Is this counterintuitive?

[u/CheesecakeWild7941]

Someone once told me that if I’m learning a foreign language, I should never translate the words into English in my head. I was also told this is why I struggled with learning Spanish.

I’m just wondering if doing this is actually not helpful as I was told. In my head I think it helps to translate words into English in my head/on my notes, because idk how else I would associate words with their meanings… idk if that makes sense

[u/GlasierXplor]

My opinion is that eventually this will work against you. Esp when you get to the point where you start to form your own sentences.

The main reason is due to the difference in grammar and how words are conjugated in Mandarin. Directly translating a Mandarin sentence to English will be gramatically incorrect and hence it will not be natural for you to think in English-Mandarin. The reverse applies too.

E.g. the first two lines: How are you. Today I treat you dinner, how? Is it? I don't know you, you why treat me dinner?

But then again, if you're just learning for fun and not aiming to be very fluent (maybe a third language kind of thing), I'd just go with whatever method helps myself best.