Is it true that French people refuse to respond to tourists who don't speak French and instead English?

Question

That's not very nice, is it?

Answer 1

We do answer the questions! But some prefer to answer to a french question insted of an english one... People like when the guy who ask the question make efforts and not belive he's in the US!

Answer 2

Is it true that English speaking people have racist language biases towards French speaking people and have a tendency to lump all French speaking people into the same category?

Answer 3

No, this is not true.  I speak a little French now, but on my first visit a few years ago all I could say was "bonjour", "merci", "s'il vous plait", and "parlez-vous anglais?".  Still, I managed to enjoy that two-week stay and not feel as if anyone had treated me with anything other than respect and courtesy.  I think you get what you give!  If you are polite and respectful, then that's usually how people respond to you.

Answer 4

it's false, i'm french and i always try to respond tourist  ;))

Answer 5

It is simply another idiotic stereotype which has no  basis in fact.

The rudeness comes from English speaking tourists who regard it as a sign of moral depravity that people  do not speak English.

It comes as a great surprise to them that in France they speak...come on now...wait for it...French. Astonishing isn't it?  

While more Frenchmen speak English than Americans or Brits speak French, not everyone in France speaks English.

What really surprises me is that people DON'T hate English speaking tourists given the way so many of them behave.

I've been visiting France for 35 years or so and no one has ever treated given me a hard time about language. I may speak French but its with an atrocious accent and the vocabulary of a mildly retarded 12 year old.  Nonetheless, people manage to have entire conversations with me in French without once rolling their eyes or bursting out in hysterical laughter (either of which would be completely justified).

If you act like a jackass you'll be treated like one. If you're polite and pleasant you'll be treated with courtesy.

Answer 6

No, certainly not!  They do respond - by spraying you with garlic and frog's legs.

Answer 7

and if i talk you in french will you respond me

Answer 8

As far as i'm concerned when a tourist come to me I try to do my best to help. But, it's real that French are not always polite with tourist, I don't know why but honestly it depend, because we are not all like thatn and young people are more nice with tourist and english speaker than older, it's fact I noticed (at least in my city), so if you get lost or need help I think you should ask a teenager or a young adult than an adult or an old people.

By the way, I have nothing against older people ^^

Answer 9

The most difficult for french is to be invaded by all kinds of tourists including the best and the worst ones - and probably be one of the most bashed people in the world - I could tell you how things are going in GB, not even speaking about british attitude towards strangers, but the way british behave with other british - ok ?

       Now being said that I am french - listen to me : once I was sitting in the corridor of the Invalides talking with a colleague - sitting on a gun - a man very probably british kind of white haired - medicare-level glasses - pink sky - a little bit  "retired officer style" or clerk, approached me - did not say anything but ( in english ) " Where is the tumb of Napoleon " - not a single word more - I understood perfectly the request, knew the answer but replied

" demandez à mon collègue il connaît la réponse "

- this happened about 25 years ago - and I would react exactly the same way today, in a similar situation - Amen

Now this is the extra premium for today : translate in french what I wrote you there above in your language

@ To "officer"  - so long years ? you mean before 1966, when US bases were all expelled out of France ?

@ IshotThe - in what are you better than me ? - write your post in french

Answer 10

If it is true it is only certain persons, it is not the entire nation.

And how is that different then an American refusing to speak French to a French person? Or to anyone else?

You can't label people...because then you will always be wrong about some of them...or most of them.

Answer 11

I am French and I live in Paris, when a Englishspoker tourist comes to me for informations I try my best to help him and I speak english with him !

Answer 12

I don't feel it's entirely true. When I went to Paris last year I didn't have any issues with people being rude because I didn't speak french. A lot of people I encountered spoke English. It is good to at least try, at least say hello and good bye in French and ask them if they speak English. I think some people may feel offended if you automatically assume they speak English, and not attempting can be considered disrespectful to some.

Answer 13

The French are really rude. i spent two loooong years there, avoid at all cost.

@stephane m = i went backpacking through Eroupe before going to collage

Answer 14

like in any country, there are rude people in france, but they're not the majotrity.when i meet english-speaking people in france, i do my best to help them in english.

maybe just try to say "bonjour"(hello) and "Je ne parle pas francais"(i don't speak french)

Answer 15

It's true that sometimes the French are a bit rude, but I don't see the point in saying things like this. If I go to a country like Japan and start speaking French, I don't think people will answer me.

Thing is, French people are quite bad at languages :) English isn't their favorite subject in school.

As for me whenever tourists ask me for a question, I'm very glad to answer and share information about my city. I'm fluent in English but even if Italian tourists ask me something, I'll try my best to explain, even if I have to do with gestures.

I've been to many places and it's the same thing everywhere. You'll always find rude people and nice people - everywhere.

French people are lovely, if you are lovely with them.

Answer 16

It's not true !

I'm, french and i always answer !!

Answer 17

hahaa. that's the typical s****. French stereotype.

i went to Paris for a week last summer and everyone was extremely nice and pretty accepting. the baker down the road from our apartment spoke NO english and i spoke NO french but i still managed to eat breakfast there and then lunch the next day...

Answer 18

no it's not true, I can tell it I'm French. It's not that we don't want to speak English it's that we CAN'T. yes it's true it's a shame but French people speak very little English, you have to know that most people have not said a word of English since they left school, and it can be a long time ago!!, they forgot everything,

most people never hear or use a word of English in their life (except in songs of course!), so when somebody talks to them in English they don't understand, that's why they answer in French. Sometimes they are ashamed to show that they don't speak a word of English or that it is very bad and they don't dare to speak English.

You have to understand that it's not so easy to answer in a foreign language, especially when you don't expect it (it can stress them). For example even me, who have studied English in university, when people ask me for information, I don't understand all that they say when they speak too fast, or sometimes I can't explain precisely because I don't master English enough.

What I suggest if you want to ask something is to ask someone who is young (and looks nice) as they're more likely to speak English. And you should ask first: "Excuse me, do you speak English?" ; if they say no, just find someone else. Moreover thanks to this question, people will get ready to answer in English and wil be less stressed or scared by you. You should also make easy, understandable sentences and speak slowly.

I hope you understand all that I said, I know it's not very clear, lol!

I add that I don't expect anybody to speak French, only stupid people expect that.

Answer 19

This is often said, but rarely experienced.

How would you react if someone came up to you and started talking Chinese, assuming that you are speak only English?

When in France, I always try to speak some French, then the person I am speaking to comes back with an answer in perfect English.

Answer 20

This has been an ongoing debate for ever and ever.

It is not what you are saying.  But, they do like it if you can speak to them in French, at the same time they know that not everyone can do so.

What they do not like, is for you to approach them, speak to them in your language, and EXCEPECT them to undertand you, rather than approaching them in a way to say,  hey listen, I do not speak your language, so lets try to work and undserstading each other.

Go with the attitude of if there is any shortcoming/ fault, it is yours, rahter than theirs.  After all, you are in France.

Answer 21

I have visited Paris several times and also other parts of France.  I do not recall a single negative experience resulting from my lack of French.

I speak very rusty high school level French, which helped a lot, but one of the other myths about the people of Paris is they are rude if you don't speak perfect French.  Absolutely not true.

Paris is a great city!

Answer 22

its true. but thats not rude at all, in fact it makes alot of sense. How would you respond to a japanese tourist who spoke to you in japanese? english speaking people are absurdly ignorant, and have a ridiculous tendency to assume that EVERYONE speaks english. Americans (except for new yorkers, cuz i'm one) are terrible tourists. we make the mistake of not learnin anything about the country we're visiting and expect locals to cater to us, and thats why we have such a negative image abroad.

Answer 23

yes it's true , when an english forgot to say please, excuse me or thank you....in english or in french. Every french people know what mean this english words...

When you seems like an a*****e, you're treated like that ....

it's true with everybody, english, deutsch, spanish or french.....

it's call "savoir vivre"

Answer 24

The French are nice people and they have been unfairly labeled as mean. They just don't like it when people go to their country and expect them to speak English. How much worse would Americans treat Latino immigrants if they in turn expected us to speak Spanish? The French are very nice to people who at least attempt to speak the language if they visit. Anyway - Parisians are a bit more abrupt - just as most people in big cities tend to be. In the outlying parts people are way more pleasant.