbook". When you hit a wall, it can instantly help you find the most authentic way to say something, letting you chat seamlessly with mates all over the globe. It creates a real-life kitchen for you, letting you bravely "cook up" every conversation through practice.
True growth comes from every genuine interaction, every time you successfully "serve up a dish".
From today, forget about that fluffy, elusive word "fluency".
Focus instead on the "dish" you want to whip up today, and enjoy the sheer pleasure of connecting through language. You’ll find that when you stop chasing the view from the top of the mountain, you’re already right there, walking through the scenery.