[0:02]So this weekend I had a real facepalm moment. I was telling someone about my amazing holiday, but I realised they were going through a rough patch. I really made a pig's ear out of that conversation.
[0:11]Don't be afraid to ask them to repeat themselves. Say this: Sorry, English isn't my first language. Can you slow down, please? Or this. Sorry, I didn't quite catch that. Can you maybe say it again, but a bit slower? Ask clarifying questions. If they spoke slowly, but there were words that you didn't understand, try this. Sorry, I got most of what you said, but what does this word mean? Listen to a variety of voices and accents. Movies and TV shows are great, but try things that include natural speech, like talk shows or chatty podcasts. And for more tips for beating speaking anxiety, try our special series. Learn from experts about the fears that come with speaking a foreign language and how to overcome them. And what experiences do you have of not understanding other people? Talk to us in the comments. So this weekend I had a real face palm moment. I was telling someone about my amazing holiday, but I realised they were going through a rough patch, and I really made a pig's ear out of that conversation.
