Clueful7 word games that get you speaking a new language
Games work for speaking practice because they give you a reason to talk and a clear goal. These seven need no board or cards, work in a classroom or with one friend, and each trains a different part of speaking.
1. Taboo (describe it without saying it)
One player describes a word without saying it or a few banned words; the others guess before time runs out.
Trains: circumlocution, vocabulary under pressure. Level: A2 and up. Players: 2 or more, or solo with an app.
2. Twenty questions
One player thinks of something; the others ask up to twenty yes-or-no questions to find it.
Trains: question forms, categories. Level: A1 and up. Players: 2 or more.
3. Hot seat
One player sits facing away from the board. Teammates describe the word written behind them until they say it.
Trains: fast description, listening. Level: A2 and up. Players: a class or group.
4. Just a minute
Talk for sixty seconds on a topic without long pauses or repeating yourself.
Trains: fluency, filler phrases. Level: B1 and up. Players: 2 or more.
5. Word chain
Each player says a word that starts with the last letter of the previous word, within a category if you want it harder.
Trains: vocabulary recall, spelling. Level: A1 and up. Players: 2 or more.
6. Story chain
Players build a story one sentence at a time, each adding to the last.
Trains: past tenses, connectors. Level: A2 and up. Players: 3 or more.
7. Would you rather
Ask "Would you rather…" with two options; the other person picks and explains why.
Trains: opinions, giving reasons. Level: A2 and up. Players: 2 or more.
Can you play speaking games alone?
Most speaking games need a partner, which is the hard part when you study on your own. Taboo is the easiest to play solo, because what matters is whether your description is clear enough to guess.
That is the idea behind Clueful: you get a secret word and four taboo words, describe it in English, Spanish or Korean, and Coco, an AI parrot, guesses as you type. Fewer words earn more stars. For a group game, the free word lists below give you words with the banned words already picked.
Taboo words list for describe-it games
Questions
What is the best speaking game for beginners?
Twenty questions and word chain, because they only need short answers and simple questions. Move to Taboo once you can build short sentences.
Which game helps most with fluency?
Just a minute and Taboo. Both push you to keep talking when the right word is missing, which is what real conversations demand.
Can I play these online?
Yes. All seven work on a video call. For Taboo, share a word list with the person describing.
Is there an app for practicing speaking with a game?
Clueful turns Taboo into a solo game for English, Spanish and Korean: describe the word, and Coco the AI parrot guesses live. Five new words a day, with the same words for everyone.