8 Creative Ideas to Practice Speaking When You Don't Have Anyone to Practice With

Looking to practice speaking in your target language but have no one to practice with? Been there, done that! And I've gathered these 8 creative ideas to practice speaking when you have no one to speak with.

As a language teacher, I'm a big advocate of speaking from day 1. It doesn't matter how badly you structure your first sentences. What matters is that you start training yourself to piece words and phrases together from the start.

After all, you're learning a new language to be able to speak it. And you don’t learn to speak by memorizing vocabulary or acing grammar drills. You learn to speak by… speaking. The sooner you start speaking, the sooner you'll break through the fear of making mistakes.

But how do you practice your speaking skills if you don't really have anyone to practice with? We both know that unless you can afford private tutoring, there isn’t much talking happening in group classes or any language course. You get a few minutes to speak, maybe, and then spend the rest of the time listening to other people’s mistakes. Not exactly a recipe for fluency.

The truth is, if you want to get better at speaking, you have to create those opportunities yourself. The good news? You don’t need a language partner to start training your brain to speak in your target language.

Here are some creative (and super practical) speaking exercises to practice your speaking skills solo.

8 Ideas to Practice Speaking When You Don't Have a Partner (That Actually Work)

So, you want to practice speaking, but there’s just one tiny problem: you’ve got no one to talk to. Been there. But here’s the thing: you don’t need a language partner to sharpen your speaking skills. In fact, some of the best speaking practice happens when you’re flying solo, even as a beginner.

These eight ideas will help you get those speaking exercises in, build confidence, and make talking in your target language feel more natural.

1. Talk to Yourself (Yes, Really)

It might feel a little weird at first, but talking to yourself is one of the most underrated (and effective) ways to practice real conversations in a new language. No pressure, no judgment. Just you, your thoughts, and your target language.

I used to do this all the time when I first started learning Spanish. I’d wander around the house narrating everything I did, like some bilingual documentary narrator. My mom would give me the side-eye constantly, but hey, it worked!

Here’s how to do it:

• Narrate your day. Making coffee? Describe each step out loud. Bonus points if you sound like a cooking show host.

• Label your surroundings. “This is my phone.” “I’m opening the fridge.” Create simple sentences to build confidence.

• Think in the language. Try switching your inner monologue. Even if you don’t know every word, push through and use what you’ve got.

   

The goal? Get comfy forming sentences without overthinking. Plus, you’ll quickly spot the gaps in your vocabulary, giving you a clear roadmap of what to learn next.

2. Shadow Native Speakers

One of the best ways to improve your pronunciation and speaking skills is to shadow native speakers. Basically, repeat after them and mimic their pronunciation and rhythm.

When I first started learning Spanish, I did it by watching Mexican telenovelas (don't judge me). I'd pick up phrases and repeat them over and over again, trying to imitate their accent to perfection. By now, I'm a fluent Spanish speaker, and my accent is so good that people think I'm native.

Find podcasts, YouTube channels, or even TV shows in your target language and pause them from time to time to give yourself time to repeat sentences as you hear them. Thanks to Netflix, YouTube, and Spotify, you can now slow down the audio and rewind things until you can repeat those phrases to perfection.

3. Use AI as Your Speaking Partner

I don't know about you, but I use ChatGPT for everything. It's my assistant, my therapist, my best friend, and also my language tutor and speaking partner. If you don't have anyone to practice speaking with, you can always turn to ChatGPT for help.

Simply ask it to play the role of a friendly native speaker of your target language and practice casual conversations with it.  Want to practice ordering food at a restaurant? ChatGPT’s got you. Need to prep for a job interview? It’ll throw you curveball questions until you nail your answers. 

Plus, it never gets tired of correcting your grammar (trust me, I’ve tested its patience), so you can have daily conversations with it without guilt. Sure, it won’t judge your accent, but hey, that’s a bonus. No fear of embarrassing yourself when you butcher the pronunciation.

4. Read Aloud Every Day

Reading is an underrated language-learning tool. First of all, it helps your brain get familiar with the structure of the language you're learning and expand your vocabulary pool.

But aside from that, reading out loud (books, newspapers, blog articles, etc.) is a great way to practice your pronunciation and get comfortable with hearing yourself speak the language (it can feel pretty awkward at first).

💡 Pro tip: Record yourself reading something out loud and play it back so you can catch the mistakes and track your improvement.

5. Pretend You're in a Conversation

If you don’t have someone to practice with, get creative and pretend you do. Write down common scenarios (like ordering coffee or introducing yourself) and play both sides of the conversation. Switch roles to practice different phrases and get comfortable with various situations.

For instance, when making coffee, imagine you’re at a café, ordering your Americano. Then, switch things up and pretend you’re the barista, taking the order. If you get stuck on a phrase, turn to Google Translate or ChatGPT for help. This exercise will get you speaking in no time and make language practice feel less like a chore and more like fun roleplay.

6. Find Language Partners

If you’re lucky enough to live in a bigger city, chances are there are in-person language exchanges where you can meet people from different countries and practice languages over coffee (or vodka, if you’re feeling particularly Polish).

But if in-person meetups aren’t an option, the internet’s got your back. Platforms like iTalki or HelloTalk let you connect with native speakers who are learning your language – a win-win! Bonus: iTalki has a whole community section where you can ask questions, get feedback, and find language partners.

Feeling adventurous? Try Couchsurfing. It’s not just for finding a place to crash; they’ve got forums and local events where you can meet international folks and polish your Polish.

7. Try Dating Apps

I know, I know... but hear me out. Dating apps like Tinder, Bumble, or Badoo can be a great way to find native speakers to chat with. Just set your location to the capital of the country whose language you’re learning – like Warsaw if you’re learning Polish – and swipe your way into some casual conversations.

Best case scenario? You might improve your language skills and meet the love of your life. Worst case scenario? You find a few penpals and learn about the dating culture in another country. Talk about killing two birds with one stone!

8. Talk to Your Pet (or a Plant!)

No kidding! Talking to your pet (or your favorite plant) is a weird but surprisingly effective way to practice speaking your target language and build confidence. Your dog, cat, or plant will never judge you or correct your pronunciation.

Try narrating your day or talking through what you're doing. You can also talk about some situations you've experienced or simply express your feelings out loud. It may sound funny, but it helps you get comfortable with speaking out loud, and it may even be therapeutic!

You Don’t Need a Partner to Practice Speaking

I’ve been in your shoes before. When I first started learning Spanish, I didn’t have a single person to practice with. I felt stuck, frustrated, and sometimes a little lost. But here’s the thing: I didn’t give up. I got creative, and I found ways to practice speaking on my own.

I tried out all the methods I’m sharing in this article, and let me tell you, they work. I know this for a fact. It wasn't easy at first, but once I made speaking a daily habit, everything clicked.

You don’t need a partner to practice speaking, just dedication. Pick the ideas that resonate with you the most, and commit to practicing for at least 10–15 minutes every day. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but it has to be consistent. Trust me, before you know it, you'll be surprised at how much your fluency has improved. Enjoy the process!

If you'd like to learn more tips to learn a new language, be sure to check out the other articles on this blog – like this one with the 10 best language learning apps. And if you're learning Polish, follow me on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, where I post (almost) daily videos teaching Polish in under 1 minute.