Maybe prior to fluency, for something like an odd business or tourist trip. But there's a point in language learning where you can come to express yourself dir

Maybe prior to fluency, for something like an odd business or tourist trip. But there's a point in language learning where you can come to express yourself directly in a new language without intermediary "thinking" in your first tongue. The communicative and expressive potential of that mode is much higher than trying to squeeze one's intent through any kind of translation, machine or internal. Plus, you know, it's fun.