Real talk: I studied French for 2 years before I could order a coffee without my heart racing. The vocabulary wasn't the problem—it was the fear of sounding dumb.
Here's what helped: practicing conversations where mistakes didn't matter. With AI tutors (Ang keeps me honest, Agnes keeps me encouraged), I finally got over the freeze. Now I actually use what I learned.
If you're stuck in the "I know the words but can't speak" phase—you're not alone. What's your biggest speaking fear? 👇