Speaking is a physical, real-time skill: retrieving words, assembling grammar and moving your mouth, all under the pressure of someone waiting. You can't build that by reading about it — only by doing it, ideally in small, frequent, low-stakes reps. The goal isn't to sound perfect; it's to make speaking feel ordinary.
Produce output every single day
Input builds understanding; only output builds fluency. Every day, say something in the language out loud — even alone. Describe your room, narrate what you're doing, answer an imaginary question. It feels odd for a week and then it doesn't. What you're really training is the retrieval pathway: pulling words out fast, under mild pressure.
Try shadowing
Shadowing means playing a short clip of a native speaker and repeating it almost simultaneously — copying their rhythm, stress and melody, not just the words. It trains your mouth and ear together and does wonders for accent and flow.
- Pick 20–30 seconds of clear, natural speech you enjoy
- Play it, speak over it, and match the music not just the words
- Repeat the same clip until it feels effortless, then move on
Get feedback, then converse for real
You can't hear your own errors — someone has to reflect them back. A teacher or well-run conversation group catches the mistakes you'd otherwise repeat for years, and gives you better phrasings to replace them. Solo practice makes you fluent in your own errors; feedback makes you fluent in the language.
Speak daily, shadow often, keep the stakes low, and get corrected. Do that for a few weeks and the freeze quietly disappears.