Your brain never fully stops translating, but the conscious habit of translating every word usually fades after reaching an intermediate level, typically around B1 or B2 on the CEFR scale. This happens when you have enough exposure to the language in real contexts that words and phrases become directly linked to meanings rather than passing through your native language. The fact that you recall conversations in your native language is normal and shows your brain is still building those direct connections.
The shift from translating to thinking directly in the language is gradual. Early on, you rely on translation because your brain has no other reference. As you accumulate thousands of hours of listening and reading, you start to recognize common patterns, phrases, and vocabulary without mentally converting them. For example, you might hear "Hoe gaat het?" and immediately understand it as a greeting, not as "How goes it?" in English. This direct understanding often kicks in for high-frequency words and phrases first, then slowly expands to more complex ideas.
However, even advanced learners sometimes revert to translation for unfamiliar words, abstract concepts, or when tired. The key is not to force your brain to stop translating, but to build enough automatic comprehension that translation becomes unnecessary most of the time. This is why immersion and massive input are critical: listening to podcasts, watching shows, reading books, and having real conversations all train your brain to process the language directly.
To speed up this process, focus on comprehension over perfection. Practice shadowing (repeating what you hear immediately) to link sound to meaning. Use spaced repetition systems to learn vocabulary in context, not as translations. When you catch yourself translating, gently redirect your attention to the meaning of the sentence as a whole rather than individual words. Also, accept that your native language will always be a fallback; that is not a failure but a cognitive shortcut your brain uses when it lacks a direct path.
A concrete next step is to set aside 20 minutes daily for intensive listening without subtitles, then check your understanding afterward. Over weeks and months, you will notice that more and more phrases feel automatic. Trust the process, and do not worry if your brain still plays back conversations in your native language; that memory trick is separate from real-time comprehension and will fade as your direct connections strengthen.