Language Café Finder

For hosts · Language Café Finder

Host a language café. The free kit.

Everything for a two-hour evening in a café or bar: a plan to the minute, an A4 sign for your table and question cards in four languages. Print it, bring a pen, let strangers talk.

The evening plan (2 hours)

Times are minutes after doors open. Shorten the rounds for a smaller group; keep the break.

  1. Doors open

    Put the sign on the table, set out the cards and a pen. Greet each person and ask two things: which language, which level?

  2. Welcome (3 min)

    Say three rules out loud: everyone is here to talk; mixed levels are normal; passing is always fine. Then give the plan for the evening.

  3. Seat by language

    One table per language, four to six seats. Newcomers sit next to you. Point at the sign: it says who speaks what.

  4. Round 1 (25 min)

    One card per table. Ten minutes in language A, then switch to language B. Float between tables, do not sit down for long.

  5. Rotate (2 min)

    Everyone moves one table clockwise: new people, new card.

  6. Round 2 (25 min)

    A new card, the other language first. Native speakers ask the questions, learners answer, then swap.

  7. Break (10 min)

    Drinks, free chat, no cards. This is when people swap contacts, if they want to.

  8. Round 3 (25 min)

    Playful round: let each table pick its own topic, or draw a silly card.

  9. Closing circle (10 min)

    Everyone says one new word or phrase they learned tonight. Announce the next date.

  10. End on time

    A fixed end makes it easy to leave and easy to come back.

Five host rules that work

The A4 table sign

Fill in the three lines, then print. The QR code leads to the Language Café Finder, where people find your next evening and others like it.

Tonight
Language caféCafé de idiomasCafé de línguasЯзыковое кафе
Sit with us. Any level. Come alone.Siéntate con nosotros. Cualquier nivel. Ven solo.Senta-te connosco. Qualquer nível. Vem sozinho.Садитесь к нам. Любой уровень. Приходите одни.
Languages tonight
When
Where
More language cafés near you
speak.comealone.app
Free to join · pass is always fine

Question cards in four languages

Sixteen cards, eight per A4 page with cut lines. Each question is in English, Spanish, Portuguese and Russian, so a table can use whichever pair of languages it practises. The cards come from the hello-question.com bank.

ENIf you could teleport to any neighbourhood right now, which one would you pick?

ESSi pudieras teletransportarte a cualquier barrio ahora mismo, ¿cuál elegirías?

PTSe pudesses teletransportar-te para qualquer bairro agora, qual escolhias?

RUЕсли бы ты мог прямо сейчас телепортироваться в любой район, какой бы выбрал?

hello-question.com · pass is always fine

ENHave you ever accidentally cooked something amazing by mistake? What was it?

ES¿Alguna vez has cocinado algo increíble por error? ¿Qué fue?

PTJá cozinhaste algo incrível por engano? O que foi?

RUБывало ли, что ты случайно приготовил что-то потрясающее? Что это было?

hello-question.com · pass is always fine

ENWhat if gravity suddenly reversed for exactly 5 seconds? What would you do?

ES¿Qué harías si la gravedad se invirtiera durante 5 segundos?

PTO que farias se a gravidade se invertesse durante exatamente 5 segundos?

RUЧто бы ты сделал, если бы гравитация внезапно перевернулась ровно на 5 секунд?

hello-question.com · pass is always fine

ENDo you have a hidden talent that most people don't know about?

ES¿Tienes algún talento oculto que la mayoría de la gente no conoce?

PTTens algum talento escondido que pouca gente conhece?

RUТы умеешь что-нибудь такое, о чём мало кто знает?

hello-question.com · pass is always fine

ENWhat's a tiny dream you've had since childhood that you still want to chase?

ES¿Qué es un sueño pequeño que tenías de niño y que aún quieres perseguir?

PTQual é um sonho pequeno que tinhas desde criança e que ainda queres perseguir?

RUКакая маленькая детская мечта до сих пор тебя манит?

hello-question.com · pass is always fine

ENIf you could live inside a book for a month, which one would you pick?

ESSi pudieras vivir dentro de un libro durante un mes, ¿cuál elegirías?

PTSe pudesses viver dentro de um livro durante um mês, qual escolherias?

RUЕсли бы ты мог месяц прожить внутри книги, какую бы выбрал?

hello-question.com · pass is always fine

ENWhat is the kindest thing a stranger has done for you this year?

ES¿Qué es lo más amable que ha hecho por ti un desconocido este año?

PTQual foi a coisa mais simpática que um desconhecido fez por ti este ano?

RUКакой самый добрый поступок сделал для тебя незнакомец в этом году?

hello-question.com · pass is always fine

ENWhat was the first book you couldn't put down?

ES¿Cuál fue el primer libro que no pudiste soltar?

PTQual foi o primeiro livro que não pudeste largar?

RUКакую книгу ты впервые не мог отложить?

hello-question.com · pass is always fine

ENIf your favourite street were a character, what kind of personality would it have?

ESSi tu calle favorita fuera un personaje, ¿qué tipo de personalidad tendría?

PTSe a tua rua favorita fosse um personagem, que tipo de personalidade teria?

RUЕсли бы твоя любимая улица была персонажем, какой у неё был бы характер?

hello-question.com · pass is always fine

ENWhat's the one comfort food that always makes you feel instantly better?

ES¿Cuál es la comida reconfortante que siempre te hace sentir mejor?

PTQual é a comida de conforto que te faz sempre sentir melhor?

RUКакое блюдо всегда поднимает тебе настроение?

hello-question.com · pass is always fine

ENIf animals could talk, which one would be the rudest?

ESSi los animales pudieran hablar, ¿cuál sería el más grosero?

PTSe os animais pudessem falar, qual seria o mais grosseiro?

RUЕсли бы животные могли разговаривать, кто из них был бы самым грубым?

hello-question.com · pass is always fine

ENWhat's the weirdest skill you've picked up recently?

ES¿Cuál es la habilidad más rara que has aprendido últimamente?

PTQual é a habilidade mais estranha que aprendeste recentemente?

RUКакое самое странное умение ты недавно освоил?

hello-question.com · pass is always fine

ENWhat's something you've been meaning to try this month but haven't yet?

ES¿Qué llevas tiempo queriendo probar este mes y aún no has hecho?

PTO que andas a querer experimentar este mês e ainda não fizeste?

RUЧто ты собирался попробовать в этом месяце, но ещё не успел?

hello-question.com · pass is always fine

ENWhat song would you play as your own personal elevator music?

ES¿Qué canción pondrías como tu música de ascensor personal?

PTQue música escolhias para o teu elevador pessoal?

RUКакую песню ты бы поставил как свою личную музыку в лифте?

hello-question.com · pass is always fine

ENWhat is the most unexpected way you found happiness recently?

ES¿De qué forma más inesperada has encontrado la felicidad últimamente?

PTQual foi a forma mais inesperada em que encontraste a felicidade recentemente?

RUГде ты неожиданно нашёл немного счастья в последнее время?

hello-question.com · pass is always fine

ENWhat's the first song you remember loving?

ES¿Cuál es la primera canción que recuerdas que te encantaba?

PTQual é a primeira música de que te lembras de gostar muito?

RUКакую песню ты помнишь как первую любимую?

hello-question.com · pass is always fine

48 more cards in four decks, plus table tents: hello-question.com/cards

How the kit works

  1. Print the sign and the cards on A4. The cards have cut lines, eight to a page.
  2. Pick tables by language and seat newcomers next to you.
  3. Run three short rounds of ten minutes per language, with a break in the middle.
  4. Announce the next date, and add the event to Meet & Mint so people can join alone.

Questions people ask

Do I need to be a teacher?

No. A host keeps time, seats people and asks the first question. Language cafés work because everyone helps everyone else.

Can I change the cards or the plan?

Yes. Print as many copies as you need and cut, add or reorder anything. Keep the hello-question.com line on the cards and do not sell printed copies.

Where do I find people?

Add the event to Meet & Mint, and list the place in the Language Café Finder through the suggestion form on your city page.

Table tents, level cards and house rules

All cities