0:00  
This. Okay, hello. Thank you for coming today. Thanks for engaging in our conversation. So let's start with having you to introduce each other. I mean, introduce yourself to each other.

0:14  
Hi. My name is Ana. I'm from Madrid and I work in marketing and communications. I work with international clients, so I use English quite a lot at work, but I still feel I need to sound more natural and confident when I speak. That's why I wanted to try this, to practice in a more conversational way.

0:36  
Hi. I'm Catalina, but everyone calls me Cata. I'm also from Madrid, but I'm studying in London now. I study History of Art at university. I use English every day for my studies, and I think my grammar is fine, but my accent is very Spanish. I want to sound more fluent and natural, especially when I give presentations or talk with my classmates.

1:03  
Okay, great. Maybe you can talk a bit about your background with English. How did you first start learning?

1:12  
I started at school, like most people, but it was mostly grammar and writing. We never spoke much in class. Later I took some professional English courses for work, and that helped with emails and reports, but not with real conversation. I can write quite well, but when I have to speak quickly in a meeting, I still translate in my head.

1:38  
I also started at school. In Spain, you start very early, but it’s true that we don’t practice speaking much. For me, I learned more from watching series and YouTube videos. Then when I moved to the UK, I realized that even if I understand people perfectly, I still sound foreign. That’s the hardest part for me, to sound natural.

2:06  
And what kind of situations are most difficult for you when speaking English?

2:12  
For me, it’s when I have meetings with colleagues from the US or the UK. They speak very fast, and sometimes they use idioms or expressions I don’t know. I understand the main idea, but I miss some details or jokes. Also, in English you have to be more direct, and sometimes I feel I sound too formal or polite.

2:40  
For me, it’s probably when I’m in class or doing group work. Everyone speaks so fast, and I feel like I’m always two seconds behind. It’s also difficult when people have different accents. I can understand my professors, but when I speak with other students from different places, it’s much harder.

3:05  
How do you usually practice English outside work or university?

3:10  
I try to listen to podcasts every morning when I go to the office. I also read articles and write small notes in English for myself. Speaking is harder because I don’t have many opportunities to speak in Madrid, except sometimes with clients. That’s why I like this format, because it’s more natural.

3:36  
I speak all the time because I live in London, but sometimes I think my English gets worse when I don’t pay attention to pronunciation. I try to record myself sometimes to check, and I also use apps or watch videos about accents. I also read in English every day because of my course.

4:02  
And what do you both think about using something like LinguaLeap for practice?

4:08  
I think it’s a good idea, because you can speak with real people and not just with a teacher. At work, I always feel pressure to be perfect. Here it’s more relaxed, so I can practice without worrying too much.

4:28  
Yes, I agree. I like that it feels like a real conversation and not a lesson. Also, the feedback is useful, because you can see your mistakes after and work on them.

4:48  
Ana, what would you like to achieve with your English in the next few months?

4:53  
I want to be able to participate more actively in meetings and conversations. Sometimes I stay quiet because I need more time to think. I also want to sound more confident and natural, not like I’m reading from a book.

5:15  
And you, Cata?

5:18  
I want to reduce my accent and also expand my vocabulary. I can express myself, but I use the same words all the time. I want to sound more varied and more fluent, especially in academic contexts.

5:42  
Can you tell us a bit about your work, Ana, and how you use English there?

5:47  
I work in a marketing and communications agency. We manage campaigns for different international clients, so I often have to write or present in English. Most of the communication with the UK and US teams is in English, and sometimes I need to give presentations or prepare materials for them. I feel that I can communicate, but I want to do it more smoothly and naturally.

6:18  
And Cata, what about you?

6:22  
In my degree, everything is in English. All the readings, essays, and classes. I study History of Art, so sometimes I read old texts that use complicated English, and that’s a bit hard. I also work part-time at a small gallery in London, and I speak to visitors and artists in English. It’s good practice, but I still feel I sound too Spanish.

6:56  
What kind of English do you want to improve most — for work, for conversation, or for everyday life?

7:03  
For me, both. I need business English for work, but also small talk. When we travel for work or have informal conversations, it’s difficult to know what to say. I can talk about projects, but not about daily things.

7:28  
For me, I want to sound more natural in everyday situations. I can speak in class, but I still feel a bit awkward in casual conversations. I also want to understand more slang or idioms.

7:50  
What kind of things do you usually do to practice?

7:54  
Mostly listening and reading. I think listening helps the most. I listen to interviews and presentations, especially with British speakers, because I need to get used to the accent.

8:17  
I try to imitate native speakers when I watch videos. Sometimes I pause and repeat what they say. It helps with pronunciation. I also read the news in English every day.

8:38  
If you could change one thing about how you learned English in Spain, what would it be?

8:44  
I think we should have more speaking practice from the beginning. We focus too much on grammar and writing, but not on real conversation.

9:03  
I think the same. Also, pronunciation. We don’t learn how to pronounce words correctly in school, so we all grow up with the same Spanish accent.

9:26  
Do you feel that using LinguaLeap helps with that?

9:31  
Yes, because it feels like a real conversation. It helps with listening and responding naturally. Also, it gives me feedback about pronunciation and fluency, which is what I need most.

9:55  
Yes, it’s useful. I like that it connects people who want to practice the same things. It’s different from a class because it’s more relaxed.

10:18  
Okay, great. That was very natural. Thank you both for the conversation. I’ll pause the recording here.

10:30  
Transcribed by https://otter.ai