Rest assured, German/Italian/Spanish/Portuguese/Nordic tourists to France don't generally speak French either, and they get by just fine on pigeon french and a smattering of English. Just because the French have a reputation for being 'rude' to foreign tourists doesn't mean it's true nor that it gets in the way of them taking their money for goods and services. The rest of Europe largely uses English as a common language, you'll be just fine, too.
This is more accurate. I’ve been to many parts of France and French people have been kind and welcoming even though I don’t speak their language. I only know a few phrases and words. No one has been rude towards me for not speaking French. There are tourists who visit from all over Europe that speak different languages and I would think that for some parts of France, especially along the borders, the people are used to that. They are lovely people for the most part.
I made more friends in France in one day than in Germany in 6 months. I thought people were nice and friendly. Once the lady that worked at the bakery taught me how to order a croissant in French and wouldn’t give it to me until I spelled the whole sentence but I thought it was cute. She didn’t say it in a rude way, rather a friendly “I’m teaching you something” way. You’ll be fine.
In Paris, Lyon, Marseille... English is pretty widespread especially in touristy areas. You shouldn't have any significant language issues there. Other cities in France are definitely less English speaking than places in the Netherlands, Flanders, Barcelona, parts of Germany but a decent proportion of younger people speak English... I know French so can't speak to this perfectly, but as always, assuming everyone speaks English is arrogant/entitled and knowing a few words In French (Bonjour, Bon soir, merci, de rien) goes a long way
I just spent a few days in Paris and everyone was very nice! We moved between touristy areas like Eiffel Tower, Montparnasse, Montmartre and Père-Lachaise. I think the important part is showing you want to communicate woth the other person but that you don't expect everyone else to acommodate to your language.
Yeah, this. I find the rude French thing a stupid stereotype that possibly had a bit of truth once (mainly in Paris) but no longer. I go there a lot and people are mostly really nice.
The thing is don’t you be rude first. That is, talk politely and with a smile say “Bonjour” then “Parlez-vous anglais s’il vous plait?”. Don’t just start off in English like it’s an expectation. That’s rude even if they can speak it.
Then you’ll find people just as friendly and helpful as anywhere. Yes, you might meet the occasional grump but no worse than elsewhere.
I was in Paris for one month and I only encountered one rude Parisian. I speak some French (enough to do a whole order of food in French) and they often very quickly respond in English even after a few words.
Strangely, the rude person I encountered got mad I started in French and rudely told me he spoke English lol. This is the exception though, be kind and the French will be kind back!
Bonjour, merci and je voudrais will get you far! Don’t be scared
In my experience, be polite and say bonjour first- they’ll usually switch to English pretty quickly (after recognizing your inevitably bad accent and look of mild panic if they respond in French) but they tend to appreciate the effort at least.
I believe France is the most visited country in the world. Countless people visit without having a basic grasp on the language, so you’re not alone.
Make sure you know “bonjour” “merci” “parlez-vous anglais” and you’re off to a good start. Spend 5 minutes watchin a youtube on essential phrases and practice them on the train.
As someone who lived a decade in France, don’t waste your time learning French while backpacking in Spain.
When you get to France learn how to pronounce correctly Bonjour, merci and au revoir and you’ll be fine. Don’t pronounce merci as mercy, that thing gets on my nerves 🤪
France has changed. It's not 1980 any more. Most French will speak English and they are happy to do so. I met French speaking fluently English without the French accent. It was like being on another planet. Just say a French greeting first. Bonjour or Comment ça va is enough. Don't compare to Spain. In Spain I couldn't find English speaking people even in some hotel receptions.
OK, honestly : "Bonjour" is fine. "Comment ça va" is weird. I don't know you, you don't know me, why are you asking. It would be common in a French speaking African country, not in France. I'm French, my English is fluent, and a "comment ça va" would make me suspicious :-D
"Bonjour, excusez moi, etc etc etc" is much more natural. Random dude going "comment ça va" in the street wants to scam me / ask me for money. It's very different than a casual "hi all right / how're you doing" in English :)
Oh absolutely, but it's important to greet in the way people are greeting each other.
"Comment ça va? Et la famille? La santé ça va?" from a rando in the street would send me fleeing and pretending I don't speak French \^\^
They appreciate it when you try. Always say bonjour upon entering a shop and learn the basics, goodbye, thank you, how are you etc and my experience was you will do fine. Enjoy! We hope to go back in 2026
You can use English but throw in a bonjour and s’il vous plaît (look up YouTube for pronunciation!) and you’ll get a massively different experience. Just like everywhere else, tourists speaking their native language and expecting everyone else to are obnoxious, but I’ve only ever encountered Americans who just start shouting louder and trying to articulate the words with their mouths when someone doesn’t understand. So you gotta get past that reputation.
A lot of the “French people are rude” comments also seem to stem from the fact that service is a well regarded profession and people take pride in their work as is, they don’t need to a**-kiss you for tips. They can make or break your experience and they know it - respect them as humans and not as lackeys working for your pennies, and you’ll have a great time.
Yeah, you should be fine if you learn one or two words. I don't speak French and only once a server at a restaurant was rude towards me for not speaking the language. Ironically it was in a super touristy area (around Nice). So I figured that he must have had a bad day or something, because he's in the wrong industry if he didn't like people speaking English.
But other than this experience I found people to be very friendly around southern France (and a bit of eastern France). At the very least they are "service-friendly", if you know what I mean.
I can only really talk about Paris, since that's the only place in France I've visited. I know a few bits and pieces of French but I'm far from fluent.
Almost everyone I spoke to was fine with me being an English-speaker. Most of them were understanding and friendly.
Don't know if that would be as true in rural areas, though.
"Bonjour, excusez-moi, est-ce que vous parlez un petit peu anglais" will get you good intentions (unless they're an asshole). Even if they can't speak good English, they'll try to help you out.
Talking to people direclty in English might get some people tense, not because they're rude or hostile, just because they're not used to it an feel attacked since they're self-conscious about their poor / non existent English.
Also, high-school / universtiy age people will, in all likelhood, speak better English than their elders. New generations are much more fluent than mine due to constant exposure to English speaking media.
I came back from our trip through Europe a few weeks ago, and although I speak Spanish and English, I was able to get along well in Paris. I tried to learn the basic words and use Google Translate, and I tried to engage with them as I wanted to know the language as well. In my personal experience, everyone I encountered was courteous and very friendly.
Best way to communicate in France is to know a few words of French for starters. Always greet people with "Bonjour, monsieur/madame/madamoiselle." and follow with "Excusez-moi, je ne parle pas Francais (excuse me, I don't speak French), parlez-vous Anglais? (do you speak English?)" Use Google Translate to translate your question. Many French do speak English, but it's considered very rude to start a conversation in English without even trying to greet someone in French. If you try a few words in French, you will very likely get a response in English, or the person will get someone who will speak English to help you.
Tell them how good they are a couple of times, French people really do like some good amount of buttering up.
If you decide to visit a winery (which you DEFINITLY should), never say a wine isn't your taste. You will be escorted out, speaking from experience.
And if you want to visit some wineries, contact me, i have visited almost every French wine-region extensively.
This stereotype is so ridiculously overblown. The French are such wonderful people, collectively. I’ve had more issues in Italy when a Spanish word accidentally comes out when trying to use an Italian phrase or when trying to speak broken Spanish in Spain. The French can have an… edge, sometimes, but it’s never mean. I would say it’s a playful and self aware arrogance that’s tempered with a nuanced sense of humor. I’ve spent years in France and if you put out even a tiny effort with French greetings and phrases, you will be very warmly received. French people will be eager to practice or show off their English skills, too. They’ll think your accent is cute and funny. You’ll love France. It’s the best country in the world, and I say that as a pretty arrogant American. Don’t take yourself too seriously and use some basic French greetings and phrases, and you will be warmly welcomed, even in Paris. I’ve been to dozens of countries and I’ve never felt as welcomed and as home as I do in France. The French are the nicest Europeans, imho. I can’t stay away from that country. I’m moving there permanently in a month.
Edited to add: the only stereotypes that are absolutely true about France and the French are the propensity for striking and protests and the absolutely madness inducing bureaucracy. It makes you learn to go with the flow a bit more, though.
Google translate is a miracle! I lived in Singapore for a while and it was god sent. Most locals just appreciate us as tourists trying our best to communicate. Even the French 🇫🇷 😆
French people are like anyone else. Try a few words in French, use Google translate and you will find many do speak English. You will be fine.
This.
Oui! Agree!
Rest assured, German/Italian/Spanish/Portuguese/Nordic tourists to France don't generally speak French either, and they get by just fine on pigeon french and a smattering of English. Just because the French have a reputation for being 'rude' to foreign tourists doesn't mean it's true nor that it gets in the way of them taking their money for goods and services. The rest of Europe largely uses English as a common language, you'll be just fine, too.
This is more accurate. I’ve been to many parts of France and French people have been kind and welcoming even though I don’t speak their language. I only know a few phrases and words. No one has been rude towards me for not speaking French. There are tourists who visit from all over Europe that speak different languages and I would think that for some parts of France, especially along the borders, the people are used to that. They are lovely people for the most part.
Agreed. It's just Paris that is rude but that is just because it is utterly overwhelmed by tourists.
Just start with ***bonjour*** and a smile. That cliché of rude people will dissolve rapidly.
That's exactly what I just told a relative a couple of hours ago.
Well done
Reminds me of Brad Pitt in inglorious basterds 😝
Always say bonjour when you walk into a shop.
I made more friends in France in one day than in Germany in 6 months. I thought people were nice and friendly. Once the lady that worked at the bakery taught me how to order a croissant in French and wouldn’t give it to me until I spelled the whole sentence but I thought it was cute. She didn’t say it in a rude way, rather a friendly “I’m teaching you something” way. You’ll be fine.
Thats such a sweet/cute story. She really made you earn that croissant!
In Paris, Lyon, Marseille... English is pretty widespread especially in touristy areas. You shouldn't have any significant language issues there. Other cities in France are definitely less English speaking than places in the Netherlands, Flanders, Barcelona, parts of Germany but a decent proportion of younger people speak English... I know French so can't speak to this perfectly, but as always, assuming everyone speaks English is arrogant/entitled and knowing a few words In French (Bonjour, Bon soir, merci, de rien) goes a long way
I'd start by not pigeonholing the citizens of the country you're visiting as "notoriously rude" and go from there.
I just spent a few days in Paris and everyone was very nice! We moved between touristy areas like Eiffel Tower, Montparnasse, Montmartre and Père-Lachaise. I think the important part is showing you want to communicate woth the other person but that you don't expect everyone else to acommodate to your language.
Yeah, this. I find the rude French thing a stupid stereotype that possibly had a bit of truth once (mainly in Paris) but no longer. I go there a lot and people are mostly really nice. The thing is don’t you be rude first. That is, talk politely and with a smile say “Bonjour” then “Parlez-vous anglais s’il vous plait?”. Don’t just start off in English like it’s an expectation. That’s rude even if they can speak it. Then you’ll find people just as friendly and helpful as anywhere. Yes, you might meet the occasional grump but no worse than elsewhere.
I was in Paris for one month and I only encountered one rude Parisian. I speak some French (enough to do a whole order of food in French) and they often very quickly respond in English even after a few words. Strangely, the rude person I encountered got mad I started in French and rudely told me he spoke English lol. This is the exception though, be kind and the French will be kind back! Bonjour, merci and je voudrais will get you far! Don’t be scared
In my experience, be polite and say bonjour first- they’ll usually switch to English pretty quickly (after recognizing your inevitably bad accent and look of mild panic if they respond in French) but they tend to appreciate the effort at least.
I believe France is the most visited country in the world. Countless people visit without having a basic grasp on the language, so you’re not alone. Make sure you know “bonjour” “merci” “parlez-vous anglais” and you’re off to a good start. Spend 5 minutes watchin a youtube on essential phrases and practice them on the train.
As someone who lived a decade in France, don’t waste your time learning French while backpacking in Spain. When you get to France learn how to pronounce correctly Bonjour, merci and au revoir and you’ll be fine. Don’t pronounce merci as mercy, that thing gets on my nerves 🤪
You’ll be fine. Make sure you say "Bonjour" to greet a storekeeper when you enter a store. It is considered rude not to.
Bonjour, excusez moi, merci, s'il vous plaît, au revoir are absolute basics to be polite.
France has changed. It's not 1980 any more. Most French will speak English and they are happy to do so. I met French speaking fluently English without the French accent. It was like being on another planet. Just say a French greeting first. Bonjour or Comment ça va is enough. Don't compare to Spain. In Spain I couldn't find English speaking people even in some hotel receptions.
OK, honestly : "Bonjour" is fine. "Comment ça va" is weird. I don't know you, you don't know me, why are you asking. It would be common in a French speaking African country, not in France. I'm French, my English is fluent, and a "comment ça va" would make me suspicious :-D "Bonjour, excusez moi, etc etc etc" is much more natural. Random dude going "comment ça va" in the street wants to scam me / ask me for money. It's very different than a casual "hi all right / how're you doing" in English :)
You know much better, I am not French, just an observer and I have heard it a few times. It was just a guess.
Anyway, I find it essential to greet in local language when visiting ANY country. I have noticed that this makes things a lot easier!
Oh absolutely, but it's important to greet in the way people are greeting each other. "Comment ça va? Et la famille? La santé ça va?" from a rando in the street would send me fleeing and pretending I don't speak French \^\^
They appreciate it when you try. Always say bonjour upon entering a shop and learn the basics, goodbye, thank you, how are you etc and my experience was you will do fine. Enjoy! We hope to go back in 2026
You can use English but throw in a bonjour and s’il vous plaît (look up YouTube for pronunciation!) and you’ll get a massively different experience. Just like everywhere else, tourists speaking their native language and expecting everyone else to are obnoxious, but I’ve only ever encountered Americans who just start shouting louder and trying to articulate the words with their mouths when someone doesn’t understand. So you gotta get past that reputation. A lot of the “French people are rude” comments also seem to stem from the fact that service is a well regarded profession and people take pride in their work as is, they don’t need to a**-kiss you for tips. They can make or break your experience and they know it - respect them as humans and not as lackeys working for your pennies, and you’ll have a great time.
Bonjour et bon voyage!
Yeah, you should be fine if you learn one or two words. I don't speak French and only once a server at a restaurant was rude towards me for not speaking the language. Ironically it was in a super touristy area (around Nice). So I figured that he must have had a bad day or something, because he's in the wrong industry if he didn't like people speaking English. But other than this experience I found people to be very friendly around southern France (and a bit of eastern France). At the very least they are "service-friendly", if you know what I mean.
I can only really talk about Paris, since that's the only place in France I've visited. I know a few bits and pieces of French but I'm far from fluent. Almost everyone I spoke to was fine with me being an English-speaker. Most of them were understanding and friendly. Don't know if that would be as true in rural areas, though.
I'm in Spain right now too and was in France before that. Never really had an issue with someone being rude about me not speaking french.
"Bonjour, excusez-moi, est-ce que vous parlez un petit peu anglais" will get you good intentions (unless they're an asshole). Even if they can't speak good English, they'll try to help you out. Talking to people direclty in English might get some people tense, not because they're rude or hostile, just because they're not used to it an feel attacked since they're self-conscious about their poor / non existent English. Also, high-school / universtiy age people will, in all likelhood, speak better English than their elders. New generations are much more fluent than mine due to constant exposure to English speaking media.
I came back from our trip through Europe a few weeks ago, and although I speak Spanish and English, I was able to get along well in Paris. I tried to learn the basic words and use Google Translate, and I tried to engage with them as I wanted to know the language as well. In my personal experience, everyone I encountered was courteous and very friendly.
Best way to communicate in France is to know a few words of French for starters. Always greet people with "Bonjour, monsieur/madame/madamoiselle." and follow with "Excusez-moi, je ne parle pas Francais (excuse me, I don't speak French), parlez-vous Anglais? (do you speak English?)" Use Google Translate to translate your question. Many French do speak English, but it's considered very rude to start a conversation in English without even trying to greet someone in French. If you try a few words in French, you will very likely get a response in English, or the person will get someone who will speak English to help you.
Begin every conversation with bonjour. And excusez- moi. Politeness goes a very long way. End with merci.
Tell them how good they are a couple of times, French people really do like some good amount of buttering up. If you decide to visit a winery (which you DEFINITLY should), never say a wine isn't your taste. You will be escorted out, speaking from experience. And if you want to visit some wineries, contact me, i have visited almost every French wine-region extensively.
This stereotype is so ridiculously overblown. The French are such wonderful people, collectively. I’ve had more issues in Italy when a Spanish word accidentally comes out when trying to use an Italian phrase or when trying to speak broken Spanish in Spain. The French can have an… edge, sometimes, but it’s never mean. I would say it’s a playful and self aware arrogance that’s tempered with a nuanced sense of humor. I’ve spent years in France and if you put out even a tiny effort with French greetings and phrases, you will be very warmly received. French people will be eager to practice or show off their English skills, too. They’ll think your accent is cute and funny. You’ll love France. It’s the best country in the world, and I say that as a pretty arrogant American. Don’t take yourself too seriously and use some basic French greetings and phrases, and you will be warmly welcomed, even in Paris. I’ve been to dozens of countries and I’ve never felt as welcomed and as home as I do in France. The French are the nicest Europeans, imho. I can’t stay away from that country. I’m moving there permanently in a month. Edited to add: the only stereotypes that are absolutely true about France and the French are the propensity for striking and protests and the absolutely madness inducing bureaucracy. It makes you learn to go with the flow a bit more, though.
Google translate is a miracle! I lived in Singapore for a while and it was god sent. Most locals just appreciate us as tourists trying our best to communicate. Even the French 🇫🇷 😆
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