5 Essential Conversation Tips for Language Learning Beginners

Starting conversations in a new language can feel intimidating, especially when you’re just beginning. You might feel nervous, shy, or unsure of how to keep the conversation flowing. These simple tips will help you improve your conversation skills, even if you only know a little vocabulary.

Listen Lots

When you’re just starting out, one of the best ways to improve your conversation skills is by listening. Listen to native speakers as much as possible—through podcasts, videos, or in real-life conversations. Pay attention to the words they use and how they say them.

Use every opportunity to listen to and watch native speakers communicating with each other. Listen to how the language sounds. Watch their mouths and learn how they form the sounds (especially those not used in your own language).

Even if you don’t understand everything, listening helps you pick up the natural rhythm and common phrases, which you can use in your own conversations.

Listen for colloquial expressions, retorts and throw away lines. Try to copy common usage and slang expressions.

Listen for the “song” that the language creates when spoken fluently. Practise the “song” when you speak to yourself or others.

(If you don’t understand what I mean by “song”, have a listen to Sara ‘pretend’ to speak a number of languages – it is all complete gibberish, but you can clearly hear the different sounds common to the languages she ‘speaks’.)

Developing your ear to hear these sounds vastly improves your accent and ability to discern words.

Don’t nod along and pretend. Make sure that you actively listen, and if you didn’t hear something, ask the person to repeat it.

Speak Clearly Rather Than Quickly

One of the biggest mistakes I made when I was first learning a new language was trying to speak as quickly as native speakers, when I still struggled to get my mouth around the different sounds and sound combinations.

As a beginner, speaking slowly and clearly is more important than trying to speak quickly like a native speaker. Don’t rush—focus on making yourself understood.

It’s okay if you make mistakes or need to pause to think about what to say next.

In order for people to understand you effectively through your inevitable newbie accent, you need to speak clearly. I found it way more embarrassing when people didn’t understand me, than when I spoke a little slowly, but clearly.

Also, take your time to pronounce your words and make sure you are loud enough to be heard. I find that when I am learning a new language, I often lack confidence in my sentence formation and pronunciation, so I tend to talk quietly… and especially in my noisy language exchange meetings, others can’t hear me.

You don’t have to yell, but you do need to project your words so others can hear you.

Be Mindful of Your Body Language

When words fail you as a beginner, body language can help. Gestures, facial expressions, and other non-verbal cues can make it easier to communicate and understand others. Be aware of how body language works in the culture you’re learning, as it might be different from your own.

There is so much that we say without even opening our mouths. Learning a new language also means learning a new culture (assuming we want to interact with native speakers!). Non-verbal communication includes:

and many other almost imperceptible actions can dramatically impact how others perceive you.

If you are able to properly read body language, you’ll better be able to tell when you’ve said too much, when you haven’t said enough, when you’ve insulted people and so on.

Sometimes people don’t want to come out and say something for fear of being rude, but their eyes and their body language says it all.

Of course, if you don’t know the differences between THEIR non-verbal communication and YOUR non-verbal communication, all sorts of misunderstandings can happen.

This is particularly important with many Asian cultures where respect is communicated through distance, depth of bow, and sitting lower than a person of authority, and pointing with hands and feet or patting one on the head can be exceedingly rude.

But I found it just as important as an Australian living in the UK, where I eventually realised I was offending people because I assumed that when they said “no” to a cup of coffee, they meant “no”… when in fact I needed to ask twice more before they would say “yes”!

(And if you think that is strange – it isn’t. In Australia, when we are being polite we say “no” to a cup of coffee at least once before saying “yes”, particularly if we don’t know the other person well.)

Use Simple Phrases and Repetition

As a beginner, one of the best strategies is to stick to simple phrases that you’re confident using. Mastering a few common expressions will help you feel more in control during conversations.

Rather than overcomplicating your speech with long or complex sentences, focus on getting your message across clearly using basic vocabulary.

For example, learn key phrases for greeting someone, asking for directions, or ordering food. These will come in handy in everyday situations.

Repetition is also a powerful tool in the beginning. Don’t shy away from repeating certain phrases or practicing similar conversations with different people. The more you repeat, the more natural the phrases will feel.

When All Else Fails – Mimic

You may feel that there is no way you could ever remember all this – and you are right, at least at first. The most useful information I can give you is to try, in most conversational situations, to mimic another person in the group – someone of the same gender, who is not the leader of the group (or it may look like you are challenging the social order!), but also not the quietest person.

If it is a conversation between just you and another person of similar social standing, mirroring them somewhat may work.

Mirroring

Mirroring involves subtly copying the speech patterns, body language, and even tone of the person you’re conversing with.

By mirroring the other person, you not only blend into the conversation more smoothly but also create a sense of rapport. People generally feel more comfortable when they see familiar behavior, and this can make conversations flow more naturally.

For example, if the person you’re speaking with is animated and uses hand gestures, you can incorporate more gestures yourself. If they speak calmly and softly, try to match their tone.

However, it’s important to do this subtly. Overly obvious mirroring can come across as insincere or even mocking.

Instead, aim for small adjustments that make you appear more engaged in the conversation.

Mirroring can also help you understand cultural cues better. If you’re unsure about what is considered respectful or appropriate in a different culture, observing and mirroring the behavior of someone similar to you in the social setting can be a helpful guide.

But be prepared. At some stage, someone WILL misinterpret you because of the way you are looking at them or carrying yourself.

Over time, you’ll start adding more complex words and sentences to your conversations without even realizing it. Repetition helps solidify what you’ve learned and allows you to gain confidence as you practice in real-life situations.

Don’t Be Afraid to Make Mistakes

One of the biggest challenges for language beginners is the fear of making mistakes. However, mistakes are an essential part of learning and should not be avoided but embraced.

When you make a mistake in a conversation, it’s an opportunity to learn what went wrong and how to correct it. Native speakers usually appreciate the effort you’re putting in to learn their language, and most will be patient and helpful if you stumble over a word or phrase.

Confidence comes from practice. The more you try to speak, even if it’s imperfect, the more comfortable you’ll become with the language. Each mistake helps you get closer to fluency.

If you wait until you’re ‘perfect,’ you’ll miss out on the valuable practice that real conversations provide.

So, take a deep breath, speak up, and don’t worry if things don’t come out exactly as planned. Every conversation is progress!

Conclusion

Improving your conversation skills as a beginner in a new language can feel overwhelming, but it’s all about small, consistent steps.

By focusing on active listening, speaking clearly, being mindful of your body language, and mimicking native speakers, you’ll gradually build the confidence and skills needed to engage in meaningful conversations.

Remember, it’s okay to make mistakes—each one is a stepping stone toward fluency. Don’t forget to use simple phrases, embrace repetition, and try mirroring the behavior of others in social situations to help you navigate conversations more smoothly.

Language learning is a journey that requires consistency and patience. Improving your conversation skills won’t happen overnight, but with regular practice and a willingness to step outside of your comfort zone, you’ll make steady progress.

Focus on one small improvement at a time—whether it’s listening more intently, practicing with a partner, or refining your pronunciation. Every bit of practice brings you closer to fluency, and the more you immerse yourself in conversations, the more natural the language will feel.

Stay motivated, enjoy the process, and celebrate each milestone! With practice and patience, you’ll find yourself becoming more comfortable and capable of conversation in your new language.