The Subconscious & Language: How Do We Speak a New Language in Our Dreams?

Before I even started middle school, I was going through an intensive English prep course. One day, my dreams suddenly switched to English—my mom even said I was sleep-talking in English!

The same thing happened ten years later when I started learning Chinese. Now, my students frequently tell me that they dream in English after practicing with our courses.

Even more fascinating, some people experience something even stranger: speaking a language they’ve never learned in real life!

So, how does the brain make this happen?

At what point does language learning settle into the subconscious?

Let’s explore the scientific reasons behind speaking a foreign language in dreams! 🚀

Language Learning & Sleep: What Happens in the Brain?

Learning a language isn’t just about memorizing words and grammar rules. The brain continues to process and solidify the new language during sleep!

This process happens in two key stages:

🧠 REM Sleep & Memory Consolidation

• REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep is the stage where the brain processes information from the day and transfers it to long-term memory.
• Studies show that brain regions involved in language learning remain active during REM sleep. (Fenn, Nusbaum & Margoliash, 2003)

🧠 Passive Language Processing During Sleep

• Research from 2014 found that the brain continues to process linguistic input from the environment even while sleeping. (Dudai et al., 2015)
• If you’ve been immersed in a language all day, your brain keeps working on it at night.

So, when you dream in a foreign language, it’s a sign that your brain is reinforcing language learning subconsciously!

The Neurological Explanation: Why Do We Speak Languages in Our Dreams?

Why do some people dream in languages they’ve just started learning—or even in languages they’ve never learned before?

The answer lies in the brain’s language processing centers:

🧠 Wernicke’s Area – The comprehension center that helps us understand the languages we hear in dreams.

🧠 Broca’s Area – The speech production center, which creates the illusion that we are speaking fluently in dreams.

🧠 Hippocampus – The memory organizer, which processes newly learned languages and makes them permanent.

Dreaming in a foreign language is proof that your brain is still working on language acquisition, even while you sleep!

Scientific Studies on Language Learning in Dreams

Researchers have conducted several studies on this fascinating phenomenon:

📌 Smith & Tarr (2015) – Found that 60% of foreign language learners reported dreaming in their new language. Many claimed it helped them improve their fluency!

📌 Schreuder et al. (2013) – Showed that the brain activity of learners during REM sleep resembled the patterns of native language speakers while awake.

📌 Spitzer (1999) – Suggested that dreaming in a new language is a strong indicator that the language has reached the subconscious.

“I Spoke French in My Dream… But I Don’t Know French?” 🤯

📌 Strange but True: Even people who have never studied a language sometimes dream in it! Here are a few possible explanations:

✅ Hidden Exposure – Maybe you heard the language as a child or in the background without realizing it.

✅ Creative Brain Processing – The brain mixes new information and generates random, dream-like language patterns.

✅ Language Learning Desire – If you’re highly motivated to learn a language, your brain may start practicing it in your dreams before you’re even fluent!

How to Speed Up Language Learning by Dreaming in It

Want to train your brain to dream in a foreign language? Follow these science-backed tips:

1️⃣ Listen to the Language Before Sleeping – Play a podcast or music in your target language before bed. Your brain continues processing it overnight.

2️⃣ Use the Language All Day – The more you speak, read, and immerse yourself, the higher the chances of it entering your dreams. (Join İDA to integrate English into your daily life!)

3️⃣ Improve Your Sleep Quality – The longer your REM sleep cycle, the more time your brain has to process the language.

Give your brain the opportunity to reinforce the language even while you sleep!

Your Brain Never Stops Learning—Even While You Sleep!

If you’ve started dreaming in another language, congratulations! 🎉

It means your brain is absorbing and internalizing the new language on a subconscious level. This is a great indicator that you’ll soon be able to speak the language more comfortably in real life!

🚀 So, why not accelerate your learning? Join İDA today and train your brain for effortless fluency!