About San Francisco Spanish-Language MeetUp

We are a group of people who like to get together and speak Spanish. We typically meet every other Tuesday in a casual setting to sip cocktails and chat in español. We welcome all levels of Spanish, but do ask that people only stick to Spanish. There are no planned activities, instead we like to just mingle and meet new people. Here are some questions people typically ask me:

FAQ's

Q: Do I have to be able to speak Spanish to come to the meetup?
A: Yes, but you don't have to speak it well. We welcome all levels. It is a Spanish ONLY group, however, so if you don't know any Spanish at all you might feel a bit awkward.

Q: I can't come on Tuesdays, can you hold it on another day?
A: Tuesday is the only day I typically have free to be the host, but you are welcome to book one for another day as my "assistant organizer" and get a group going on a day that is more convenient for you. Just e-mail me to get details on how to do that.

Q: What is the typical level in Spanish of the people who attend the meetups?
A: Over a third of the people are typically native speakers or are very fluent in Spanish, another third are intermediate to advanced, with the rest anywhere from a lower to upper beginner level. Even if you just speak a little Spanish, everyone is patient, so feel free to join in.

Q: What time do people arrive and leave?
A: Most people arrive on time (check event start time for each particular event) and stay about two hours. About half the people stay longer to chat for another hour or two. Some people leave in groups to go eat or to go dancing.

Q: What is the venue like?
A: It is a swanky, but casual bar/restaurant. The bar area is usually empty except for our Spanish group, so we are not hard to find.

Q: Do you have any organized activities or discussions?
A: Nope. We just leave it up to natural interaction to get conversations going and practice Spanish. We don't want it to feel like a class or lecture, rather more like a group of friends meeting up who just happen to be speaking Spanish.

Q: What if I come alone, how will I meet people?
A: Most people come alone the first time, so everyone knows how you feel. Just come find me and I will integrate you into the group.

Q: What if I forget a word in Spanish and get stuck?
A: Go find our "human dictionary" (Elvin) to get the answer. You can also ask anyone else at the group who you know is bilingual. We may be "Spanish only", but were not draconian.

Q: Can I bring a friend along who doesn't speak Spanish?
A: Hmmm, I've gotten this question more than a few times. The answer is, only if your friend doesn't mind standing there and not being able to participate. If it doesn't bother him or her, fine with us. The more the merrier.

Q: How much does it cost?
A: The price of one drink. We don't want to wear out our welcome at venues, so you should expect to buy a minimum of one drink or an appetizer.

Q: Do I have to dress up? How fancy is the venue?
A: The venues are all casual. The only thing you have to wear are clothes. Other then that, come as you wish.

Q: I get out of work at 5pm, so that means I have to wait around until the start time. Could you start earlier?
A: Because of work, I can't be there any earlier. But, you should start an 'early birds' group. Just let me know and I will post your name as the contact/host until I get there. I bet there are other people who would really appreciate it.