Language partners don't have to be friends, but they should get along and have common interests. While both people do not need to be at the same exact level, it can be difficult, for instance, if both people are either complete beginners or if one person is way more advanced than the other, resulting in the tendency for both people to speak in one language more often. Exchanges should be fair, purposeful, and have a certain degree of compatibility (shared interests and agreed-upon guidelines). To be brutally honest, not all language exchanges are useful. Where can I find a language exchange partner? Read more: The 10 Best Languages to Learn in 2022 (and where to learn them) When I studied Arabic, I'd happily agree to meet at shisha cafes and learned a thing or two about good tea in addition to new vocabulary.

This is primarily because you can also learn interesting nonverbal language (have you noticed that Chinese speakers use different hand gestures for numbers?) and visit places in your city related to the culture of the language you're learning. Language partners can meet in person or virtually, but I've found in-person relationships to be the most fruitful. Ideally, you set guidelines between the two of you that help each other learn in the most productive way for your language goals. In most cases, you spend time conversing in each language, with the native speaker helping and correcting the learner. Here are a few ways you can do the same.Ī conversation exchange, also known as a language exchange, is a partnership with someone who is a native speaker of the language you're studying and is also interested in learning your native language. I found that the key to making these partnerships meaningful was by entering into them in a thoughtful way. I've had language partners in Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, and Arabic and each language exchange brought me new linguistic and cultural understanding - and occasionally, a real friendship that evolved along the way. Read more: 9 Real Benefits of Learning a Second Language Conversation exchanges help you practice what you're learning in the classroom and also expose you to how native speakers use their own language. One of the best ways to get the courage to speak, regardless of your level of study, is to work with a language exchange partner who can provide a safe and encouraging environment to do just that. But, as anyone who's spent time studying a foreign language also knows, that's exactly the most nerve-wracking and ego-crushing part of the process! As someone who's studied multiple languages, the key to gaining fluency is, in theory, very simple: you just have to speak.

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