I can’t seem to apply the knowledge when I need to even if I have the words memorized.

TLDR: I can pass a Spanish test but my mind goes blank when I try to speak it in the real world.

We have contractors coming in and out of my job, and occasionally some of them only speak Spanish. I always feel so horrible when I can’t help them at all. I’ve tried using Duolingo many times and I could pass a test on the vocabulary I learn there, but I can’t ever seem to recall it in the moment when there’s actually a need to use it.

Possibly relevant: I have ADHD so maybe my brain learns things differently? I struggle to apply knowledge I’ve learned on the spot in most aspects of life tbh. I typically need to know the actual working mechanics of a thing rather than just memorizing what to do if I’m going to actually apply things I’ve learned. For example, you can teach me what order to push the buttons in to make a machine run, and I could write that order out for you in a classroom setting. But unless I know what each button actually does in the process… on the spot in the real world my brain will go completely blank.

Is there a method or an app for somebody struggling with the application aspect of language learning specifically?