Stop Just "Cramming" English — You're Learning a Language, Not a Menu

Have you ever felt this way?

You've downloaded the hottest flashcard apps, plowed through thick grammar books, and collected countless study notes from "English gurus." But when a foreign friend actually stands in front of you, your mind goes blank, and after struggling to find words for what feels like an eternity, all you can manage to squeeze out is an awkward "Hello, how are you?"

We always assume that learning a language is like grocery shopping: you put words, grammar rules, and sentence patterns into your cart one by one, and then at checkout, you'll naturally possess the skill of "fluency."

But what happens? Our shopping carts are overflowing, yet we never know how to use these ingredients to cook a decent meal.

A New Perspective: Learning a Language is More Like Learning to Cook

Let's forget the word "learn" and replace it with "experience."

Imagine that you're not "learning" a language, but rather learning to cook an exotic dish you've never tasted before.

Words and grammar are your ingredients and recipes. Of course they're important; you can't do anything without them. But just memorizing recipes by heart and staring at ingredients all day won't magically turn them into a good meal.
"Language sense" is like the "timing and technique" (huǒhòu) in cooking. This is the most magical part. When should you stir-fry, when should you add seasoning, and when should you turn off the heat? These aren't things cold, written recipes can fully teach you. You have to get into the kitchen yourself, feel the oil temperature change, smell the aroma spreading, and even... mess up a few times.
Making mistakes is like burning the food. Every great chef has burned food before; it's no big deal. What's important isn't whether you burned it, but whether you tasted it to figure out if the heat was too high or if you added the salt too early. Every small "failure" helps you master the true "timing and technique."

The problem for many of us learning a language lies right here: we're too focused on memorizing recipes, but we forget to turn on the stove.

We're afraid of ruining the dish, afraid of wasting ingredients, and afraid of others laughing at our cooking skills. As a result, we always remain in the preparation stage; our kitchens are piled high with the freshest ingredients, but the stove remains cold.

True Fluency is the Courage to Turn on the Stove

So, how do we light that stove?

The answer is simple: Start by making the simplest dish.

Don't always think about cooking a "Manchu Han Imperial Feast" (having a perfect, in-depth conversation) right away. Start with "Stir-fried Tomatoes and Scrambled Eggs" (a simple greeting) instead.

Today's goal isn't "memorizing 100 words," but rather "using three words you just learned today to greet someone."

Where is this "someone"? This used to be the biggest challenge. We don't have that many foreign friends around, and flying abroad specifically is too costly. We're like a chef who wants to learn to cook Sichuan cuisine but can't find Sichuan peppercorns and chili peppers.

But now, technology has given us a perfect "global kitchen."

For example, a tool like Intent is like a "smart stove" with built-in translation. You don't have to worry about whether you can speak; AI will instantly turn your "everyday talk" into an authentic "exotic dish." You just need to gather your courage and boldly start chatting with people on the other side of the world.

https://intent.app/

When you use it to chat with a French friend about their favorite movies, or discuss the latest anime with a Japanese friend, you're no longer just a "learner."

You are an experiencer, a communicator, a chef who is enjoying the pleasure of cooking.

The true charm of language isn't in how many perfect sentences you've mastered, but in how many interesting people it allows you to meet and how many different cultural "flavors" it lets you experience.

So, stop clinging to your cookbooks.

Step into the kitchen, light the stove, and boldly create, communicate, make mistakes, and taste. You'll discover that the most beautiful part of language learning is precisely this vibrant, steaming essence of human connection.