Daily Minute with J'Ouellette® - verb Donner [présent] - Learn to Speak Parisian French

Daily Minute with J'Ouellette® - verb Demander [imparfait] - Learn to Speak Parisian French

Daily Minute with J'Ouellette® - verb Demander [passé composé] - Learn to Speak Parisian French

Are you French-manners ready? (1) - verb PERDRE - Learn Parisian French on Skype

So, how good are your manners? You know, the French take manners very seriously! You could lose a friend or maybe even your head if you’re not careful. ;) Check out the article below for some more insight into French manners, and watch the video for some French that’s not worth losing! (This week: verb PERDRE – to lose)

Find out if you have bad manners in Paris

Today, I’m starting a little series of articles regarding French manners and etiquette.

It has been my experience that most people are quite surprised when I mention that there is such a thing as an etiquette code that my friends and I learned when we were in our teens.

When crossing cultures, it is quite normal to see differences in social etiquette, of course, but knowing that most of us would like to be accepted, to blend in when we go to Paris, I’m bringing you the survival kit, to be considered de bon ton.

Let’s get started, shall we?

You must respect time. Punctuality is an essential act of etiquette. If you have a rendez-vous in the street or in a public place at a specific time, you must arrive on time; the maximum tardiness that is tolerated is five minutes. If it is a business or a professional appointment, a doctor’s or dentist’s appointment, it is recommended to arrive five or ten minutes earlier. The French have a reputation of being late often; whether it’s true or false, being late is always considered rude.

In France, we refrain from calling after 22:00 hours on the phone (10 pm), except when calling close friends.

Spitting in the street is strictly prohibited. Belching in public is very rude. Yawning without covering your mouth, nose or sneezing loudly are also considered very bad behavior.

In the street, there are special passages (before the red lights or not) that pedestrians use to cross. To not use crosswalks, also called « les clous » or « passage clouté », is frowned upon, although in France this code of conduct is far from being respected.

When using public transportation (bus, train, subway), it is customary to offer your seat to an elderly person, a pregnant woman, or a person with a child.

In an elevator, in public transportation, or in the street, you do not stare at people. Staring at a person is considered very rude. Speaking loudly to a person who accompanies you or when on the phone is also frowned upon.

At the end of a meal, it is normal in France to share the bill equally among all the guests, unless one of them wants to pay everything. However, it is still customary at a dinner for two, that a man pays for the woman who accompanies him, even if this is less common among young people.

In a line, you have to be orderly like everyone else and wait patiently for your turn. It is extremely rude to overtake someone or come directly to the counter to handle your business. Those who allow themselves to have this behavior will earn a sanctioning gaze, or will be verbally admonished.

We must say “thank you” when we receive something , when someone provides us with a service. If you receive a gift, it is not rude to open it immediately. However, we can do it after a conventional short sentence : “Is it OK to open it right away? “. Even if the gift is not to your liking, or is not what you expected, you do not show your disappointment.

You may be either shocked or relieved – better yet, not at all surprised. In either case, it would be nice to know some French, in order to easily assess when to use the right etiquette for the situation that you find yourself in. :)

Now it is your turn!

Tell us in the comments below, what is the one French manner that you never see yourself taking on?

Make sure you watch the Learn Parisian French – TO LOSE (perdre) on Youtube! While you’re there, and if you like it, please click the ‘Like’ button!

Don’t ever give up on your dream to become bilingual – the world needs your enthusiasm when you go to Paris and fully enjoy it!

LIKE this post? Then SHARE it with your friends! ;)

p.s.
For new ways to work with me, click here!

J'Ouellette® TV - Are you French-manners ready? - verb PERDRE - Learn to Speak Parisian French

Daily Minute with J'Ouellette® - verb Demander [présent] - Learn to Speak Parisian French

Daily Minute with J'Ouellette® - verb Étudier [plus-que-parfait] - Learn to Speak Parisian French

Daily Minute with J'Ouellette® - verb Étudier [imperfect] - Learn to Speak Parisian French

Daily Minute with J'Ouellette® - verb Étudier [future] - Learn to Speak Parisian French

Daily Minute with J'Ouellette® - verb Étudier [present] - Learn to Speak Parisian French

Daily Minute with J'Ouellette® - verb Étudier [present] - Learn to Speak Parisian French

J'Ouellette® TV - Will you ever become bilingual? - MARCHER - Learn to Speak Parisian French

Daily Minute with J'Ouellette® - verb Nager [conditional] - Learn to Speak Parisian French

Daily Minute with J'Ouellette® - verb Nager [pluperfect] - Learn to Speak Parisian French

Daily Minute with J'Ouellette® - verb Nager [future] - Learn to Speak Parisian French

Daily Minute with J'Ouellette® - verb Nager [past tense] - Learn to Speak Parisian French

Daily Minute with J'Ouellette® - verb Nager [past tense] - Learn to Speak Parisian French

What is a VIP French Immersion Retreat after all?

So do you want to go to Paris with me? You know, the quickest way to learn a language is by immersing yourself in the culture and surrounding yourself with chic, fluent, native French speakers! Read on to find out all the delicious details, and check out how the last adventure went in the video below (BIG surprise for you at the end of the video)! (This week: VIP FRENCH IMMERSION – next trip: September 13-20, 2014)

French Immersion at its best

I’m walking in the streets of Paris and I feel like having a café Chantilly. What a day! It’s raining but the rain is doing nothing else but adding a little more Paris to my coffee.

Of course, I’m in the middle of a private immersion retreat with one of my favourite students, but the coffee has its place, its flavour, its story, and can never miss.

We’re walking towards the Metro Station Louvre – Palais Royal, sortie Place Colette, to meet René-Gustave, someone we never met before, but who promised to show us the hidden gems of Paris.

Were we wrong? Was I wrong to choose him to show us Paris so that we can do more conversation in French? As soon as we met , sharp at the top of the hour, I had a really good feeling about him. Slim, with a quick eye and wit, René-Gustave made a nod of approval, because we were on time (watch the video to the end, to meet him).

Then off we went.

First, he explained to us why Palais Royal was called this way in the first place, with plenty of historical details, then he stopped abruptly looking down at a golden disk that was sitting on the pavement in a random place.
- Do you know what this is?
- …
- This disk marks the meridian that passes through Paris.
Two North Americans opened their eyes wide, looked at each other, then smiled in contentment: “Who knows this kind of things?” Immediately we knew that we found a gold mine.

Needless to say that we both felt that this is going to be an adventure, and one we’ll never forget.

Heavy rain, wind and cold could not stop this immersion team today! We started the day at 10:00 and ended it at 22:00 – guided by the same René-Gustave of “Parisien d’un jour” who you met 2 paragraphs ago. He became family and we shed a tear (I know I did) when we said our good-byes – feet wet and cold, tired but happy – over a café maison at Café de Flore. He said that he wants to be the family who is waiting for us when we come back next – I didn’t meet anyone that passionate about their city and the people who they guide.

Not knowing a word of English made him my perfect partner in crime.

Montmartre, Sacré Cœur, Moulin Rouge, Marché des fleurs, Notre Dame are just the well known sites from today’s adventure. Hidden doors, roman pavement stones, secret private hotels, the Wall of Philip II Augustus built in 1,200 hidden in an underground parking lot, a solar dial by Dali on a random building are just a few examples from at least 100 other hidden jewels that only René-Gustave can know.

It was an adventure 180 degrees from your typical touristic guided tour of Paris – which is what I was looking for in the first place. It left us with the feeling that we saw and now know places that the vast majority of tourists don’t even dream they exist, made us a part of an impromptu and exclusive expedition in space and time designed by a Parisian heart of gold.

So much love for Paris poured that day, along with the drops of rain, that some could say that it was a day in the life.

Now it is your turn!

Tell us in the comments below, what is your favourite French Immersion activity you saw in the video? :)

Make sure you watch the Learn Parisian French – FRENCH IMMERSION on Youtube! While you’re there, and if you like it, please click the ‘Like’ button!

Don’t ever give up on your dream to become bilingual – the world needs your enthusiasm when you go to Paris and fully enjoy it!

LIKE this post? Then SHARE it with your friends! Show them how to respond to life ;)

p.s.
For new ways to work with me, click here!