Franglish, a French-English Language Exchange

How can I meet up and speak with native French speakers in my area?

Many people complain that they can read or write French, but have a hard time speaking it. If you’re one of those types of people who struggle with holding a conversation then Franglish is for you, because practice makes perfect.

Franglish is an organized event where native English, French, and Spanish speakers meet at a local venue for the sole purpose of exchanging languages (English & French). All levels are welcome and you won’t be judged. When you arrive at a Franglish event you have half an hour to mingle and meet people before the 2-hour event officially begins. Since the events are at bars and pubs a drink is included in the ticket price.

Each English participant goes to a table with a French partner of their choice.
– 7 minutes of the conversation in French. Only French.
– 7 minutes of the conversation in English. Only English.
– You then have 1 minute to switch tables and meet a new partner!
About every 15 minutes you’ll receive a new person to speak with, this goes on for two hours.

Franglish has language exchange events all around France (Paris, Lyon, Strasbourg, Nice, Lille, etc) the United Kingdom (London, Cambridge, Oxford, Manchester), and New York City! There are also Spanish/French exchanges in Paris.

Curious? Check out the following video below and turn on English subtitles if needed.

As you can see, Franglish promotes a very laid-back atmosphere which helps foster discussion. Likewise, over a full hour dedicated to speaking French and meeting people? I cannot stress how amazing an event like this is, you get to improve your skills with native speakers for next to nothing. Not to mention, you’ll get to make great contacts and sharpen those social skills. Going to a Franglish meet-up is easier than trying to cross strangers on the street, and if you ever run out of things to say then the bilingual staff can help give you a topic. So, spice up your French (or English) learning and get ready to share your native language.

When I went to Franglish on October 29th I was greeted by friendly staff. I took my belongings and sat down at table number three where a French lady and I broke the ice while waiting for the event to start. I eventually switched tables and talked with young lady from Algeria, followed by a hip young Lyonnais who studied in the U.S. My third partner was from Paris and happened to know my small hometown in the U.S (how crazy is that!), then I closed the night with a middle-aged Frenchman with a great sense of humor. All my partners had different levels of English and all of them were there for slightly different reasons. Some loved English, others wanted to improve for their career, and a few simply wanted to keep their language fresh. Overall, Franglish helped me make more friends from Lyon, and that’s always a great feeling.

Check out Franglish’s website, select your city and sign up for their next event! Events are on a weekly basis and spaces are limited. Signing up is free, however you pay a small fee at the event.

Hopefully I’ll see you all there.

– John Elkhoury