Why is it that it takes no effort at all to think of and use your first language, but you have to constantly think about it and translate for your second?

Question

I’m taking a German class and despite knowing a solid bit of the language, I still have to constantly think to speak and understand it. Why is that?

In: Culture

Answer 1

I wouldn’t say this is correct. I am Hungarian and it is my mother tongue. I talk to people in Hungarian on a daily basis at work, with my family ect. Whenever I’m consuming media, it is in English. This has been the case for so long, that both languages come as completely natural to me. I don’t have to think about either, it is kind of like a switch inside my brain to which language “mode” I’m in. The main point here, is that you can reach a level of knowledge and exposure to your second language that it just as natual as the first. The best way to reach this is exposure and constant use. After a while it will become second nature, just like with anything you’ve done for a long time. For example, you don’t think about using basic utensils like a spoon, fork or knife. But when you get handed a pair of chopsticks, you will have to actively try and use them. If you keep using them for long enough, it will come just as naturally as the other ones did.