My name is Nanshan, and I am rebuilding my English after several quiet years.
/maɪ neɪm ɪz nænˈʃæn, ænd aɪ æm ɹiˈbɪldɪŋ maɪ ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ ˈæftɚ ˈsɛvɚəl ˈkwaɪət jɪɹz./
I still recognise many words, but when I try to speak, the sentence often disappears before I can say it.
/aɪ stɪl ˈɹɛkəɡˌnaɪz ˈmɛni wɚdz, bʌt wɛn aɪ tɹaɪ tə spik, ðə ˈsɛntəns ˈɔftən ˌdɪsəˈpɪɹz bɪˈfɔɹ aɪ kən seɪ ɪt./
At first, this gap made me feel that I had no English at all.
/æt fɚst, ðɪs ɡæp meɪd mi fil ðæt aɪ hæd noʊ ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ æt ɔl./
However, I now understand that recognition and expression are different skills.
/ˌhaʊˈɛvɚ, aɪ naʊ ˌʌndɚˈstænd ðæt ˌɹɛkəɡˈnɪʃən ænd ɪkˈspɹɛʃən ɑɹ ˈdɪfɹənt skɪlz./
My knowledge is not empty; it is simply rusty and needs regular use.
/maɪ ˈnɑlɪd͡ʒ ɪz nɑt ˈɛmpti; ɪt ɪz ˈsɪmpli ˈɹʌsti ænd nidz ˈɹɛɡjəlɚ jus./
When I introduce myself, I begin with facts I can say confidently: my name, my work, and one current goal.
/wɛn aɪ ˌɪntɹoʊˈdus maɪˈsɛlf, aɪ bɪˈɡɪn wɪθ fækts aɪ kən seɪ ˈkɑnfədəntli: maɪ neɪm, maɪ wɚk, ænd wʌn ˈkɚənt ɡoʊl./
Then I add a reason, because a reason turns separate facts into a connected answer.
/ðɛn aɪ æd ə ˈɹizən, bɪˈkʌz ə ˈɹizən tɚnz ˈsɛpɚɪt fækts ˈɪntu ə kəˈnɛktɪd ˈænsɚ./
For example, I can say that I am learning English so that I can explain ideas clearly and communicate with more people.
/fɚ ɪɡˈzæmpəl, aɪ kən seɪ ðæt aɪ æm ˈlɚnɪŋ ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ soʊ ðæt aɪ kən ɪkˈspleɪn aɪˈdiəz ˈklɪɹli ænd kəˈmjunɪˌkeɪt wɪθ mɔɹ ˈpipəl./
I may hesitate, but I do not need to stop or translate every word in my head.
/aɪ meɪ ˈhɛzɪˌteɪt, bʌt aɪ du nɑt nid tə stɑp ɔɹ tɹænzˈleɪt ˈɛvɹi wɚd ɪn maɪ hɛd./
If I forget a difficult word, I choose a simpler one and keep the meaning moving forward.
/ɪf aɪ fɚˈɡɛt ə ˈdɪfɪkʌlt wɚd, aɪ t͡ʃuz ə ˈsɪmplɚ wʌn ænd kip ðə ˈminɪŋ ˈmuvɪŋ ˈfɔɹwɚd./
This habit matters more than sounding advanced on the first day.
/ðɪs ˈhæbət ˈmætɚz mɔɹ ðən ˈsaʊndɪŋ ədˈvænst ɔn ðə fɚst deɪ./
A short daily routine—reading aloud, recording my voice, and answering one question—will gradually make expression easier.
/ə ʃɔɹt ˈdeɪli ɹuˈtin ˈɹidɪŋ əˈlaʊd, ɹɪˈkɔɹdɪŋ maɪ vɔɪs, ænd ˈænsɚɪŋ wʌn ˈkwɛst͡ʃən wɪl ˈɡɹæd͡ʒuli meɪk ɪkˈspɹɛʃən ˈiziɚ./
Each recording gives me specific evidence: where I paused, which sounds were unclear, and which sentences felt natural.
/it͡ʃ ɹɪˈkɔɹdɪŋ ɡɪvz mi spɪˈsɪfɪk ˈɛvədəns: wɛɹ aɪ pɔzd, wɪt͡ʃ saʊndz wɚ ʌŋˈklɪɹ, ænd wɪt͡ʃ ˈsɛntənsɪz fɛlt ˈnæt͡ʃɚəl./
I can then ask AI to correct only the biggest problem and let me answer again.
/aɪ kən ðɛn æsk eɪ aɪ tə kɚˈɛkt ˈoʊnli ðə ˈbɪɡɪst ˈpɹɑbləm ænd lɛt mi ˈænsɚ əˈɡɛn./
Over time, old words will become active language instead of silent knowledge.
/ˈoʊvɚ taɪm, oʊld wɚdz wɪl bɪˈkʌm ˈæktɪv ˈlæŋɡwɪd͡ʒ ɪnˈstɛd əv ˈsaɪlənt ˈnɑlɪd͡ʒ./
My goal is not to perform a perfect introduction today.
/maɪ ɡoʊl ɪz nɑt tə pɚˈfɔɹm ə ˈpɚfɛkt ˌɪntɹoʊˈdʌkʃən təˈdeɪ./
It is to speak for one minute, use complete sentences, and finish with one real example.
/ɪt ɪz tə spik fɚ wʌn ˈmɪnɪt, jus kəmˈplit ˈsɛntənsɪz, ænd ˈfɪnɪʃ wɪθ wʌn ɹil ɪɡˈzæmpəl./
That small success will become the first visible step in a much longer journey.
/ðæt smɔl səkˈsɛs wɪl bɪˈkʌm ðə fɚst ˈvɪzɪbəl stɛp ɪn ə mʌt͡ʃ ˈlɔŋɡɚ ˈd͡ʒɚni./
Tomorrow, I will reuse several of today's phrases in a new topic, so review happens inside communication rather than in an isolated word list.
/təˈmɑɹoʊ, aɪ wɪl ɹiˈjuz ˈsɛvɚəl əv təˈdeɪz ˈfɹeɪzɪz ɪn ə nju ˈtɑpɪk, soʊ ɹɪˈvju ˈhæpənz ˈɪnˌsaɪd kəˌmjunɪˈkeɪʃən ˈɹæðɚ ðən ɪn ən ˈaɪsəˌleɪtɪd wɚd lɪst./
By repeating useful patterns in changing situations, I can build fluency without memorising speeches.
/baɪ ɹɪˈpitɪŋ ˈjusfəl ˈpætɚnz ɪn ˈt͡ʃeɪnd͡ʒɪŋ ˌsɪt͡ʃuˈeɪʃənz, aɪ kən bɪld ˈfluənsi wɪˈðaʊt ˈmɛmɚˌaɪzɪŋ ˈspit͡ʃɪz./
The process may be slow at first, but it is practical, measurable, and entirely possible.
/ðə ˈpɹɑˌsɛs meɪ bi sloʊ æt fɚst, bʌt ɪt ɪz ˈpɹæktɪkəl, ˈmɛʒɚəbəl, ænd ɪnˈtaɪɚli ˈpɑsəbəl./