How to Speak Articulately in Chinese

5-step solution to help you speak more articulately in any language.

The way you speak shapes the way people perceive you. Every word you say can either build trust, inspire action, or leave others confused.

Think of the thought leaders you respect, your heroes, the TED speakers and motivational figures. We admire them not only because of their ideas but because they communicate them articulately. They inspire us with their words.

But speaking articulately is not just about others. It aligns your thoughts and words, which helps you understand yourself, your values, and your goals. This helps you express yourself authentically, attract the right people, and achieve your goals.

So today I’ll show you step by step how I went from being shy and afraid to backpacking solo around the world, talking to strangers and learning to speak articulately in a second language, Mandarin Chinese within 1 year.

But first, we need to clear up some misunderstandings about speaking articulately.

What is articulate speech?

A lot of people think being articulate is the same as having good articulation. These are different.

Good articulation focuses on the mechanical act of forming words clearly. Think of it like good pronunciation. It is important, but it’s different than being articulate. You can have really good articulation but not speak articulately.

Speaking articulately is about expressing your thoughts and ideas in a way that is compelling and easy to understand. It’s the ability to convey your message fluently and coherently. This is what we want.

So how do you speak articulately?

Step 1: What do you want to say?

You can’t be articulate if you don’t know what you want to say. You can’t speak effectively if you don’t know what you want to express.

In order for your thoughts and words to be aligned, you need to first have something compelling to say.

Start by asking yourself: What do I want to say?

This can be as simple as daily phrases if you are a beginner learning a second language. Or this could be as complex as having a debate and trying to convey your message persuasively. You can speak articulately at any stage you find yourself in.

The key is: What is your message?

It’s tempting to dive into tips and tricks like using hand gestures or voice inflection, but the truth is, these tactics fall flat if you don’t care deeply about your message.

It looks stiff, robotic and even fake at times. This is why it’s so hard to learn a second language by only using textbooks and textbook vocabulary without real context.

But it’s hard to sound dull or robotic if you are inherently passionate about a particular topic. Passion naturally energizes your delivery, and makes speaking articulately much easier.

Speaking articulately is as much about conveying emotions as it is about transferring words and ideas.

Think about what topics matter most to you. What fires you up inside? What do you stand for? What do you want to share with others?

Recognizing these topics will help us speak articulately in the next steps.

Step 2: Consume correctly

Once you’ve figured out the topic that you want to talk about, the next step is to learn more about it. Dive deep into that subject. This should be easy if you’re already interested in the topic.

But many people consume content the wrong way. You spend hours consuming but quickly forget it because you are not actively engaging with the content. You have a general gist of what was said but you struggle to explain it yourself because youre still stuck in the consumer mode.

Consumer Mode is the default state. Take your phone out of your pocket. Open a social media app. Start scrolling mindlessly. Click on a video. Start browsing for the next dopamine rush while consuming the first video in search of your next hit. Rinse and repeat.

This behavior is a drug and it's rotting your brain.

This behavior trains your brain to be dependent on always chasing the next dopamine hit.

This behavior drowns your brain with external voices such that you don’t know what your own thoughts are anymore.

How do you get out of this cycle?

If you want to speak articulately you need to form your own thoughts. You need to reset your brain to be comfortable with stillness and boredom. That’s when you will start noticing your own thoughts.

Notice when you get the urge to doom scroll or chase the next rush. Ask yourself: what will I gain from opening this app, doom scrolling, watching this video, etc.

Instead, we will start to consume correctly. With intention. With purpose.

Watch videos that you are searched for and are interested in, not what an external algorithm thinks you’re interested in.

Listen to podcasts and read books to dive deep into your target topic. Avoid shallow, bite-sized content that gives you the impression of learning without depth.

Step 3: Engage with the content

Instead of simply consuming passively, start to actively engage with the content you consume so that you can remember more and reproduce the content in your own words.

I do this through the Visualization Method.

Research has shown that athletes can improve both physical and psychological reactions in certain situations with visualization

Visualization techniques can also increase self- confidence, attentio concentration and decrease anxiety.

We can apply the same benefits to learning to speak articulately.

For example, let's say you are listening to a podcast interview about your topic of interest. When the interviewer asks the guest a question, pause the content and put yourself in the guest's shoes. Visualize yourself in the interview. How would you respond with your current knowledge?

Then click play and hear how the guest responds. Pay close attention to the words they use and the message they convey. Mimic and repeat what they say several times to drill it in.

“Steal like an artist.” - Austin Kleon

“I think copying someone’s work is the fastest way to learn certain things... It’s funny how there is such a taboo against it. I learned everything from just copying other people’s work.” — Lynda Barry (cartoonist)

In other words, the fastest way to speak articulately is to copy the greats first.

After copying, ask yourself:

1. How is their response different than your response?

2. What words or phrases do they use to frame their answer?

3. How can you borrow or steal from their response that can make yours sound more articulate?

Now try to answer the question again. Visualize that a friend asks you for advice and asks the same question as the host. Try to repeat the response you just copied.

Deconstructing those you admire will help you to actively engage so that you remember more of what you consume and can directly apply it to your own speech.

Visualizing yourself in a real situation will help you react faster and sound more confident and articulate when you are asked the same questions or want to speak about the same topic in real life.

Step 4: Prepare

The Visualization Method provides a good start to speaking articulately. But to build your articulation muscle, you need to practice.

You use filler words because you haven't refined your speaking. You stumble over your words because you haven't practiced enough.

Those who we admire and who seem naturally articulate often repeat the same stories or ideas many times. Repetition builds fluency, making speech effortless over time.

To speak articulately we need to prepare our speaking by drafting what we plan to say.

Create a draft by writing down the question and answer that you just copied. You can also choose a question that people often ask you and want to improve the way you articulate your answer. Steal my free Speaking Template to help you draft and speak more arcitulately here.

Writing things down helps us consolidate our knowledge by visualizing the words and adding more context to our learning.

Try to rephrase the answer in your own words. Include any stories to make it personalized for you.

Turn on your phone's camera and record yourself speaking. Start by reading off the draft to soak up the message. Then try to answer the question without looking at your draft. Again, try to visualize yourself in a real situation and someone has asked you this question in real life. I show you how to do this step-by-step in the Copy Paste Speak Course.

After recording, rewatch your video:

1. Notice the words and phrases you use. Are there words that you repeat over and over again?

2. Notice the tone of your voice. How do you use pauses, tone, and silence?

3. Do you use a lot of filler words?

Compare your recording with the one that you copied. What differences do you notice?

Send your recording to a native-speaker friend or language teacher and ask them what they notice. Ask them what words sound weird. Getting a second opinion from a native speaker helps you notice blind spots. We all have blind spots we have trouble seeing on our own.

Step 5: Test in the real world

Practicing alone helps you build confidence. Practicing alone helps you prepare for the real thing. Practicing alone is a stepping stone for the real world.

But no amount of solo practice can replace real-life experience.

Practicing in the real world is what will anchor learning into your memory.

To practice in the real world, find a safe space.

Practice with friends or language exchanges if you are learning a second language.

Look for language learning groups or speaking clubs in your city. Search the myriad of online communities on Facebook, Reddit and Discord and look for others who are looking to practice improving their speaking.

Pay for language classes with a teacher who can give you personalized feedback on your articulation and phrasing.

Treat it like dating. Try speaking with a lot of different people and keep a strict filter. Avoid people or conversations that make you feel rushed or judged. Stick with people who you vibe with and feel comfortable speaking and being vulnerable with.

Notice when someone you're speaking with looks confused or doesn't understand.

Real-world practice allows you to adapt to different audiences and refine your delivery so you sound more articulate

Tips when you feel stuck

1. Pause + slow down.

When you feel stuck in a conversation, pause and collect your thoughts and calm your nerves. The person you're talking with will appreciate that you're taking the time to consider what you're saying.

When we are nervous we tend to speed up our speech but this makes it hard to think clearly and speak articulately. Instead, slow down your speech to re-center your thinking.

2. Ask questions.

When you feel stuck, try to understand who you're talking to. Articulation isn’t just about sounding good — it’s about conveying the right message for your listener.

Ask questions and clarify what the other person just said. This gives you insight into what your audience cares about and also gives you a moment to formulate your thoughts.

3. Question yourself.

When you feel stuck, ask yourself:

• What am I really trying to say?

• Am I speaking to speak or do my words carry weight?

• Am I speaking to satisfy my ego or to educate, build connections and help others?

How I practice speaking articulately every day

1. I'm currently learning Mandarin Chinese so every day, I pick a topic or story I'm interested in talking about or a question I want to get better at answering.

2. I research the topic and copy answers that I find particularly articulate and compelling.

3. I create a draft answering said question by copying other answers I admire. I say it in my own words and add my personal touch to make it “mine”.

4. I practice by recording myself speaking using my draft as a template but eventually trying to speak freely without the draft.

5. 1–2 times a week I practice speaking with my Chinese teacher. I tell them my goals and the topics that I've been practicing and we roleplay so I can practice answering the questions with her feedback.

I hope this helps you.

加油，

Danyo

PS Here are some ways I can help you:

1. Speaking Template: The exact template I used to speak articulately in Mandarin and English (works for any language).

2. Copy Paste Speak Course: The science-backed system I used to quickly improve my speaking, listening and conversations in Mandarin Chinese
   (can be used for any language).

3. Chinese Speakers Community: I’ll help you level up your Mandarin speaking faster so you can talk about what you want in 30 minutes a day. You get all my courses, trainings, exercises and personalized feedback. Apply here.