Two strategies I learned when I was studying French at high school in London are :

1. Use the words you know. Do not try to do an instant "Google translate" in your head from

your own language into English. It probably won't work.

2. You should not use two words when one word  describes the situation perfectly well.

Even native English speakers make this mistake, as I was reminded a few years

ago when watching the run-up to the American presidential

elections. I explain in more detail in the following clip :

​to see clip, click on the pic 

You are invited to see more clips like this one

on my YouTube channel (click here)