Do French people like if you speak French?
Seriously, even if it sometimes doesn't appear this way, most French people do want to speak their native language with you and are happy to do so.
They don't get offended, but there is an expectation that travelers at least try and make an effort to speak French. They don't expect you be fluent, all they ask is that you try its a show a bit of respect. Even “Bonjour La Tour Eiffel Si vous plait Monsieur?” if that is all the French you can manage its enough.
While speaking English, in Paris, is not considered rude, expecting every French person to speak French will surely be seen as such. To avoid a cold reaction from the other party, it will always be appreciated to start the conversation with a simple sentence in French.
The French are very proud of their nation and their language. French is the official language of France itself as well as a large number of overseas territories that are remnants of a huge historical colonial empire.
The French accent, previously considered the sexiest in the world, has been dethroned by the British accent, aka the Queen's English, in a global study carried out by Time Out in over 30 countries. Sacrebleu! The French accent has lost the first spot as the world's sexiest accent to Queen's English.
French people value it when foreigners try to speak their language and see it as a sign of respect. They'll appreciate your desire to learn, and you'll feel more welcome and at home in France.
French people tend not to visit unannounced or uninvited. To do so is considered rude. When invited to a dinner, it is common for guests to ask their hosts if they are required to bring something on the day.
Any traveler visiting a foreign country is bound to do a few things that bother the locals. However, there's no tension quite like that between American tourists and the French, especially in Paris. Many French people see Americans as rude, loud, and disrespectful...
French people love to debate, and sometimes it looks scary; friends turn on each other, they loudly disagree, insults are thrown… But it's all in good fun, actually. Debate is just a part of the French way of life. One might say we're better at arguing positions than actually act on them, but that's up to debate.
Expect Lots of Flirting
But whether you're single or not, in France, there is plenty of flirting regardless of marital status. To both sides, flirting is an art form. So you're going to see it thrown around a lot.
Why not to smile at strangers in Paris?
As Travelnut mentioned, the French (at least in Paris) think too much smiling makes one look simple. All Americans do not smile all the time. If you smile at a stranger while shopping they will smile back and so will your server. One doesn't smile just to smile.
Speaking accented French is considered attractive by 39% of respondents in a new poll. FRENCH people consider the English accent to be the most attractive - while the rest of the world considers the French language to be the most seductive, a new study has found.

FRENCH – MOST BEAUTIFUL SPOKEN LANGUAGE
French has been described as smooth, flowing, elegant and aesthetically pleasing. With its unpronounceable “r”, its nasal vowel sounds “en”, “in”, “un” and melodious intonation, it sounds extremely musical to the non-native ear.
- Belgium. ...
- Canada. ...
- French Polynesia. ...
- Luxembourg. ...
- Madagascar. ...
- Martinique. ...
- Rwanda. ...
- Senegal.
- A world language. ...
- A language for the international job market. ...
- The language of culture. ...
- A language for travel. ...
- A language for higher education. ...
- The other language of international relations. ...
- A language that opens up the world. ...
- A language that is fun to learn.
The votes are in and it's unanimous: French is the sexiest language in the history of ever. To make things even steamier, French is a legit Romance language along with Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and a few others, named as such because of their Latin roots.
Apparently, if you're looking for the perfect way to position your marketing campaign, you should head to the South because once again, people found the Southern accent to be the most attractive accent to have.
- Italian. When it comes to the most attractive languages, for many people the native language of Italy likely springs to mind. ...
- Arabic. ...
- English. ...
- (Brazilian) Portuguese. ...
- 5. Japanese. ...
- Turkish. ...
- French.
#1 Parisian French
Of the accents of France, the Paris accent is perhaps the hardest to nail down. And that's because Parisian French is considered “standard French” – or French without an accent.
Many find French hard to learn because of the complex grammar and linguistic nuances that don't exist in English, especially for those who have never studied another European language specifically Romance languages like Spanish or Portuguese. Spoken French can also be challenging!
Is it hard to live in Paris if you don't speak French?
Many people who move to France do so without being able to speak any French. Although it might be acceptable for certain professions, most expats will find that their having more fun as they pick up the language. Generally, people develop their language skills out of necessity.
It's not a sign of unfriendliness but simply a different way of conducting interactions. French people aren't unhappy or rude, they simply smile a little bit less than Americans tend to expect. In fact, Americans value smiles a lot more than many cultures.
- Don't take “non!” for an answer. ...
- Don't freak out if someone cuts you in line. ...
- Don't expect speedy service. ...
- A formal, polite greeting goes a long way. ...
- Just don't quote “Lady Marmalade” ...
- If you're speaking English, take it slow. ...
- Don't attempt small talk with a French person.
Since the French view Americans as overly proud and conservative people, self-reflection is applauded. Aside from encounters with Americans, only a few reference points remain. American TV Shows or fast-food chains are often used to define and understand American culture.
The term États-unien derived from États-Unis (United States) is the correct term used in French in the fields of geography and demographics. Although, Américain is also used in a colloquial way.
Skip the baseball caps, white socks, sneakers, large colorful backpacks, and fanny packs. Instead, opt for dark skinny jeans, plain shirts without logos, and leather shoes. Top it off with a scarf and you will look tres French.
Barlow and Nadeau suggest that the no used by many French people comes from an obsession with not getting blamed for being wrong. And while this is true in all walks of life, the fonctionnaires (bureaucrats) of France have turned it into a complex system that seems archaic and inefficient.
More than a tradition, it's a habit and even a reflex. Of Latin origin, the greeting kissing persists in countries where the culture of contact dominates, and this culture is deeply rooted in France. The French still greet each other by touching each other, kissing or shaking hands.
Across Europe, French has gradually declined from being the lingua franca to falling behind German and English. English is spoken by 41% of Europeans, while only 19% speak French.
The French have an undeniable reputation when it comes to love and sex. They are passionate, enticing and simply irresistible. French people have a way with words and actions that's all about love. And when it comes to displaying their fairness in bed, they are said to be absolute sex gods!
Does France have hookup culture?
There is no stigma attached to sex on a 1st date. It isn't considered a hookup or something sleazy, but just another aspect of getting to know each other. The couple can choose to or not, either way, it is their individual choice as well as as a couple.
Public displays of affection in France
People kiss acquaintances when they meet them in the street and you even shake hand with the plumber when he comes to fix your leaky pipe: the French are definitely touchy-feely. So, in Paris (and other major cities) anything goes; elsewhere, be more restrained.
You'll come across as impolite if you don't say bonjour and that's not the first impression you'll want to make. It's even seen as insulting to not say bonjour in French and then French get the reputation for being rude or snobby… but that's a conversation for another day.
Everyone knows that Paris is one of the prettiest cities in the world — but fewer people realize that it's also introvert-friendly! If you're a solo traveler who thrives on getting enough alone time, the City of Lights might make for your perfect getaway.
Unlike that phrase, though, French people actually do say Oh là là – a lot! It's one of those French stereotypes that's actually true! Just about every French person, regardless of their age, social status, background, geographic location, education, level of formality, etc., uses this expression.
The French people we talked to complained of the British being big-headed, strict and uptight. “They think way too highly of themselves,” said Eric, 63. “Everything shocks them and they are quite moralistic,” said Margaux, 30. Brits were also seen as difficult to get.
- British: More than half of respondents said a British accent was one they could trust, and 22% said it would make someone seem more trustworthy.
- Canadian: Almost 2 in 5 (38%) said a Canadian accent was trustworthy, with 15% saying it would make someone seem more trustworthy.
While the accent of the American South might be difficult to comprehend for many students of the English language, its original form was actually much closer to British English, albeit with a playful inflection.
According to a UNESCO survey, Bengali has been classified as the sweetest language in the world. As a language, Bengali is widely spoken all over India, including Assam and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
“French men pay attention to things like women wearing make-up, perfume, dressing well, and they enjoy a woman's sensuality.” This doesn't mean they expect women to be mere 'eye candy,' though. To the contrary, explains Carol: “French culture appreciates both the sensual and the intellectual."
How long fluently speak French?
French is a Category I language, so it's relatively easy to learn for native English speakers. It will take approximately 580 hours or 23 weeks of study to reach complete French fluency.
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Counties and parishes with the highest proportion of French-speakers.
Parish/county | St. Martin Parish |
---|---|
State | LA |
Total population | 48,583 |
% Francophone | 27.4% |
Francophone population | 13,312 |
C1 – Proficient User
Can express him/herself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions.
French is the second most useful language in the world for business. Studying French makes you smarter. French is one of the top ten majors most likely to lead to less unemployment and higher earnings. Studying in a French-speaking region makes you more creative.
Spanish will unlock most of Latin America to you (and Spain, obviously), whereas French will give you an in to many African countries, plus France, Belgium, Canada and Haiti. If you're learning to boost your career prospects, Spanish and French are both very useful business languages to know.
In essence, bilingualism rewires the brain, leading to improved memory, creativity, problem-solving skills, and more. The benefits don't stop there, however. Additional research has explored whether people who speak a second language are protected against age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's and dementia.
We've all seen those European air kisses that some people do when they greet each other in the States, but in France, la bise isn't a rarity: it's the norm.
French has several different accent marks, also known as “diacritics”. They serve several different purposes in the language. Sometimes they affect pronunciation, sometimes they don't. Sometimes they can completely change the meaning of a word.
The most important French greetings include bonjour (hello), enchanté(e) (nice to meet you), bonsoir (good evening/hello), salut (hi), coucou (hey), Ça fait longtemps, dis donc (long time no see), Âllo (hello), Ça va? (how are you?), tu vas bien? (have you been well?), quoi de neuf? (what's up?), au revoir!
Respect is shown in verbal greetings by referring to the person as 'Madam' ('Ms') or 'Monsieur' ('Mr'). Though previously the title 'Madam' referred to a married woman and 'Mademoiselle' referred to an unwed woman, this practice is no longer commonplace.