~55 hours of input and my comprehension is honestly decent. But the second I try to speak, nothing comes and I panic. People here keep saying output emerges from input and not to force it early. Is the freeze just a sign I need more input, or should I be doing something specific to unstick the speaking?
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The freeze is almost always an input gap, not a speaking-practice gap. Your brain hasn't heard enough to pull the words out automatically yet. More input at your level fixes it faster than forcing conversations. When you do speak, do it on the exact stuff you just watched — same words, way less panic.
And when you start, expect cringe and let it happen — that's the rep. The freeze melts a little every time you open your mouth anyway. Don't wait to be 'ready', you won't feel ready.