I learned German as a second language ten years ago, and noticed my progress came in jumps as my brain acclimated to the new language.
When I first went to Germany I couldn't speak a word. After about 3 months of living there I could formulate basic sentences and had a rudimentary vocabulary. After one year I could converse intelligently and semi-fluently, albeit with mistakes.
Now, after ten years I am almost better in German than English.
In general, there has to be some willingness to become intimate and form a love relationship with a language. It is really somewhat like a love affair. You literally need to taste each word as it passes through your lips, be passionate about spending your moments listening to it spoken and about practicing it.
And, by the way, if you can manage to learn one language by having an affair with it each one you learn after that becomes easier. I am currently learning my fourth.
That said, there is the possibility that your brain is having difficulty forming some connections concerning the new language. I suggest reading up on simple movements you can do while studying or reading in English which facilitate the creation of new neural pathways.
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