Why Does Your Foreign Language Sound Robotic? Because You're Missing This 'Secret Ingredient'

Have you ever faced this dilemma: even after memorising thousands of words and poring over thick grammar books, the moment you actually have to speak with a foreigner, you instantly freeze?

Either your mind goes blank, or what you say sounds dry and lifeless, like you're reciting from a textbook. If the other person speaks fast, you can't keep up and struggle to form a complete response for ages. That feeling, it's like a programmed robot, stiff and awkward.

So, what's really the problem?

Today, I want to share a secret with you: what you're missing isn't more vocabulary or more complex sentence structures, but a secret ingredient that can bring your language to life.

Think of Learning a Foreign Language as Cooking

Let's think of learning a foreign language like cooking a dish.

Textbooks and vocabulary apps give you the freshest ingredients (vocabulary) and the most precise recipes (grammar). You follow the steps strictly, adding exactly one gram of salt, one spoonful of oil, to the T. Theoretically, this dish should be perfect.

But why does what you cook always feel like it's missing a bit of 'soul'? While a restaurant chef's cooking, or even your mother's everyday home-cooked meal, always has that authentic flavour and leaves you wanting more?

Because they've mastered a secret that isn't written in any recipe book: seasoning.

Those seemingly casual additions like spring onions, ginger, and garlic, a dash of soy sauce to enhance the flavour, a drizzle of sesame oil just before serving – these are the 'seasonings'. In language, these 'seasonings' are the filler words and verbal tics (Filler Words) that we were often criticised for by teachers, considered 'informal'.

In Spanish, they are called muletillas. They are not errors, but key to making conversations sound natural, human, and fluid.

What's the Magic Effect of This 'Seasoning'?

1. They Buy You Precious Thinking Time

When chatting with native speakers, our brains need time to process information and organise our thoughts. At such times, a simple filler word is like a dash of cooking wine added by a chef while tossing a dish; it not only enhances the flavour but also buys you a few precious milliseconds to prepare your next move.

Rather than an awkward silence, it's better to naturally say 'Uhm...' or 'Well...', allowing the conversation to continue at a more natural pace.

2. They Make You Sound More Like a 'Local'

Nobody speaks as if they're writing an essay. Natural conversations are full of pauses, repetitions, and spontaneous exclamations. These filler words are the 'spring onions, ginger, and garlic' of language; they add flavour and rhythm to your speech.

When you start using them, you'll be surprised to find that you no longer sound like a cold, impersonal language machine, but more like a living, breathing, and emotional local.

3. They Truly Bring Conversations to Life

Often, we get too focused on 'how should I respond?' and forget that 'communication' itself is a two-way street.

Words like 'Really?', 'I see', 'You know?' are similar to our common 'Mm-hmm', 'Exactly', 'What next?'. They send a signal to the other person: 'I'm listening, I'm interested, please continue!' This transforms the conversation from your solo 'presentation' into a truly back-and-forth interaction.

10 Super Useful Spanish 'Seasoning Words'

Ready to add some flavour to your Spanish? Try these super authentic muletillas below.

When you need to 'buy some time'...

Emmm…
- This is more of a sound, equivalent to the English 'Uhm...'. It's perfect when you need a moment to think about what to say next.
- "¿Quieres ir al cine?" "Emmm… déjame ver mi agenda." ("Do you want to go to the cinema?" "Uhm... let me check my schedule.")
Bueno…
- Its literal meaning is 'good', but as a filler word, it's more like the English 'Well...'. It can be used to start a sentence, express hesitation, or give yourself some thinking space.
- "¿Te gustó la película?" "Bueeeeno… no mucho." ("Did you like the movie?" "Well... not really.")
Pues…
- Like Bueno, this is also a versatile filler word, meaning 'so...' or 'well...'. You'll hear it in almost any conversation.
- "¿Has hecho la tarea?" "Pues… no." ("Have you done your homework?" "Well... no.")
A ver…
- Literally meaning 'let's see...', its usage is exactly the same as 'let me see...' in English. Use it when you need to think or make a choice.
- "¿Qué quieres comer?" "A ver… quizás una pizza." ("What do you want to eat?" "Let's see... maybe a pizza.")

When you need to explain or elaborate...

Es que…
- Equivalent to 'actually...' or 'the thing is...'. It's the best way to start when you need to explain a reason or provide justification.
- "¿Por qué no viniste a la fiesta?" "Es que tenía que trabajar." ("Why didn't you come to the party?" "Actually, I had to work.")
O sea…
- Used to clarify or further explain what you've just said, equivalent to 'that is to say...' or 'I mean...'.
- "Llego en cinco minutos, o sea, estaré un poco tarde." ("I'll be there in five minutes, that is to say, I'll be a little late.")
Digo…
- Made a mistake? Don't worry! Use digo to correct yourself, meaning 'I mean...'. It's a lifesaver for beginners.
- "La cita es el martes… digo, el miércoles." ("The appointment is on Tuesday... I mean, Wednesday.")

When you need to interact or confirm...

¿Sabes?
- Placed at the end of a sentence, it means 'You know?', used to seek agreement or ensure the other person is listening.
- "El nuevo restaurante es increíble, ¿sabes?" ("The new restaurant is incredible, you know?")
Claro
- Meaning 'of course', it's used to express strong agreement, telling the other person 'I completely agree with your point of view'.
- "¿Crees que es una buena idea?" "¡Claro!" ("Do you think it's a good idea?" "Of course!")
Vale
- Especially common in Spain, it's equivalent to 'okay' or 'alright', used to indicate understanding or agreement.