What do you like / hate most about the French?

I don't like about French people that most of them totally refuse talking English to you! As I don't speak French very well, I HAVE to communicate in English! But French people always think that everyone has to learn and speak their language...that can be very annoying sometimes...

i love french people, i am half french myself . i may have to comment the young girl above. This issue where u think french people refuse to speak english is normal in almost every country, u need to understand the double sided picture. Yes, it would be great if french people would greeted us in english but in the other hand, we should not be expecting this at all. come on, this is France we are talking about, why should they have to stop speaking their native langauge to satify us as the forigners. Even if u make the least effort in speaking their native langauge, u will diffinatly be greeted with open arms.

Hmm, but what you say could be referred to every country, not only France. Of course most of the people like talking in their own language, but I think it's just very very impolite if people you're talking to notice that you don't speak their language, and still refuse to communicate with you in a language both sides can understand!
Maybe I met the wrong people, but when I tried my very little knowledge of French, the guys I talked to were more condescending than happy while listening to my "French".
Sorry, but that's just what I experienced.

I totally agree with Julia, it is hard when you have limited French. You should live where I live in rural Dordogne, surround by the French vineyard/farming community its a nightmare sometimes. Some of the older folk can't read and write either so you can't even write it down for them. Its a constant battle, but my french is improving and with the help of charades I manage very well. gona have to learn French the slow way as lessons have become very dear, French think that all UK people that move hear are loaded, especially when you are looking for a builder!!! English is a international language and should be universal. I had to learn english when I came from Israel took 14 years to learn but I got there in the end.

Hi all,
I can understand your problems with getting along in France with English only. It's like normal that elder people don't speak English, ok, but I don't know why younger people sometimes just refuse to speak it! I really like the English language and I am always really happy when I meet someone in France who I can talk English with!

salut,

well, we face this issue everywhere but we as forigners need to keep in mind that france will always be france. france will never be like the UK or America. Reason why young folks only speak french is because that what they grew up in. What we fail to understand as Anglophone speakers is the culture of the country we come to visit and the things we grew up in we tend to take with us as granted. French is what makes up france, with out french, france would be any different from UK or america but at the same time thats the beauty of why france is different from Uk and America. Here in america, i have to speak english because that the language i mostly speak, if a person who speaks spanish to me, even though i can speak spanish, i am bound to respond in english because its part of my lifestyle. it is the persons fault who comes to this country knowing that english is mostly used. we need to respect the countries culture or else we are bound to get a rude awakening like julia

hi tajina
how is the life in a small village?
what do you do there ?

I've been to France on holidays for three times. I instantly fell in love with this country and I had the luck to meet very friendly people everywhere, who seemed to appreciate my efforts with speaking French.

I've been to France once for holidays and I was lucky meeting very out-going people! But I can understand the opinions of Julia and tajina for example, as I heard stories like that also.

All in all I like France and I wish I can go there again one day, maybe to the Atlantic coast... :)

i think if u meet a french guy or girl and if he/she knows speaking english, no problem, he/she speak english with u. the problem in France, a lot of people dont speak english, or a little bit. even me, my english is very bad lol! but i try to speak english, its very interesting to chat with people of different country, culture.

Hey Philippe, I can totally agree to what you said.
Still it's kind of sad to hear that so many French guys refuse speaking English to foreigners, even if they would understand it...

WHEN I WAS IN FRANCE THEY WERE NICE WITH ME AND SPOKE ENGLISH TOO SO I DONT KNOW WHAT U TALK ABOUT MAYBE BECAUSE IM JEWISH:)
we dont judge people and im sure when ill be there again they r going to act the same its depend how u take it good luck

i think the same my english is very bad but i can hendle with what i know the most important its what u have inside and i accept everybody except if they r like me live their life without to search alot of problems

... Hi, just to share my experience ...

I lived in Paris couple of years and met people of many "faces" - consider when I arrived to France I could say only Salut ...
Anyway for the discussion - in France you meet 3 kind of people:
1) those who know english and spoke to me english - so no comment - at the end I was foreigner trying to communicate
2) those who didnt speak at all - however depending on the person - some tried to help - some just couldnt
3) those who know english but refused to spoke - I guess that was a bit ignorant.

I believe - no one should walk in to the foreign country and be ignorant thinking that only English can help. Common, does it kill to learn couple of words - carry small language dictionary and ask in the shop for "fraises" instead of ignorantly trying to convince the sales person that the red thing is called strawberry? ...
People do get nicer and do get more friendly when one tries to speak their native language ... at the end, thats the beauty of europe - 1 hour fligh and you get different culture, different language ..

In any case, to summarize - what I would like to say is that it is very personal. And that goes not only for French people, but anywhere in the world.

- I like the way french people live, their priorities for life (considering what I have experienced) - I love the language (gosh it is not easy one) and the "friendliness" ..

- I dont like that there is a part of French people who consider other nations "lower class" - maybe that is personal but thats how I got treated by some selfclassified-higherclass french people /./././

That's very interesting to read yo all.
I am french myself living abroad.

I think that french aren't less welcoming than the other nationalities except maybe in Paris during the rush times.

People doesn't expect you to speak perfect language but dont't use the words "Hello", "Sorry" and "thank you" in english.

I have heard too many times british starting to ask something by Hello ... which sounds rude and snotty and I personally don't want to answer when I hear that.
I don't generalise but once I saw some englsih guys in Spain talking to a old guy in a shop like a dog cause he didn't speak english.

When I go abroad I make (the litlle) effort to learn a few words to avoid to speak only in english and I never had any problems.

Make the effort to learn "Bonjour", "Merci" et "Au revoir" to show you care a bit about the culture and you are not only there for the sun and the hotell and I am sure you will get back next time.

... Je suis plus que d'accord - exactement mes mots ...

Did I at least said it right? :-D

I like everything I meet untill now, I'm in France 1 month and I haven't met any person who refused to speak English (maybe because this is touristic area where I am).
I really try to learn French, but so far, I can read and write, conversation is zero. L'anglais est facile, le françis est plus dificile!

salut