Looking for a Spanish conversation group?
Why not try a Spanish-English language exchange group?
There are tons of opportunities to practice your Spanish and participate in events with both locals and foreigners in Malaga but language exchanges or intercambios are the best for making sure you get a designated amount of time to practice your Spanish conversation and don’t just wait for opportunities to use a few words here and there. Plus they are a great way to meet people and make new friends and they are most often free or cost very little + the price of a drink!
Most intercambios have designated periods of time for Spanish conversation and then switch over to English conversation so both Spaniards looking to improve their English and foreigners looking to improve their Spanish can get something out the exchange. Sometimes, you may also find speakers of other languages (German, French, Chinese, etc) also willing to exchange conversation in their native tongue for yours.
Some Spanish-English conversation or intercambio groups are more structured than others, while others are primarily social with very little structure. The more structured intercambios are better for beginners (you have more time to think about what you are going to say and there are fixed amounts of time during which you will speak English and Spanish and you may also switch partners after a certain # of minutes to ensure things stay interesting). The less structured intercambio groups are better for those who already have enough Spanish to participate in conversation relatively comfortably. These groups are basically just like a night out in a bar where you talk to as many new people as possible.
Here are five options for Spanish-English conversation groups or intercambios de idiomas in Malaga. If you try one please let me know how you liked it!
Aprender y disfrutar!
Pachange Intercambio/Language Exchange
Location: At various teterias and/or pubs in center of Malaga city. Look at their website or FB for locations of current events.
When: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays 8:30-10:30pm
Email: malaga@pachange.net
This is my personal favorite because they hold three exchanges per week and there is always a good mix of people. This is a great intercambio for anyone from beginners to more advanced because they separate people into groups based on level.
There is a fee for the Pachange intercambio events but it’s only two Euros. As Pachange holds their intercambios in Teterias (except for the Friday exchange) you can enjoy an evening out practicing your Spanish without feeling obligated to imbibe extra alcohol calories or spend too much money. Order one of the many different types of teas or coffee beverages they have on offer and enjoy the intimate atmosphere.
On Tuesdays the intercambio is a ‘swap’ meaning that after 30 minutes of speaking Spanish and 30 minutes of speaking English with your partners you swap out for new partners in the second hour and do 30 minutes Spanish/English again in the second hour. This is great for keeping it fresh and meeting more new people in one night.
On Thursdays and Fridays it’s not a swap so you’ll have the same partners for the two hours. You and your partners will speak Spanish for a full hour before switching to English for the second hour.
Intercambio/Language Exchange Alcasabar
Location: Alcasabar, Calle Pozo del Rey 7 (center of Malaga)
When: Thursdays 8:30pm
Email contact: alcasabar@gmail.com
These intercambios happen every Thursday at the Alcasabar in the center of Malaga. There is no fee but as this is a bar, you are required to purchase at least one beverage. There are discounts on some food items for intercambio guests.
These are more casual intercambios-and definitely more of a social/bar vibe since people are typically ordering beer, wine or cocktails and it’s Thursday night in a popular area.
Gerald Brennan’s Cultural Association Language Exchange
Location: Casa Gerald Brenan, Torremolinos Street, 56, Churriana (Malaga)
When: Currently these are being held from 4-7pm on Wednesdays but have been held at different times and on different days in past so always check with the organizer first before planning your attendance.
Email: asociacionculturalgeraldbrenan@outlook.es
This intercambio is not in the center of Malaga so it’s better for those who live in this part of Malaga, have a car, or who are specifically interested in the cultural aspect. Because this is a cultural association these intercambios are often also cultural activities such as listening to an author speak, discussing an interesting article, etc. It is not a structured intercambio with designated periods of time for Spanish and English-so this tends to be better for those who already have at least a conversational level of Spanish and most enjoyable for those with an Intermediate+ level or above.
*They are quicker to respond via Facebook than email in my experience
Muelleuno.com/Artsenal Language Exchange
Location: C.C. Muelle Uno (Puerto de Malaga)
When: Wednesdays at 8pm
Email: info@artsenal.es
This website isn’t specifically for language exchange events but they do list their recurring Artsenal language exchange here (currently this event seems to be happening only a couple of times a month) as well as other intercambios happening around Malaga (Pachange intercambios are listed here for instance). In addition you can find a list of other cultural events including live music and arts exhibitions.
Great to hear that there are so many intercambio’s there. I tried learning Spanish just recently for a trip to South America and I really struggled until I started talking to other people who spoke Spanish. It’s definitely a great way to learn.
These are awesome language exchange events! I hope I could find something like this here in Manila, or maybe I could host one? This is a great avenue to learn new language and meet new friends.
and intercambios are much better than just talking to people you randomly meet, as those people don’t typically have time to listen to you, correct you, etc and they certainly don’t typically sit down with you for two hours! 🙂
Learning new language is always fun and too with groups of unknown people. I loved Malaga but never knew of such groups. I would surely pass this information to bunch of my friends, who are always looking for new language courses. Thanks for sharing!