Why Do I Understand Spanish but Can’t Speak It? (And How to Fix It)

Listening and speaking often seem like they should be equally difficult -or easy- but anyone learning a language knows that’s not quite true. Speaking, in particular, tends to feel a lot trickier than it looks.

And you’ve probably experienced this yourself. Maybe you’re watching a Spanish show and suddenly realize, Hey, I’m understanding this without subtitles! That’s a huge win! But then, someone asks you to explain what the show was about in Spanish and suddenly your mind goes completely blank.

Don’t feel bad about it! Think of it like this: it’s easier to watch a movie than it is to act in one. The same goes for language, it’s much easier to recognize sounds and meanings after repeated exposure than it is to produce those sounds and meanings on the spot.

That’s exactly what we’re diving into today: why we often end up being great listeners, but not-so-great speakers, and what you can do about it.

Why Do I Understand Spanish but Can’t Speak It?

So you are not speaking just because. There could be many reasons why this is happening. 

Let’s see what these might be:

• You're getting passive input, but not active practice: So, you’ve been watching Spanish shows, listening to podcasts, and maybe even reading some articles or books, awesome! But here’s the thing: that’s all passive input. 

It’s like watching cooking videos but never actually stepping into the kitchen. You understand what’s going on, but when it’s time to cook (aka speak), you freeze. Speaking is a different skill entirely. Your brain needs to get used to pulling up words and stringing them together in real-time. That only happens when you actually speak. 

• Fear of Making Mistakes: Let’s be real, no one likes sounding silly. It’s normal to feel awkward when you mess up a sentence or blank on a word. But here’s a secret: every fluent Spanish speaker you admire? They made mistakes. Lots of them. Probably the exact ones you’re making now. Mistakes aren’t a sign of failure, they’re a sign that you’re trying, experimenting, and growing. So go ahead, say the wrong thing. Mix up your tenses. Invent a word or two. That’s how real progress happens.
• Translating Instead of Thinking in Spanish: If your brain is working overtime trying to translate each word from English before you speak, no wonder you feel slow and clunky. It’s like trying to run while wearing flip-flops, just not gonna work smoothly.
  Native speakers don’t "translate" before speaking, they just speak. The goal is to train your brain to do the same. Start small. Think of objects around you in Spanish. Narrate your actions. Make Spanish the default in your head, not a second translation.
• Lack of Speaking Opportunities: You can’t get good at something you don’t practice. You need real, messy, imperfect conversations. Whether it’s a language exchange, a tutor, or talking to yourself while you cook, just speak. The more you do it, the easier it gets. Your brain starts treating Spanish like a familiar friend instead of a stranger you only see on holidays.
  
  

How to fix it: Strategies to Start Speaking

Here’s how you can train your brain to actually speak Spanish with confidence. You can start now!

• Shadowing: Mimic Native Speakers. This one’s powerful: listen to native Spanish speakers and repeat exactly what they say, right after they say it. Don’t pause, don’t overthink; just mimic the sounds, rhythm, and intonation as closely as you can.

It might feel a little silly at first (you’ll feel like you’re doing karaoke without the music), but it works. You’re training your brain to process Spanish in real time, without running it through your internal English-to-Spanish Google Translate. Over time, your mouth starts to know how Spanish sounds and feels, and your sentences flow more naturally.

Pro tip: Use short clips from shows, interviews, or YouTube. The goal isn’t perfection, it’s fluency in rhythm and sound.

• Talk More! Even If You’re Your Own Audience: Yes, talking to yourself is officially encouraged here. Narrate your life out loud in Spanish:

1. Estoy haciendo café.
2. Tengo que lavar la ropa.
3. ¡Uy, qué frío hace hoy!

You can talk to your pet, your plants, your reflection in the mirror, or whoever will listen (or pretend to). The idea is to get your brain used to pulling up words and forming sentences on the fly. And hey, your dog definitely won’t correct your grammar.

This low-pressure practice adds up. You’re building fluency brick by brick, one mini monologue at a time.

• Start With Simple, Real-Life Conversations: You don’t need to explain quantum physics in Spanish. Start with the basics; the kind of things you'd actually say in everyday life:

Introductions: Me llamo Ana. ¿Y tú?

Ordering food: Quisiera un café con leche, por favor.

Talking about your day: Hoy trabajé, hice ejercicio y vi una serie en Netflix.

These conversations might seem simple, but mastering them builds confidence, and confidence leads to more speaking. It’s like building a muscle. You don’t start with the 100 lb weights. You start with the light ones and work your way up.

• Find a Speaking Partner or Tutor (Someone Who'll Cheer You On): Practicing with real people is a game-changer. Whether it’s a friend, a tutor, or a friendly stranger in a language exchange, real conversations push you out of your comfort zone—and that’s exactly where the magic happens.

Not sure where to start? Try:

1. Language exchange apps
2. Online Spanish conversation groups
3. A tutor who emphasizes conversation over perfection

And don’t worry if you mess up. A good speaking partner knows you’re learning and will celebrate your efforts, not judge your mistakes.

• Stop Overthinking and Just Speak (Seriously): Let’s face it, perfectionism is a party crasher. If you wait until your grammar is flawless and your accent is perfect, you’ll be waiting forever. Think about kids, they don’t do this. They don’t say, “Hmm, let me study verb conjugations before I ask for juice.” They just go for it, loud, messy, and proud.

And that’s exactly what you should do. Forget the perfect sentence. Focus on getting your point across. You can clean it up later.

The more you speak, the less you'll freeze. The less you freeze, the more you'll speak. It’s a beautiful, confidence-boosting cycle.

BONUS TIP: Flood Your Brain With Spanish (In the Best Way Possible)

If you want to speak Spanish naturally, you’ve got to think in Spanish. And to do that, you need to surround your brain with so much Spanish that it doesn’t really have a choice.

Here’s how to sneak Spanish into your everyday life without making it feel like homework:

• Listen like it’s your job: Podcasts, YouTube videos, Spanish music, TV shows, whatever keeps you engaged. The more Spanish your ears hear, the more natural it becomes. Even if you don’t catch every word, your brain is soaking up rhythms, accents, and vocab like a sponge.
• Read light and fun stuff: Pick up a beginner-friendly Spanish book, or just turn on the Spanish subtitles for your favorite Netflix series. Even reading product labels or signs in Spanish helps more than you think.
• Make Spanish your phone’s new language: Change your phone and social media settings to Spanish. Yes, you’ll accidentally delete an app or two at first (oops), but you’ll also learn loads of everyday vocabulary without even trying.

The truth is, the more you flood your brain with Spanish, the less effort it takes to think in Spanish. And once your brain starts thinking in Spanish, speaking it becomes way easier.

That being said, I hope this post helped you understand why your brain works this way, and more importantly, how to start speaking Spanish with more confidence.

I know it can be frustrating when you understand a lot but still feel blocked when it's time to talk. But that “I can understand but I can’t speak” phase? It’s totally normal. The key is to keep going, try the speaking Spanish tips we covered, and work on simple strategies to fix your speaking block in Spanish.

Trust me, you’re much closer to fluency than you think. One step, one sentence, one conversation at a time.

You’ve got this.