How to reduce filler words when speaking a new language

“Um,” “uh,” and their Spanish counterparts can feel like proof that your language has stalled. Often, they are a sign that you are searching for a word or building a sentence in English before saying it in Spanish. Trying to ban every hesitation usually adds pressure. A better target is one recurring pause, and the language you need to retrieve when it appears.

This is a practice problem, not a verdict on your ability. If your routine mostly asks you to recognize an answer, it may not give you enough practice producing one from memory. Speaking requires that extra step. For context, recognition and spoken recall are different tasks.

First, identify the kind of pause

Not every filler needs the same fix. Record yourself answering a simple question for 30 to 60 seconds. Choose a familiar topic, such as what you did yesterday or what you plan to do this weekend. Then listen once without stopping the recording.

Mark each hesitation and note what happened just before it. Did you lack a word? Lose the verb ending? Start translating a longer thought? Or pause because you were deciding what to say next? This distinction matters. A vocabulary gap calls for retrieval practice; a sentence you cannot yet assemble may need a shorter, more familiar phrasing.

Choose one target for the next practice session. A quick self-audit of a recording can help you spot patterns in pauses and filler words without turning every speaking attempt into a performance review.

Three approaches, three different jobs

Self-auditing and targeted voice drills

This is a good fit if you can practice alone and want to work on a specific hesitation. Write down the thought you were trying to express. Reduce it to a sentence you can say with language you already know. Then record it several times from memory, rather than reading it aloud each time. On later attempts, change one detail: the person, place, or time.

The aim is not to memorize a script and repeat it forever. It is to make a useful sentence easier to retrieve, then see whether you can adapt it. Keep the target small. If you keep stopping at the same verb, drill that construction in a few different sentences instead of rehearsing a whole speech.

Shadowing and listening practice

Shadowing means listening to a short piece of speech and trying to follow its rhythm and phrasing aloud. It suits learners who understand more than they can comfortably say, or who need practice hearing how words connect in natural speech. Start with a brief, understandable clip. Repeat a line after listening, then try speaking along with it.

Shadowing gives you a model for timing and sound, but it does not by itself show whether you can find the words for your own idea. Pair it with a short, unscripted answer on the same topic. That final step moves practice from imitation to recall.

Live conversation or sparring

A tutor, language partner, or conversation group suits learners who need a real exchange, follow-up questions, or another person’s response. The trade-off is that you have less control over the pace and topic. If you often freeze in conversation, prepare one simple fallback: restate the idea with easier words, rather than translating a complicated sentence in your head.

Structured sparring can offer a middle ground: repeated exchanges without requiring a human partner each time. LingoGym, for example, is designed for A2–B2 learners and includes AI Text Sparring and AI Voice Sparring for conversation practice. Its seven-station Active Fluency Circuit also includes voice drills. That setup may suit someone who wants guided, repeatable output practice. It is not a substitute for every kind of live conversation, and learners who mainly need human interaction may prefer a tutor or partner.

A 15-minute routine for one stubborn pause

1. Listen for two minutes. Use a short clip at a level you can follow. Notice one phrase or sentence pattern that could help you express your idea.
2. Prepare for three minutes. Write a simple version of the thought that stalled you. Keep the useful phrase, not the whole English sentence.
3. Speak for five minutes. Record a short answer from memory. Repeat it with one changed detail. If you stall, use a simpler phrase and keep going.
4. Review for five minutes. Listen once. Count the target hesitation, note where it occurs, and choose one small adjustment for tomorrow.

Do not treat every “eh,” “pues,” or pause as an error. Spanish speakers use fillers too, and natural speech includes planning time. The practical goal is to replace avoidable stalls with language you can retrieve, not to sound unnaturally polished.

Choose the practice that matches the problem

If you know what to say but cannot retrieve it quickly, use targeted voice drills. If you struggle to hear connected speech, add listening and shadowing. If you need to handle unpredictable replies, make space for conversation with another person. Many intermediate learners need a mix, but one clear target per session keeps the work manageable.

Track the number and location of your pauses across recordings, not whether a single attempt sounds perfect. When a familiar idea comes out with less searching, try a new topic or a less predictable question. That is a more useful test of progress than trying to remove every filler from your speech.