How do I start speaking?

There are a few options, depending on how comfortable you are with uncertainty.\nFinding a language exchange partner. This is the most comfortable option. You will be talking with a person who is in your own situation and understands how uncomfortable it can be to start trying to speak a language. Usually, language exchange partners will be very comforting and patient. If your partner isn't, you should find a new one. We recommend asking your partner to not correct your mistakes. Getting corrections is often counterproductive. Not only has it been proven that they can't be used by learners to improve, but they can also make you self-conscious, doubt yourself, and harm your fluency. Sometimes even making you make more mistakes than if you hadn't doubted yourself and just went with your gut feeling.\nGoing to a language exchange event. There's a lot of variation in the quality of these. Some are good, but some just become a place to socialize where everybody ends up just speaking English. We recommend the more structured ones in which there's a certain amount of time dedicated to each of the languages. You can find many of these events on Meetup.com or on Facebook.\nUse the language in the real world. Visit or go live in an area or country where the language is spoken. Then go run errands, visit cafes, join social activities, make friends, or work or study there. This is the real thing, and a true test of your level in the language. It's also easier the higher your level already is when you go to the country. This can depend on the place where you go, but if your level in the language is still low, chances are that you'll experience a certain amount of negative interactions. Depending on how comfortable you are with this, you may decide to wait a bit more until your level is higher. Remember that the locals don't have any obligation to be your teachers and a lot of the time they just want to get through their busy day like we all do. If you have another language in common with them (like English), they will probably switch to it as soon as they think that it will make the interaction easier. If a waiter or a clerk doesn't seem interested in helping you practice the language, remember that people can be busy and stressed while doing their job, and you shouldn't expect them to have enough patience to participate in your learning if there's an easier way to communicate and get their job done.