Your First Language Exchange: What to Say and What to Expect
A simple plan for the first meeting, from the greeting to planning the next one.
TaalMeet team · · 6 min read
Your first language exchange will feel awkward for about five minutes. After that, it is mostly a normal conversation with someone who also wants to improve. Here is what to expect.
Before you go
- Pick a public place. A café is perfect. Read our safety tips.
- Know your level. Be ready to say "A2" or "I can follow but I speak slowly".
- Bring two or three topics. See 30 language exchange questions.
- Agree the plan in your first message. For example: "Let us talk 30 minutes in Dutch and 30 in English."
The first five minutes
Say hello, introduce yourself and say which language you start with. A simple script works:
- "Hi, I am Ana. Nice to meet you. I am learning Dutch and I speak Spanish and English."
- "Shall we start with Dutch? Please correct me if I make a big mistake."
During the conversation
- Use the target language even when it is hard. Pausing is normal.
- Ask for words. "How do you say this in Dutch?" is the best sentence in language learning.
- Agree on corrections. Everything, or only the big mistakes? Say it at the start.
- Write down new words. Use your phone notes.
- Swap at the halfway point. Set a timer if you need to. This is what makes it an exchange.
If the conversation goes quiet
Silence while you look for a word is not a failure. If you really are stuck, ask a question from your list, or describe what you did yesterday in detail.
At the end
- Say what went well.
- Pick a day and time for next week before you leave.
- Send a short message later, with one new phrase you learned.
When to expect progress
Speaking gets easier faster than most people expect. After a few meetings, you will use words you wrote down earlier without thinking. For more ways to practise, see learn to speak Dutch for free.
Looking for a partner? Compare options in our guide to the best language exchange apps and meetups.