Learn a language and make friends

If you’ve ever attempted to learn a new language, at some point you’ve probably noticed that learning vocabulary isn’t enough – you also need to speak and converse in that language to fully grasp it. That’s where Tandem’s large community of language-learners around the world can help.

You can message other learners directly in the app, or chat to them on an audio or video call. Who better to learn from than a native speaker who can be your personal coach, and vice versa?

It may sound daunting at first – not everyone feels comfortable speaking to people in a language they’ve only begun to learn. But Tandem has lots of tricks up its sleeve that will soon have you talking to Jose from Mexico or Susana from Korea as if you’d known each other forever.

About Tandem:
App launched: 2015
Company headquarters: Berlin
Founded by: Tobias Dickmeis, Matthias Kleimann, Arnd Aschentrup
Team size: 35
Fun fact: Emoji are in the top 10 most-used languages in Tandem.
Popular in: US, China, France, Brazil, Italy, Germany

Opening Tandem feels like arriving at a party where you’re welcomed with open arms and immediately strike up a conversation. The app’s CEO and co-founder Arnd Aschentrup says it’s all about getting people comfortable with conversing in another language. “New users get contact requests right at the beginning, so they don’t necessarily have to make the first move.”

Aschentrup and the rest of the team behind the app also ensure that the right guests are at the party. “We try very hard to make sure that only people on the same level come together,” he explains.

That’s why you’ll only be connected with people you are at the same level as you – for example, a native English speaker who’s a beginner in Italian getting matched with a native Italian speaker who’s a beginner in English. So if you make a mistake, it’s no big deal – everyone’s in the same situation.

It’s not only a love of language that blossoms in Tandem. One friendship that began with a simple chat between two users in the app developed into a romantic relationship and eventually marriage. “We stopped by at that time and gave them both a Tandem shirt!” Aschentrup recalls.

So while Tandem isn’t about finding love, sometimes it’s a happy coincidence when the chemistry happens to be just right between language partners. And that’s the beauty of Tandem’s community, you won’t just be learning a language, you’ll also be making friends all over the world.

Tandem: Conversation exchange

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