28 Mar 2024
Language Exchange – STOCKHOLM
Community Education Networking Swedish Language Courses

Language Exchange – STOCKHOLM

Want to put your Swedish skills to use in a fun social setting? Join Language Exchange – STOCKHOLM to practise your svenska and meet new people in a casual, friendly environment.

 

Here at Your Living City we are all too familiar with the process of learning Swedish and the variety of courses available in Stockholm. In previous articles we provide you with information on Swedish language programs that are conducted in a more structured classroom setting.

However, we know that in order to really improve your language skills, you will need to put what you’re learning into practice outside of the classroom. That’s why we highly recommend you check out the Language Exchange – STOCKHOLM Meetup Group, where more than once a week you can meet new people and hold friendly conversations in Swedish in a cozy café atmosphere.

The Stockholm Language Exchange has sent us a video of one of their groups.

Check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcNSV3hu_OY

Some reasons why the Stockholm Language Exchange might be right for you:

  • You are learning Swedish by attending SFI or another Swedish course or using online programs and tools.
  • You and your Swedish partner/friend/family member practise the language at home as much as you can, but it just doesn’t feel natural yet.
  • Your Swedish partner wants to learn or improve on your native language too (English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Chinese, Portuguese, etc), but has nobody to practice with here in Stockholm.
  • You want to maintain other languages you have learned in the past.
  • Despite taking SFI and other Swedish courses, you still lack confidence when approaching Swedes in their native tongue.

 

About the Stockholm Language Exchange:

The Stockholm Language Exchange is organized and run by Andy Foster and co-organised by Jonas Rognon along with his great team of volunteers from different backgrounds who help with the different languages.

 

“We call it ‘Language Exchange’ as we are a bunch of volunteers who love languages and we exchange our time helping others with languages in return for help practising those languages we wish to improve” -Andy Foster (Organizer)

 

A leader is assigned to each table to support and guide the group discussion; each group will have no more than 6-8 people, so everyone gets a chance to interact and most importantly talk!

The group has weekly scheduled meetings and meet Up dates are announced on the Language Exchange – STOCKHOLM Meetup page. Each event lasts 90 minutes and is held in the same place, downstairs in a cozy alcove of a cafe in Gamla Stan, with great coffee, food and friendly staff.

Previously there was a small admin charge but now it is completely free.

 

The benefits:

  • Improves your spoken language level, ability and confidence.
  • It’s not just Swedish language that’s offered! Spanish, French, German, English, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and Russian groups are regularly held.
  • You meet like-minded people who want to practise what they know and learn new conversational phrases.
  • It’s a great way to make friends who are new to the city!

 

How to join the Language Exchange group:

Join the Language Exchange – STOCKHOLM Meetup groupJoin an event and RSVP before the deadline to attend. If an event is full, put yourself on the waiting list; there could be a cancellation. There will be events every week, so don’t be disappointed if there are no places the first time.

You can also find language partners in their active Facebook group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/cafemultilingua/

 

Language exchanges offered by the group:

  • Swedish (3 levels) Basic, Intermediate and Advanced
  • English Intermediate to Advanced
  • Spanish, German, French, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic and Russian

 

 

 

Link to website: http://www.meetup.com/intercambio/

Link to the Facebook  page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/cafemultilingua/

Article: Shephali Sardesai and Andy Foster

Photos curtesy of Language Exchange Stockholm

19 Comments

  • Solan 5 Dec 2011

    Varför kostar det alls om de är ‘volontärer’? Verkar inte vettigt. Man kan ju bara hitta några kompisar och göra det samma gratis. Doesn’t make sense to charge, even if it just a little bit…

    • Lark 6 Dec 2011

      I’m not sure exactly why they charge per se, but the two people that run this program run it like a full time job, and did it without pay for quite some time. They offer meetups almost every day of the week, and on Sundays it is all day long. I personally feel like they could ask for more considering how much time and effort they put in. It is not a problem for me to pay 20 kr.

  • J Maria R 5 Dec 2011

    This is a great thing!

    I´ve attended serveral times. Having this opportunity to get to practise my spanish is something I´ve been looking for, for years. There was nothing like it until Stockholm Language Exchange came.

    I´m sure there are expenses involved in order to run and organize this.

    You can´t even buy a cup of coffee for 20 kr in Stockholm.

  • Ben 5 Dec 2011

    I understand what Solan is saying but at the end of the day its really a token amount and the organization of these groups inevitably costs a little money. I doubt its a money making scheme! I think groups like this should be supported as I have found it really hard to practice and learn Swedish here. I ended up choosing a paid-for course but if id known this was around I would have chosen to join in instead:) I Will take a look

  • Peter 6 Dec 2011

    Have attended these groups a few times, it’s a great way to practise my Swedish and Spanish as well as meeting many nice people in a stimulating atmosphere. Well done for getting this thing going, just what we needed in Stockholm!

  • James 6 Dec 2011

    Hej Solan, maybe thanks to the language group I will get become good enough in Swedish to understand your response (it is an English site!) without having to use google translate.

    I have tried languagekompis, and putting my name up on a board for some random person to meet for a one-to-one but they have never really worked out, you need to find the right person and hit it off straight away, also a lot of my female friends found that to be not a comfortable experience as the guys who she met tried hitting on her.

    As for friends, well if that works for you then great. I have a few good Swedish friends and although we do talk in Swedish now and then if we have time (I am still only learning) they don’t feel comfortable correcting me. That is what I want, to be corrected !

    I have attended three of the Stockholm Language events since I joined and it has taken my SFI swedish to a new level to the point my teacher asked me on monday if I had been taking private lessons as now all of a sudden I have found the confidence to talk out in class (there are 25 of us in class by the way!)

    From those three events I have attended, it has appeared well organised, lots of information, people who sit with you in groups of 6 or so and help build your confidence, ask you questions and help you with your answers and most of all correct you when you say something wrong… For me, that is worth 20 kronor and then some, I upgraded my membership on Sunday to the annual one, as I intend going as often as I can, to supplement my studies, meet some new friends and know for sure that there will always be someone there to practise with when I attend.

    Sorry for the long response, but I recommend that anyone studying should use this group to enhance their learning.

  • shawn 6 Dec 2011

    hi.

  • Supreeth 6 Dec 2011

    Hej,

    I have attended some of the Swedish basic classes and also in return I try to attend English classes. It has been a very effective way for me to learn a new language like Swedish and also to improve my English. An added advantage is that I get to meet people from different background, cultures and fields. Not only I am getting to know more about Stockholm but also about other countries, lifestyle and people during the discussions.

    • Meri 10 Dec 2017

      I am going to visit Stockholm in February,I would love to attend Swedish classes,and meeting peoples over 50 .
      If there is any information

  • CarolT 6 Dec 2011

    I agree with James, and thank you for taking the time to share how its been for you. Always nice to hear other peoples journey and it sounds to me like the language exchange is a brilliant idea

    p.s hi shawn

  • Karen 7 Dec 2011

    This sounds awesome. I’m totally going to go and check it out. It’s so good to hear that someone is doing something like this. Awesome!

  • Carmen 7 Dec 2011

    I just wanted to add to the other great comments. This week I have already practised my Swedish on Sunday, my English on Tuesday and am on my way to the French group tonight!

    If they need another native speaker on Thursday I will go along to the Spanish group too giving back some of my time to help others learn my language…

    A fantastic, well organised group of guys. Well done!

    Carmen

  • Johan vinqvist 12 Dec 2011

    I am Swedish but I attend the French and Chinese group, yesterday I attended the Stockholm Language Exchange Christmas party and I felt compelled to write something here.

    The level of organisation is unparalleled, Andy and all the guys had everything planned to the limit.

    The whole party was paid for from the group funds, they take very little anyway in membership but if anyone doubted if this was a none profit organisation the proof was there for all to see that this group is a family not a company, they hired out a pub to themselves in Gamla Stan with two floors, had great food and great games. We even ended up singing Sankta Lucia together. These guys are a class act !

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