WHY TRANSLATING IS YOUR OWN WORST ENEMY
Roz Weitzman
?? Empowering IT Professionals to Succeed in English ?? English Language Skills for Work & Daily Life ??
Have you ever felt completely overwhelmed while learning English?
Like no matter how many words you translate, you're still stuck, struggling, and feeling defeated? ??
If that sounds familiar, don’t worry—you’re not alone!
But here’s the truth: translating every unknown word is actually slowing you down.
And causing you to want to quit studying.
Let’s talk about why this habit is making things harder—and what to do instead!
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1. It Slows You Down ??♂???
Imagine trying to have a conversation, but after every word, you pause, grab your phone, and look up the translation.
By the time you figure it out, the conversation has already moved on!
Constant translation is like walking in quicksand—it keeps pulling you back instead of letting you move forward smoothly.
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2. You Miss the Bigger Picture ??
Words don’t exist in isolation.
They work together in phrases, idioms, and expressions that often don’t translate word for word.
If you always translate, you might completely misunderstand what someone is really saying! (Ever tried translating “It’s raining cats and dogs” literally? ??)
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3. It Confuses Grammar ??
Your native language has its own grammar rules, and English has its own too!
Translating every word can make you apply the wrong sentence structure without even realizing it.
That’s why some sentences sound unnatural when translated directly.
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4. Your Fluency Takes a Hit ??
Fluency isn’t about knowing every word—it’s about keeping the conversation going.
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If you stop to translate all the time, your speech sounds broken and hesitant.
The more you think in English, the easier it becomes to respond naturally and confidently.
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5. You Become Too Dependent on a Dictionary ??
Imagine you’re in an important meeting, an exam, or even just chatting with friends, and suddenly—no internet!
No translation app! ??
If you rely too much on translating, you might feel stuck and panicked when you can’t use a dictionary.
Learning to guess meanings from context helps you feel more independent and confident.
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6. You’ll Feel Defeated (and Want to Give Up!) ???
When you translate every word and still struggle to understand, it’s easy to feel defeated.
I hear this rom some of my clients. They feel like they want to quit!
That frustration can make you believe that learning English is impossible—but it’s not!
You just need a different approach.
and a heavy dose of patience.
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So… What’s the Solution? ??
? Guess the meaning from context – Look at the words around it and the situation.
? Learn whole phrases, not just words – This helps you sound more natural.
? Use an English-to-English dictionary – This builds your vocabulary faster.
? Practice thinking in English – Even simple thoughts count!
? Keep going! – Progress takes time, have patience -- but every step forward is a win. ??
So, the next time you feel stuck, take a deep breath, put away the translator, and trust yourself.
You’ve got this! ????
Thank you for this article, Roz! Many of my students use translators when trying to learn English, and really, it does no good. It is better to learn the language actively and try not to rely so much on translation. That is the only way students will achieve that fluency.