The growing popularity of language exchange meet-ups at a Queenstown bar are proof that conversation is the best teacher.

Queenstown Language Exchange founder Louisa Thomas says the meet-ups are an opportunity for people to help each other learn a language in a relaxed setting, over a drink.

Everyone wears a sticker with their name and languages written on it, so they can easily find their “talking matches”.

Thomas has been holding the meet-ups every two or three weeks since April, and has settled on downtown’s Beech Tree bar as the ideal venue.

So far about 25 to 40 people have been attending, but she wants to keep growing the numbers.

“The more we can grow it, the more languages we cover and the more likely that people will have a match.”

Ability levels range from beginner to fluent, and as well as the many people wanting to improve their English, the top three languages are Spanish, Mandarin and French.

Japanese, Portuguese, German and Dutch are also popular, but she wants as many languages as possible.

Thomas says she began learning Spanish during Covid while living in Wellington, and was a regular at a language exchange in that city.

She was prompted to fill the gap when she moved to Queenstown last year and found there wasn’t one operating.

The next meet-up’s tonight, at Beech Tree, from 7.30pm. For more information, see ‘Queenstown Language Exchange’ on Facebook.

— GUY WILLIAMS