I spent a few days in the northern France in the summer of 2022. I wanted to order a steak for dinner and on my arrival I said bonjour, parlez-vous angles, s’il vous plaît? The woman, in her 60’s plus just looked at me and answered NON! Which after she just looked at me and with her own body language asked: What are you still doing here? Luckily for me, there was a younger employee there that wanted to try to understand and became a good help to me. I mean, what is there to misunderstand? I don’t remember what time it was that day, but could I have passed the time for saying bonsoir? Is that enough to deny a foreign customer a meal? The day before I went home to Norway, I went to purchase a train ticket back to Paris. Again, bonjour, parlez-vous anglais s’il vous plaît ? Neither that man or his female colleague spoke English. Luckily for me, I had learned enough French to buy what I needed. I love my French siblings and will visit France again. I believe the French people are a smart group of people and they understand more than they show. My experience is that the younger generations of the French are more willing to understand than the older generations. Thanks for a great channel!
It's a shame you had that experience but it happens rather a lot when you come across older people who have never left their hometown - if you are not born and bred in their little corner of the world you are not to be treated with respect. They do that to Parisians too, Parisians do it to them, and it just keeps going round. The best way is to keep speaking French to them as if you hadn't noticed their rudeness, as eventually they'll either relent, or you will meet nicer people. This didn't happen because you said anything the wrong way, but because of their attitude.
I spent a few days in the northern France in the summer of 2022.
I wanted to order a steak for dinner and on my arrival I said bonjour, parlez-vous angles, s’il vous plaît? The woman, in her 60’s plus just looked at me and answered NON! Which after she just looked at me and with her own body language asked: What are you still doing here?
Luckily for me, there was a younger employee there that wanted to try to understand and became a good help to me.
I mean, what is there to misunderstand? I don’t remember what time it was that day, but could I have passed the time for saying bonsoir? Is that enough to deny a foreign customer a meal?
The day before I went home to Norway, I went to purchase a train ticket back to Paris. Again, bonjour, parlez-vous anglais s’il vous plaît ? Neither that man or his female colleague spoke English. Luckily for me, I had learned enough French to buy what I needed.
I love my French siblings and will visit France again.
I believe the French people are a smart group of people and they understand more than they show. My experience is that the younger generations of the French are more willing to understand than the older generations.
Thanks for a great channel!
It's a shame you had that experience but it happens rather a lot when you come across older people who have never left their hometown - if you are not born and bred in their little corner of the world you are not to be treated with respect. They do that to Parisians too, Parisians do it to them, and it just keeps going round. The best way is to keep speaking French to them as if you hadn't noticed their rudeness, as eventually they'll either relent, or you will meet nicer people. This didn't happen because you said anything the wrong way, but because of their attitude.
C’est super utile!
thanks for teaching.. so easy to understand
thanks great help.
love your channel
Merci Claire!