30 Language Exchange Questions to Keep the Conversation Going
Run out of things to say after ten minutes? Keep this list on your phone.
TaalMeet team · · 5 min read
The first ten minutes of a language exchange are easy. Then you run out of things to say. These questions work in any language. Pick two or three before you meet, and ask follow-up questions: "Why?", "How?", "Can you give an example?"
Icebreakers
- Where are you from, and what is it like there?
- How long have you lived here?
- Why are you learning this language?
- What was the first word you learned in it?
- What is the hardest part for you?
Daily life
- What does a normal day look like for you?
- What did you do last weekend?
- What do you do when you cannot sleep?
- What is your favourite place in this city?
- What is something that surprised you when you moved here?
Food and drink
- What is your favourite dish from home?
- Can you describe how to make it?
- What do you always order at a café?
- What food from this country do you like or dislike?
Travel and culture
- Which place would you like to visit next, and why?
- What is a tradition from your country that visitors should know?
- What is a holiday you like and how do you celebrate it?
- What is a polite thing to do in your country that is rude in another?
Work and study
- What do you do, and what do you like about it?
- What would you do if money was not a problem?
- What skill would you like to learn next?
Opinions and fun
- What is a song or film from your country everyone should know?
- What is something you changed your mind about?
- Would you rather live in a big city or a village?
- What is the best advice you ever got?
Language questions
- Is there a word in your language that is hard to translate?
- Which mistakes do people in your language often make in mine?
- Can you teach me a phrase to use this week?
- How do you say "I do not understand, can you say that again?" in your language?
- What would you like me to correct, and what should I leave?
How to use the list well
- Pick one question, then stay with it for a few minutes.
- Swap languages every 30 minutes, as in a fair language exchange.
- Write down new words and use them next time.
New to this? Read your first language exchange. Want a partner near you? Find out how in how to find a language partner in the Netherlands.