r/LearningEnglish

I’ve been learning English for a while, and I’ve realized grammar isn’t the hardest part for me, it’s the cultural side that i need to know more.

I can have a normal conversation, like talking to my colleagues at work, it's easy. But in groups of friends who start joking or using slang, I feel completely lost. As a French/Arabic speaker, I find our sense of humor quite different. Sometimes I try to be funny in English, but I end up saying something inappropriate or my joke isn't culturally funny. Does anyone else feel fluent but still a bit “outside” the culture? And how do you get past that stage?

Hey there! I'm 18F who's willing to meet new people online and help them practice their English! As someone at the C2 level and who aspires to become an English teacher later on in life, I would really appreciate it if anyone feels like talking to me. I can help fix any semantic or syntax mistakes and answer any question you might have about the language. This might be a stretch, but I can also help review any work you might have (if you feel comfortable sharing, of course) and provide you with suggestions and advice wherever and whenever needed, completely free of judgment. There is no shame in messing up!

HMU if anyone's interested :DD Maybe we can get along and I can help you out

Sooo my English level is probably an A2, but I really want to practice with someone who can correct my mistakes or give advices to improve my current level. I’m from Perú, and I’ll like to have daily and long conversations about any topic of our interest!!!

Hi, I'm Kaho from Japan.
I came Auckland 4 months ago, but I feel like my English hasn't improved at all since then.
That's because I've been speaking too much Japanese with my Japanese friends, lol.
Can someone please chat with me? 😭

so now i am currently moving on c1 level and i feel like crazy it is so academic i learned with fun way still b2 level amd i only 15 or more mins for grammar,voca, and book i learned but now

i think i have to change so i statr to learn c1 leacture and i try to read book more than i think grammar is like messy than i think vocabulary is also so i wanna ask you can i move away like fun way watch move etc. or leacture way with little fun way .

That's the problem, I am italian, I live in Italy, I consider myself bilingual at this point and I want to start preparing for a C1 test. In the last year I have been dating a Venezuelan woman and we only spoke in English, also she lived in Malta so I visited Malta many times speaking obviously only in English. Now this relationship sadly ended and I'm scared I will lose all the progress that I have made by talking daily in English with someone. What can I do to keep my English on check? I watch movies and TV series in English and when I can I read books in English but I know that "living" the language by talking it daily it's fairly different .

Does anyone else feel like their English sounds way too formal or robotic?

like i can make full sentences, grammar is fine, everything is correct but it just doesn't sound like how people talk in real life.

i'll say something and people understand me, but it feels stiff, meanwhile they reply with shorter, more casual sentences, slang, contractions, all that. It's like i learned english from school, but now im hearing a completely different version every day and i don't wanna sound weird or out of place, just normal.

I've tried watching shows and stuff but idk how to transfer that into how i speak.

Hi. I'm looking for ways to become better In vocabulary and more fluent speaking English. I tried reading comics and watching shows and movies but I feel like it didn't help and aid me. Is there any other ways or methods that can help me improve at this?

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A lot of people want to improve their English but feel shy while speaking, scared of making mistakes, or worried that others will judge them.

Honestly, I really understand that feeling.

English has always come naturally to me because I’ve been speaking it since childhood, and over time I also ended up helping kids around me learn and speak better. Teaching never felt “formal” to me — it was more like helping someone feel comfortable enough to express themselves.

And I think that’s what many learners actually need:

not pressure, not grammar overload, not judgment… just patient practice and encouragement.

So if you’re someone who:

• understands English but struggles to speak

• feels nervous while talking

• wants beginner-friendly guidance

• wants a safe/non-judgmental environment

…I’d genuinely love to help 🌷

We can practice conversations slowly and naturally, without making you feel embarrassed for mistakes. Everyone starts somewhere.

You can comment or DM me if you’d like details :)

Actually I want to learn English if someone have recommendations about a sources or you can told me your story with English? And is there any free resources?

Idk ,how learning English .I every day watch English video ,practicing shadowing also I do exercise in the English file book ,but I haven’t possibilities writing English and speaking.My grammar very bad but I try to writing easy text .(it’s one of them)If I have mistakes for this text please correct me .I only practice

Hi everyone,

I have a question about vocabulary learning and I’d really appreciate your advice.

I consume a lot of English content every day (videos, posts, articles), and I usually understand the structures and general meaning quite well. However, I struggle with vocabulary retention.

I’ve tried taking notes of new words, but as someone with ADHD. I find it very hard to consistently review them later. Even when I do write them down, I often fail to actually recall or reuse them in context.

Because of this, my grammar and sentence understanding are improving naturally, but my active vocabulary is still quite limited, and it makes it difficult for me to produce sentences confidently.

What is the most effective way to deal with this? Especially for someone who has trouble with traditional spaced repetition or note review systems.

Is there a more practical or “low-effort” way to build vocabulary through exposure rather than memorization?

Any advice would be appreciated.

I know this sounds crazy coming from an English teacher. But hear me out.

I have seen so many students spend hours memorizing word lists, flashcards, and Anki decks. They can recite 50 new words perfectly. Then they get into a real conversation and go completely blank.

Why? Because our brains do not store language as isolated words. We store it as experiences, emotions and context.

When you learn the word "exhausted" from a list it is just a word. When you learn it because your teacher used it at the exact moment you told her you studied until 2am, it sticks forever. Because now it has a memory attached to it.

The students I have seen improve the fastest were never the ones with the biggest vocabulary lists. They were the ones who read things they actually enjoyed, watched shows they were genuinely curious about, and had real conversations about topics they cared about.

Vocabulary does not build fluency. Context does.

Have you ever memorized a word list and then completely forgotten it a week later? What actually helped your vocabulary grow? I am genuinely curious.