Visiting france/paris this summer...?

Question

Hi,

I'm planning a visit to france (mainly paris) this summer.

First off, how much French would I need to know to get through Paris fairly painlessly? I'm a Canadian (though with limited french), so my french will most likely be extremely broken/nonexistent. Is it particularly painful for an english speaker to navigate paris? How about in restaurants?

ps. my french is not unbearably basic (i studied french for over 10 years, I must've picked up something, but i cant say it was a lot 8D).

Answer 1

it easy to know you need to contact a freinds that you have in paris so you get any information you want , the language that you complian is not dificulty so many peaples of france they know english so that  to solve it any things that you want

Answer 2

You will be fine. The French appreciate the fact that you are trying. I'm sure you have the basics down (Bonjour, Bonsoir, S'il vous plait & Merci) so you will be leaps ahead of most tourists.

I'll bet you pick it up really quickly!

Answer 3

You should be fine. I was just studying abroad in England with a lot of students who spoke nothing aside from English, yet they went to lots of different countries (including France) without knowing the language.

Since you'll already have a basic (if not moreso) understanding of it, you can attempt to speak French and if you mess up, I'm sure the people will be more than okay with it. The key is to attempt the language!

Have fun in Paris!

Answer 4

I dont know what these people are talking about but I just got back from a trip to paris, and in one store they would not sell us anything (like ring us up at the cash register) becuase I did not speak  french, and also I was pushed down the steps on the subway/RER thing by a woman because I couldnt understand what she was saying. I ended up having to be rushed in a french ambulence to the emergency room, I fractured my leg. it was just bad, and I studied french for years too. Its just so different when you really HAVE to use it.So id study up some. Have fun =D

Answer 5

You will have no problem whatever.

You will find that almost everyone in the hospitality industry (waiters, hotel desk clerks) speaks English.

Further in a recent survey the great majority of the French polled indicated that they spoke at least some English.

My experience is that even though I speak French people will switch to English rather than listen to my atrocious accent.