Search form

menu menu
  • Daily & Weekly newsletters
  • Buy & download The Bulletin
  • Comment on our articles

Parlez-vous franglais?

14:18 03/07/2015

Perhaps one of the biggest frustrations to the international Brussels resident is mastering the French language.  Despite the fact that the city is largely francophone, in some circles it's possible to get by with a smattering of 'franglais'. But for those interested in delving a bit deeper, they say practice makes perfect. Nonetheless, the question remains how to improve your conversational French beyond the casual chit-chat with the cashier at the local supermarket?

If you're underwhelmed by the prospect of trawling online noticeboards looking for the ideal language exchange partner, Franglish might just be the solution for you. Promising a language exchange in speed-dating mode, Franglish eliminates the exclusivity that may make your language exchange an intense experience for all the wrong reasons. The concept is straightforward - two hours, multiple conversations, a new partner every 14 minutes, seven minutes French, seven minutes English. We dropped in to see how the Sunday session shaped up.

The hum of conversation is dulled by the pumping electronica coming from behind the bar at The Corner. Moving closer, there is a cluster of tables with about 20 people engaged in earnest conversation. Alejandra, host of the exchange, explains. "Franglish is an international concept that started in Paris and London. We're new to Brussels and this is the third Franglish evening." A Colombian interpreter who has called Brussels home for the last nine years, Alejandra adds, "In Brussels, we also decided to run a French-Spanish exchange. Unfortunately this evening, many people who signed-up as Spanish-speakers haven't turned up, so we've had to turn it into a table discussion."

So what's the verdict? First-timer Natalia, eager to improve her French, was impressed with the set-up, while Cecilia, there to improve her English, expressed some reservations. “It's normally when the discussion really gets going that it's time to change,” she lamented. Sirine, a physiotherapist looking to practise her Spanish, was looking forward to giving the Franglish concept another go, hopefully next time with a better balance of Spanish-speakers.

Franglish (with the right balance of speakers) could be just the ticket for those with a short attention span and a penchant for mingling. French-, Spanish- and English-speakers can sign up on their website. Other conversation tables in Brussels include the long-running Cercle Royal Polyglotte, the Brussels Language Exchange evenings and the VUB Language Tables for lunchtime chat.

Photo courtesy Franglish

Written by Julie Kavanagh