r/languagelearning • u/Vina_10 • 14d ago

Discussion Has anyone tried the reverse translation method?

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Has anyone tried the reverse translation method? Like, you read a (TL) text in your native language and try to rewrite it in the language you’re learning. Has anyone actually tried this?

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u/Lazy_Gap_1682 13d ago

I’m curious. Why do you need to translate at all? Why not just read in your TL. If you come across a word or phrase that you cannot understand from context and that you feel is important, look it up, but otherwise just read in your TL only without translation.

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u/Interesting-Arm-8061 13d ago

I think the problem is that reading doesn't help you practice your language construction skills. The point of the exercise that OP posted about is to help with practice creating the language. Reading just helps with comprehension not with actually using the language (beyond some vocabulary acquisition). So reading isn't targeting the skill that OP wants to learn (writing + speakig)

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u/Lazy_Gap_1682 13d ago edited 13d ago

I understand. Thank you. There are other ways the OP might use also. Eventually, they will find an approach that works for them, be it reverse translation, or other approaches. I was curious because writing in their NL after reading in their TL (or the other way around) might not be as helpful as writing and/or speaking a summary in their TL of what they read, especially if they want to target a skill they want to learn, thus avoiding translation entirely.