Language Partners: A Guide to Finding One
So you’ve finally decided on getting yourself language partners? Good decision! But now the question arises, ‘where to find language partners?’ IT’S 2024! You can literally connect with people across the globe, so ‘I don’t know anyone’ will definitely not work as an excuse. And in this blog post, I’m going to be telling you how I found my language partners and how, with just a few clicks, you can find yours too.
But if you’re still debating on whether or not to get one then check out my blog post on Why You Need a Language Partner Right Now and I’m sure I’ll have you convinced by the end of it.
Contents
Apps and Websites
There are tons of websites and apps out there to help you find a language partner. Personally I’ve only used HelloTalk and it worked amazingly. So that’s what I’ll be talking about here, though you’re free to explore various other sites and apps with My Language Exchange , Tandem and HiNative being some of them.
The reason I like HelloTalk is because it’s easy and free to use. And there were a lot of polyglots recommending it.
Once you’ve downloaded Hellotalk, create your account by signing up or you can simply link it to Google. That way also if you change devices, you should be able to get your previous chats back.
Then they’ll ask you about your country, native language and target language. HelloTalk connects people whose native language is someone’s target language and vice-versa.
Moving on to Your Bio and Settings
You’ll have to add your age, though you can choose to hide that in your settings. Personally I think it’s better to show your age so that others in the same age group can find you. After that write up a short bio. Just an introduction and why you’re here. Ensure you specify that you’re looking for a language partner and maybe you can even add your reason or goal you want to achieve with a language exchange.
Next, fill out your hobbies, occupation, add a nice picture of yourself and that’s all! You’re good to go!
No, that’s not it. Now to the Crucial Part. Identifying Serious Language Learners
One thing about HelloTalk is that it’s meant for language exchanges and finding language partners. But at times people are here simply to make friends from other countries. It’s not wrong, it’s just their goal is very different from yours.
So this is something you have to consider when looking at bios. Sometimes a bio might specify that they’re here just for making friends. But then there are some who’ll explicitly mention that they want to practice a language (English) due to an upcoming test, college admission abroad or for their career. They might have even posted about this in their ‘moments’. So keep an eye out for that. AND the moment you see someone with a goal, they’re the ones for you. They will be willing to speak on call and go ahead with a proper language exchange. Message them. And trust me the serious ones just have a way around. You’ll find each other.
The First Message
Just introduce yourself in a few sentences. The country you come from, your native language and what goal you want to achieve from this language exchange. For instance it could be practicing speaking or learning everyday-small talk. Language exchange simply speeds up your whole learning process. It’s almost the equivalent of “The best way to learn a foreign language is to go to a foreign country”.
Similarly, serious learners will message you along the same lines, stating their goals. And BAM, just get practicing!
Just like that you’ll soon have a language partner. And if things workout, get each other’s socials and start texting there or maybe even get their number! I personally switched over to WeChat and Whatsapp as I had known my language partners for quite some time. (I’ve known them for more than 2 years now!) But do what you’re comfortable with.
Just one thing, try texting as many serious learners you find as some might respond some might not. And give it a few days. You’ll definitely find the perfect one.
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