Hey y’all!
Let me share a little something.

Yesterday, my wife, Natallí, walked up to me and said, “Babe, I feel like Portuguese and English are always mixing inside my head. Do you know what I mean?”

Well, I do, because this is exactly what happens to a bilingual individual—the two languages she has mentioned are the ones she is surrounded by at all times.

I think she was expecting me to offer a practical, straightforward piece of advice, but instead, I just had to let her know that it is natural and that means that she is finally internalizing this new, additional language. It’s a great sign!

You see, when she first started learning English, she was already an adult, and we do feel hesitant, afraid, and sometimes a little anxious. Her brain needed time to process and make room for this new language: English. But now, after a few years of hearing and using English, she can feel more comfortable when she needs to speak and/or write in English — the output! And guess what? Portuguese and English still get a little mixed up.

We already know that mixing languages is a phase—a totally normal part of learning—and that soon she’ll manage to speak English more naturally and without hesitations. Her brain is a work in progress, and so is yours. So, relax and let these languages in!

To tell you the truth, I could totally resonate with what’s happening to her. When I visited Mexico back in 2019, I wanted to put my Spanish into practice in restaurants, malls, and supermarkets with the locals, but instead of Spanish, English words came out. Portuguese is my mother language, English is my first additional language and then later comes Spanish. Well, it’s a mix, right?

Well, I ended up just laughing and so did the people around me, which was somewhat hilarious and a little bit embarrassing because I was trying to sound local, but all I could do was sound like a gringo.

The languages you speak can feel like a turmoil in your brain sometimes, but here’s the good news: it’s just a phase. It’s a sign of progress. You are not failing the process. Your brain will soon be organized.

And as we step into 2025, I would love to have you around so that we can take your English to the next level. Make sure you follow me on my Instagram @teacher.rodrigohonorato and subscribe to my channel on YouTube: Teacher Rodrigo Honorato – English Black Friday.

See you in class!
Teacher Rodrigo Honorato