Today, let’s talk about how to meet people who speak English!
It can be hard to make new friends, even if they speak your own language!
Q: So how can I find friends who speak English?
A: Well, first of all, remember English speakers are people, just like you! You may find it very difficult if you think, “I am going to go and find an English speaker and become friends to practice my English!”
Just like making friends in your own country, you need to make friends naturally!
Q: How can I meet new people and make friends?
Usually, people make friends with people who have:
- the same experiences or background
- the same interests
Example:
|
Places to meet friends:
- At work?
- At school
- Join a sports club
- Join a social group, such as a church or youth group
- Join a volunteer organisation?
Remember: Go somewhere safe to make friends. I don’t recommend you try to make friends in bars and pubs!
Question: Where do you go to make new friends?
Have you made any friends on this site? How did you meet them?
Put your answer in the comments!
I find it very easy to find English speaker’s friends “net-friends”. But to meet them in reality is a bit difficult, especially if you are not studying in an international college or institution where there are only students who speak your native language. But there will be a time in case you work in a multi-national company or organization.
Yes it is difficult Sara!
Sometimes there are groups or clubs (sports or hobby clubs) that you can join. For example, when I lived in Japan, many of my friends went to clubs such as the ‘International people’s soccer club’ etc. (By ‘club’ I don’t mean night club! They met every Sunday in the park and played soccer together!).
To find some clubs in your area, get or buy a local English newspaper and see if any groups or clubs are mentioned. You could also try the phone book. Then find something you enjoy and also meet English speakers!
It’s difficult question, isn’t it?
Even if I go to my workplace, those who are working there are rather colleague than friends.
And, even though we had a drinking party, for example at the end of a year, I wonder if I could make a friend of them. Among those working together, its relation always has an interest.
Some people go to a club of people who share the same hobbies. But, I don’t have any hobbies, worthy of talking of as my hobbies.
My answer to your this question is that I don’t understand how I answer to it.
Take care
taro
Hi Taro
Perhaps I can help – what do you enjoy doing?
I think I can make a new friends when I go to school , centers .
yes , I have.We met and made friend when we studied at school . because we always have time together for discussing , playing. I made friends at centers , too. they’re centers where everyone can do exercises .
Yes, when i lived in China, I made a lot of Chinese friends by exercising! I took a kung fu class and met a lot of people. We are still friends today!
hi all my friend,
my english is very poor.but I want to try together you.thanks.
Best regard all, Aung Kyaw San
Great to meet you Aung Kyaw San!
Don’t worry about making mistakes! Just do your best and you will get better!
Great to see you here!
It\’s 4 months since I arrived Australia with a 7.5 mark for IELTS exam but I really have big problems to understand people and People are the same about me .
Hope you can help me John
Hi Bez
7.5 is a very good mark! Well done!
Where did you take the test? Is the problem the Australian accent?
What do you think is the problem with your English?
Let me know what you think?
John
In my case it’s really very difficult to make friends who speak English. Because Il live in morocco and here all people speak Arabic, and French is the first foreign language. Few people speak Ebglish here, so it is very hard to find clubs or any places where you can meet people who speak English.
because of this I try to find friends only on the web to discuss with them and may be to meet them one day….
Hi Hakim
Good on you for working hard to find people to talk to on the internet!
Are there no english speakers in Morocco? I would have thought there would be quite a few. Is it an international kind of city with people from all over the world living there?
I see you are good with languages – you speak Arabic and French!
Hi all,
i see we are can get the best level in the english speeking by reading and translations, and by using the news papers and etc.
And everybody can update himselfe if he need.
Hi Badr
Who do you practice speaking with?
John
I have some native speaker friends, Malay, Indian ,Chinese and some mix. Of course we become friends because we have some same interest& hobby and we feel very happy when we hang out together.Actually there are some can speak Cantonese very well because they have been in Hong Kong for a long time.Of course base on what languages my friends speak to me and what language they feel more comfortable then I will try my best to speak with them if I know the language.
Hi Pink
Yes having the same interests is important in friends!
True friendship is about sharing, don’t you think?
Yes, I totally agree with you.
hi everybody .. thanks for this lesson
You are welcome!
Hello all.I think to find good friends isn’t very dificult If you contact you understand can you make friend to him or not.I make friends in any situation,but in my country I can’t find many friends with whom I can practise my english,so I will be happy to find friends in this site.It will be great and interesting to have a lot friends with whom you can practise English and make friend.
Dear John correct me, please.
I have arrived late, haha.
I can’t practice my english with native speakers. I don’t know anybody. So, because of that, I can`t make english friends. I know a guy who speaks english, (his mother is british, and he’s my neightbor) but we both get bad, so, well.
I need to improve my english, really, really.
Correct me, if you wish.
Hi Sheila
Why do you need to learn English?
thank you so much,
i am very happy to visit like this website to learning English fluently and try to speak native speakers although its not my maternal language.
i would like to get better way to learn english in this website and i have more friends that i communicate during massages.
thanks
Hi Mahaza!
You are very welcome! Great to see you here!
Have you joined the community? There are lots of people there you can meet and make friends with.
Take a look here: http://www.askjohnenglish.com/learn/course/view.php?id=5
John
Making English speaking friends are not easy i reckon you will be able meet good English speaking friends through social networking.
That is a great suggestion Rachitha!
What site do you use?
Have you tried the forum on this site?
http://www.askjohnenglish.com/learn/course/view.php?id=5
John
Well i have tried Facebook and it works.You can find good friends there, mainly English speakers.By the way i haven’t tried that link you posted me but sure i will.
Hi Rachita
Yes, I also am on Facebook! See me here: http://www.facebook.com/askjohnenglish
Hope the forum on this site is helpful for you!
Hm…Should I join the Kung hu class to make friends with YOU?
Hi Tamara!
Well, you don’t have to do Kung Fu – you can do something you enjoy! Maybe cooking, photography or whatever you like!
What classes have you tried?
Hi there!! I am a Japanese woman who was brought up in Kyoto.
I am grateful that we could all meet here on this site,
“ASK JOHN ENGLISH” to learn English.
I have tons of things to ask John here. Because we Japanese have a distinctive culture and custom, foods and more as well as you guys have in your own country, which are totally different to Australia’s.
I really hope that what we talk about here will help each other and improving our English skill.
For me I meet my friends in the university I try to talk to the English native speaker , I took training in the hospital so I take this chance to meet them also and I use the Skybe .
Awesome! How do you meet people on Skype?
hi John,
I have been living in Sydney for only 4months.My english skill is not very good .I have sat IELTS exam 2times with the score of band 6.5. I was very frustrated when i spoke to English native speakers especially when calling phone.The main problem is how to speak fluently and how to understand australian accent.I can understand all the words if they say clear voice and tone . But some australians say their conversation very quickly . Hope you can help me.
Hi Michelle
Yes I know what you mean. One great way to practice is to watch TV shows like ‘Home and Away’. What are you doing in Sydney? Are you a uni student?
I find real friends who help me to improve my english speaking at the church. they speak slowly when I ask them to do so, so I can understand them clearly. I ask them the meaning of every word they say that is unfamiliar to me and they explain it to me patiently…They are indeed my true friends who are enthusiastic to help me reaching my goal in life. Im very grateful to have them as my friends
Hi Agnes
Yes churches are GREAT places to make friends and learn language and culture! Often people will share food and enjoy lunch, picnics and other outings together too!
Great to hear it is helpful for you!
I have a friend who is not good in english but wanted to improve english and i didn’t go anywhere to find a friend.
Great! So you help him and he helps you? That is a great way to do it!