A language tandem is when two people with different mother tongues come together to teach the other person their own mother tongue.

How does a language tandem work?

The easiest way to explain language tandem is with an example: Lisa from Zurich will soon be travelling to France for a semester abroad. She has already attended a course at a language school to learn French, but she lacks the opportunity to practise free conversation. Louise from Paris has recently accepted a job in Zurich. In order to better participate in life in Switzerland, she wants to improve her German as quickly as possible. The two find each other through Sprachtandem.ch. They first write a few messages to make sure they both have the same idea about the meeting. Then they meet in a public place. First they speak German for half an hour, then they switch to French for the same amount of time.

Not only do they learn the language of their respective language partners, but they also learn about their culture and gain insider knowledge from another country.
The learning/practice method is fun and lets you get to know your counterpart in an uncomplicated and relaxed way. Sprachtandem has the special advantage that the lessons are free of charge because of the exchange principle.