eli5 Why do we translate foreign language in our heads?

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How come when I learn a new english word, I could here it and immediately understand what it means. But when I hear a word in a different language that I’m learning, like Japanese, I have to translate the word in my head instead of just understanding the meaning. Even with spanish, which I’ve grown up speaking, I have trouble keeping up with things since I translate a bit in my head. Also how do i stop head translating?

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Anonymous 0 Comments

It is mainly because people who speak other languages do not think in the same patterns as English speakers. I speak seven languages, and I do that all the time. Very VERY little of any language seems to “come naturally” to me, even though I am called a language savant. Do me in any country and within 2 weeks I speak it like a native. But I do not THINK it like a native.

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