How to learn the English language like a native speaker?

side note: native speaker is a description of fluency sure, but there are plenty of native speakers with terrible control of their language, with regional accents that are hard to understand, with low vocab or outdated grammar. it's POSSIBLE to be indistinguishable from a native speaker, and it's useful as a teacher for me to tell people or model how native speakers might do it but I'm still bringing My native speaking style to it. Kids 20 years younger than me have a whole diff grammar in many ways. So I would argue that fluency, accuracy, and how well and complexly you can communicate your ideas and personality is the best way to feel about your English, rather than seeking native status. Native is just where you are born not your skill

I think the best way is to use it as much as possible. Read books in English, watch TV in English, have conversations with people in English. You'll get better the more you practice :)

I do not know any non-native speakers that are casually fluent in the way you describe who do not now or never have lived in a majority-English-speaking community/region/country. You need total immersion for a sustained period of time to get where you’re trying to get with your English abilities.

I can't think of any other way than moving to an English-speaking country longterm and working very hard at it. If "a very high level" (as you mentioned) is an acceptable substitute to "like a native speaker", then taking increasingly advanced English classes and immersing yourself in English-language media (film, news, books) is probably the way. There is no shortcut. You will have to study, memorize, and practice, however you approach it.

Lots of input. Read a lot. Watch a lot of movies, YouTube videos, play a lot of games, etc. And just do writing and speaking practice, there are a lot of listen-and-speak videos and resources available. Duolingo and services like it can act as supplements while you're learning. That's what I'd suggest to an advanced-beginner and above. With the caveat of ideally having a tutor or pen pal or something of the sort to politely critique your grammar and whatnot, though I imagine the formal and professional English teachers here can recommend more class-oriented solutions. Though as a caveat, you may always be asymptotically close to a native speaker, but some people believe it is impossible to ever learn to speak a second language as well as a native (though I disagree), don't be discouraged though.

I'm still learning English, but what I do to master English is just use it in my daily life. Read, write, listen and speak English everyday.If you like it, you will enjoy the process. Good luck

You're German, you won't have much trouble becoming almost perfectly fluent in English. As for the accent, keep it; German is cool.

Online tools or studying in a country that speaks English. When learning languages, people usually use songs, movies, TV shows, and education within another country of 'X' language for learning. You can also practice with daily with videos and AI tools like ChatGPT for 'testing' and memorization.

Use it not just for where you would want English skills for, but also any other area of life as well. Want to know how to bake a cake? Look it up *in English.* Want to read about the latest trends? Look it up *in English.* Want to know what's going on half way across the planet? Look it up *in English.* Need a tv show/movie to pass the time? Watch *in English.* This is what I did for Korean and it's how I survived university.

I agree with everyone here saying you need to live in an English-speaking country for a while. I saw a Japanese girl on TikTok who could hardly speak English until she moved to the States for about a year and her English improved drastically.

I feel you. I've been learning English for over 10 years but still stuck in B2 level. I immerse myself in English as much as possible by: 1. Listening to radios/podcasts or watch English videos every day (for videos, I suggest watching sth that presents their everyday lives i.e. news, dramas, talk shows, etc.) 2. Read news/articles or sth that suit your interest 3. Train your brain to think in English (this was quite hard for me at first but now i'm used to it) 4. Shadowing or Imitate them. I use this method while watching videos especially when I found some interesting expressions. I sometimes even react when I hear sth surprising. Hope these could help.

Get [italki ](https://go.italki.com/rtsgeneral6)speaking practice lessons from native tutors.

Yes, it is possible to learn English like a native speaker, even if you feel you wasted your school years. Many people start late and still reach a very high level. Here's a clear, step-by-step guide for you: 1. Build a Daily English Routine Create a habit where you are surrounded by English every day. This helps you "live" the language, not just study it. Listening (1 hour/day): Watch YouTube channels, podcasts, or series in English (with subtitles at first, then without). Recommendations: "English Addict with Mr. Steve", BBC Learning English, or “Rachel’s English” (for pronunciation). Reading (30 minutes/day): Read easy English books, news articles, or websites. Start with graded readers (e.g., “Penguin Readers”) then move to real novels or blogs. Speaking (15–30 minutes/day): Talk aloud to yourself or with a tutor/friend. Use apps like Tandem, HelloTalk, or book lessons on iTalki. Writing (10 minutes/day): Keep a journal in English. Write about your day or your thoughts. 2. Think in English Stop translating from German to English. Practice by naming things around you in English. Say simple thoughts in English during the day (“I’m hungry”, “It’s cold today”, etc.) 3. Use Active Learning Learn new vocabulary in context, not just as single words. Example: instead of just “run,” learn “go for a run,” “run a business,” etc. Use Anki or Quizlet to review words and expressions every day (spaced repetition = very effective). Learn common phrases and collocations, not just grammar rules. 4. Pronunciation Practice Practice how native speakers move their mouth. Use: YouGlish.com to hear how real people say words. Shadowing technique: Listen to a native speaker and repeat exactly, matching speed and tone. Apps like Elsa Speak or Speechling help improve your accent. 5. Get Feedback Find someone (a tutor, or language partner) to correct your mistakes and help you speak naturally. Don’t fear making mistakes—they help you improve faster. 6. Motivation and Realistic Expectations Set small goals: “I want to watch a movie in English without subtitles,” or “I want to have a 10-minute conversation.” Remember: You don't need to be 100% perfect to sound fluent. Many “native-like” speakers still have small mistakes—and that’s okay. Real-life Examples: Yes, many people started with zero English and now speak fluently. They followed these steps: Immersed themselves daily. Practiced speaking even if they were shy. Used real English, not just textbook English.

Spend ~10 years in an English-speaking country and try very hard

I want to apply for a phd in Germany using English. And I imagine my English would be better living there. I am from east Asia

Focus on pronunciation

You need to immerse yourself as much as you can, where you are. Read a lot in English; watch shows and movies in English with English caption. Try your best to imitate the pronunciation. Try to think directly in English, without translating. And speak! Even if you’re speaking to yourself, but speak as much as you can. It’s not easy to be fluent in English if you’re learning as an adult, but you can achieve it if you immerse yourself to the level of your ability.

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The best English speakers I have met who speak English as a foreign language are those who have a good ear, and who spend a lot of time listening to English language materials at length or in more detail, like for example analyzing short extracts, listening and repeating, trying to shadow the voices they are listening to. Any source that might be of interest, from movies to cartoons to cooking shows, for example. Audio books of stories are good, because you have descriptive narration combined with natural sounding dialogue among characters in the novel/story, and you can listen and read along.

1. Ignore all grammar. 2. Mumble, slur and drop letters. 3. Use the f-word liberally. 4. Welcome to London!

Watch the video "How I learned Norwegian on my own". Although this video is not about English, what it says applies to any language. It helped me well.

"Like a native": live somewhere English speaking for a few decades, immerse yourself to the point of forgetting your own language, then accept you'll never quite get there. More useful: set attainable goals

There are four skills to practice: reading, writing, speaking and listening. The more you can do in each of this areas, preferably in a situation where you get feedback about any errors you might make, the better. Find someone with whom you can speak English regularly.

Your English is great! Others have given you tips on how to get better. I’m going to mention one thing in your post that is a dead giveaway that you’re German and not a native English speaker. You use “the” where English speakers don’t. “I left school last year” is formal, but correct. “I finished school last year” would be a more casual and common way to put it. “I don’t use the opportunity of the English lessons.” “I don’t use what I learned in English as much as I’d like.” When English speakers learn our nouns we don’t put “the” in front as a general rule (when learning vocabulary). Not like in German where you have to memorize if it’s der/die/das. Your English is 100% understandable, but this is one change you can look at that will help take the German out of your English. :)

A ton of speaking practice is the best way Online tutoring or these AI tutor apps that let you talk to them whenever you want

One of the challenges I see from native German speakers is the length of sentences. Try to keep your sentences under 20 words. English speakers are used to shorter sentences than German allows for. Despite the similarities in the languages, sentence length isn't one of them.

Practice by listening to music, reading books, and watching TV shows. But if you want to move to an English speaking country, nothing is enough, IELTS and other exams don't paint the reality. Definitely get a personal teacher, someone who understands the reality of using English as a second language. Preferably in your target country.

Watch TV, old movies have lots of dialogue. Use the subtitles if they're good and accurate.

Even native speakers can't speak English, so you ave a big challenge here.

Hey! I totally get what you mean I also studied English in school for years but still didn’t feel confident speaking until I started practicing more actively. 😅 The good news is, it’s definitely possible to reach a near-native level, even if you’re starting from basics! Here’s what helped me the most: 1. **Immersion**: Watch YouTube, Netflix, or listen to podcasts in English every day. Even if you don’t understand everything at first, your brain will pick up patterns. 2. **Shadowing**: Repeat sentences out loud after native speakers (e.g., from shows or audiobooks). It trains pronunciation and rhythm. 3. **Speaking practice**: This was the hardest for me, but joining language exchange servers or finding a study buddy made a huge difference.

German to English is pretty easy. Just watch your word order. Don't worry about the accent, no one cares. If you want to get better, you'll need to hire a dialect coach but they aren't cheap. You'll have to pick an accent. California is an easy one. Omaha is easy. Minneapolis would be good. It's neutral, you just need to learn to speak very fast. Also, there's a vowel shift you need to stick to. Bottom line, don't worry about your accent. It's America. Everyone has an accent. Koreans to the left, Myanmar to my right, a Russian a house down, the Indian couple moved away, not sure who lives there now. Seriously, accents are not a problem for Americans.

Learning English like a native speaker is achievable with consistent practice and the right tools. Immersion is key—surround yourself with English through media, conversations, and daily routines. Tools like AiRepeater (https://www.airepeater.com) can significantly enhance your pronunciation and accent. I used its shadowing feature to mimic native speakers, repeating segments from YouTube videos and comparing my intonation with the original. The voice dictionary and pronunciation assessment provided instant feedback, helping me refine my speech. Progress takes time, but with dedication and smart tools, fluency is within reach.

I use dictation method on lwlnow.com I was stuck at b1-2 it really helped me.

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