Why use language exchange apps & websites?

9. Facebook

If Reddit isn’t your thing, but you like the idea of finding a language exchange through your existing digital networks, then Facebook might be just the solution. There are private groups on Facebook for just about anything, so try entering “[your native language] to [your target language] language exchange” into the search bar. The chances are, you’ll find people in the same situation as you.

The great thing about finding a study buddy through Facebook is that you can usually fling view their likes, opinions and holiday photos before deciding to connect. After you’ve added someone as a friend, as we all know, Facebook allows you to chat, phone and video call them. It’s almost like it was designed for language exchanges!

These groups also provide something you didn’t know you needed – a team of fellow language learners to draw support from. Dumb as it sounds, seeing memes appear in your feed on topics such as “Things you only know if you’re an English speaker trying to learn Arabic,” can really be very reassuring! And motivating, if you often procrastinate your studies by scrolling through Facebook….

10. Preply

Okay, you caught us…this isn’t a language exchange website. Preply is a platform for finding an online tutor for 1-on-1 classes in almost any language.

Hear us out: without a doubt, language exchanges are a fantastic way to improve your speaking skills in a second language. But they can also be incredibly frustrating.

In the best-case scenario, you are only learning half the time during any language exchange. It’s better than nothing, but it’s inefficient. There’s also no guarantee of finding an exchange partner who is a good teacher, and this is a very rare skill to stumble across. Finding a great language partner can be a disheartening process of trial and error. A story of putting yourself out there, trying to make meaningful connections, but being left disappointed time and time again (this is the final analogy with online dating in the article, we promise!)

Preply is a far more efficient way to get speaking practice. Sessions require far less research (and lead to less heartache). If you take 1-on-1 language lessons with a Preply tutor, you can talk only in your target language, and focus on the skills you want to practice.

With prices starting from $5 per hour, tutoring doesn’t have to be expensive. Think how much people usually spend to take group classes, where the focus isn’t only on your progress! Many people consider it to be a worthwhile trade-off for the time and inefficiency that typical language exchanges could cost. Try it and you’ll be amazed at the speed of your progress!

Learn from anywhere, anytime

In the bad old days, finding opportunities to practice talking in a second language involved… leaving the house. It’s so easy to take it for granted, but learners are unbelievably fortunate to have the option of finding speakers to learn a language from home.

If you can’t sleep at night and want to practice your Urdu, it’s possible to open an app and find someone to chat with in a matter of minutes, without getting out of bed – what a gift! Apps and websites make finding opportunities to practice a second language more convenient than they have ever been.

Practice real-life interaction in a safe environment

Many people who are learning a new language are preparing to have important, scary conversations. Perhaps you need to talk to a professor as part of a test, or perhaps you’re facing an immigration interview. Maybe you’re going to talk to a new potential client, or even just ask for help when you invariably get lost in a new country. In any of these cases, there is a lot at stake if this conversation goes wrong.