Why Do Native Speakers Talk So Fast? (And How to Keep Up)

Thomas
Feb 15
3 min read

Updated: 6 days ago

Yellow sports car with #26 racing on a track. Motion blur indicates speed. Blue and white barriers and green grass in the background.

Have you ever listened to a native English speaker and thought, "Why are they talking so fast? How can I ever understand them?" You're not alone! Many of my students feel this way, it’s normal. But don’t worry, there is a reason us native speakers talk so fast and I’ll give you tips to understand us better.

Why Does English Sound So Fast?

1. Blending and Reductions

Native speakers often connect words together and drop sounds. Instead of saying "What are you doing?", we might say "Whatcha doin'?" This makes it sound much faster than it actually is.

Note: I have a free course all about blending and reductions. Click here to learn more!

2. Common Words Get Shortened

Frequently used words are often pronounced more quickly. The most common time you hear this is in the word "to". It is already a short word, but we often drop the “o” and only pronounce the “t”. For example, “my dog loves to take walks” becomes “my dog loves t-take walks.”

3. Rhythm and Stress Patterns

English has a rhythm based on stressed and unstressed syllables. Important words (like nouns and verbs) are stressed, while smaller words (like prepositions and articles) are often reduced or said quickly. For example, “do you like this one or that one?” becomes “d’ya like this one-r that one?”

4. Native Speakers Are Comfortable

We have been speaking English all our lives, so we naturally say things quickly without thinking about every word. Just like you do in your native language! I have learned to speak French, Spanish, and Portuguese, but understanding native speakers in each language took me a lot of practice. The more comfortable I became, the easier it got. Just remember, learning a new language takes time. You weren’t born speaking your native language, but now you’re so comfortable doing it that you don’t even notice.

How Can You Keep Up?

1. Practice Listening to Fast Speech

Listen to podcasts, TV shows, or YouTube videos where people speak naturally. Start with subtitles, then try without them. Don’t be afraid to listen to one thing multiple times. It’s a great way to train your brain to find patterns.

2. Learn Common Reductions and Connected Speech

Pay attention to words that change in fast speech, like "d'ya" (do you) or "lemme" (let me). Studying these patterns makes it easier to understand them when they are spoken naturally.

Note: I have a course on Blending and Reductions with audio samples that you will find helpful.

3. Shadowing Technique

Watch videos, listen to podcasts, or talk to real people. After every sentence, repeat what you hear the native speaker say and pay attention to how they say it. This helps you get used to the rhythm and speed of natural English.

4. Don't Try to Understand Every Word

Focus on the key words in a sentence instead of every single word. This will help you catch the main idea, even if some words are too fast. For example, if I said “my dog loves taking long walks,” but all you heard is “my dog ____ taking ____ walks,” you can stop and ask me what I said or you can try and fill in the blanks on your own. The more often you fill in the blanks yourself, the better your brain will become at doing it automatically.

Final Thoughts

It does feel like us native English speakers talk very fast, but with practice, you can learn to keep up. The most important thing to do is to expose yourself to natural speech, learn common reductions, and train your listening skills to fill in missed words. Remember to always keep practicing!

Do you struggle with understanding fast English? Share your experience in the comments below!

Do you struggle with fast spoken English?