English Language in France

The most important things to learn are Please, thank you, good morning,
I speak very very little french and found that almost everyone in France speaks English, or at least some English.
You will do fine. If a person doesn't speak English, they will find someone who can communicate with you.
I can't recall more than 1 or 2 people I encountered in all my travels in France who could not speak English - all the school children learn English starting in about the 2nd grade.

U will not have a problem. Just go relax and enjoy.
A little bonjour, merci beaucoup goes a long way.

My limited experience in France was that it was possible to get buy as an English speaker, but it was a little more difficult than in other countries such as Germany or Switzerland where there seemed to be many more English speakers among the people I encountered.

I noticed this first on the high speed TGV train from Basel to Paris. I ended up communicating with one of the train personnel in my halting Spanish since that was our one mutual language. The main "tourist" places in Paris switched to English rapidly as I began to speak. A little bit off the tourist track and this happened far less regularly. It is possible to communicate if you remain polite, positive, and recall that in expecting everyone to know your language when you don't know theirs, you are the person who should be apologetic. I am amazed when people complain loudly that "they couldn't speak any English." I personally am thankful that so many people make the effort to speak and learn English when it is actually not that easy a language to learn.

I noticed that it was important to make an effort for the words I could say in French, and always to greet people formally and politely before doing anything else.

In larger cities and towns and popular tourist sites there will be no difficulty to communicate, signs at museums and tourist sites will probably be in both French and English. In small villages in outlying areas (especially in Brittany) it could be a 6 or 7, but everywhere you will be able to find someone who speaks some English, just don't expect that everyone will and some may be very hard to understand. I was involved in a slight fender-bender when I was there and the police officers that came did not speak English (at least they didn't admit to it) and luckily one of the other persons involved did speak a little so we managed to communicate. Other than that I had no real problems anywhere and I speak no French except for the niceties (please, thank-you, yes, no, etc). Most road signs and signs in train stations are only in French that I noticed so if you're driving learn these ahead of time. You certainly don't have to have any fluency in French to get by, just as you don't need to speak any Hungarian to get by in Budapest. Just learn the necessary words/phrases so at least they know you're trying.

Of course signs are in "French" - its their official language. Sometimes for many tourist oriented things, there are English translations, but not always. We were just there, and only had basic tourist French and a phrasebook. On scale 1-10 I'd say 3. You will always find someone who speaks English in hotels, and most tourist-area shops & restaurants. But off the main streets, you can find plenty who don't or won't understand your English. But its OK. You will get by just fine and it can be a fun part of the experience. Most people are pretty skilled at figuring out what you're trying to communicate, with basic pointing and sign language. But it sure helps to use the polite phrases.

English is widely spoken, especially by younger people in touristed areas. But those French phrases are very helpful. Always begin with "bonjour" or "bonsoir," call the person Monsieur or Madame (or Mademoiselle if young), be very polite and deferential. Many Europeans learned enough English to communicate with you but may not feel confident about it. Hearing you stumble through their language may help them overcome their inhibitions about using yours!

On the 1-10 scale I'd say about a 3 or 4 if you learn the basic phrases, and assuming that you're not looking for sophisticated or profound dialogue. For ordinary dealings with a hotel or restaurant or taxi or shopkeeper, you won't need anything close to fluency. Here are some tips from this site on communicating. Pantomime is always entertaining!

Another point -- the French are very proud of their language and hate to see it mangled. So they may politely correct your vocabulary and pronunciation. This isn't to put you down, it's to help you out. I've learned a lot from bartenders, taxi drivers, and fellow pedestrians. One way to start a conversation is to politely ask someone the word for something.

Signs are always in French, of course. Sometimes there will be an English translation, especially in airports and stations, but my impression is that multi-lingual signage is less common in France than elsewhere in Europe. A lot of signs will use symbols and illustrations though. You shouldn't have much trouble on this score. A good phrase book will be a good investment.

In the tourist areas of Paris/Nice English will be common in places that care about tourists (hotels, some restaurants) and may be less common in places that don't depend on tourists (dept stores, shops, etc). I've traveled to small villages on the Adriatic side of Italy (hardly anyone speaks english), as well as larger towns like Paris or Nice. You can get by w/o knowing much of the language. As an experiment watch how much you say to complete strangers over the next day or two; maybe you'll be at a store or two, eat a meal, etc. You really don't say that much (unless you're very outgoing, I suppose)

So here's the deal. "Communicate" isn't the word I'd use, instead I'd say "get by". If you learn a few polite phrases, how to ask where the restrooms are, to say you'd like to buy something, and the numbers then you can get by. Context is key on helping things flow. When you walk up to the door at a restaurant odds are good that you are looking to eat and not talk about the soccer match on the TV. With a polite greeting and just a few words, it works out. So the basics aren't too hard. Where it gets tricky is if you need more than that. A shopkeeper trying to tell you "we are closing now for lunch, come back at 3pm" may not be so easy.

But don't let it stop you. You can travel to all those places and have a great time.

People selling things to tourist learn enough English to get by and get the job done; often not more than that. Young people often have a little; older people not so much. Cab drivers, bus drivers and people in shops not in tourist areas often have no English. When we have stayed in the l7th which is out of the tourist areas the butchers, bakers and greengrocers we dealt with did not for the most part speak any English -- we got by with our beyond terrible French and they were good sports about it.

It is critical to learn the politeness phrases -- always greet people before doing anything else --not to do so marks you as a rude jerk in their eyes and will turn subsequent interactions frosty. Not to say Bonjour FIRST is like saying 'hey you' before asking a question or conducting an interaction in the US. That and please, thank you, good bye -- and how much and bill please will get you through.

janettravels44
www.janettravels.wordpress.com

"..always greet people before doing anything else"

This cannot be emphasized enough. My wife made the mistake at a Metro window in Paris and was rewarded with "BONJOUR BONJOUR BONJOUR" screamed from the woman there. I sidled up with my "Bonjour madame" and she completely relaxed and was quite helpful.

Hi!
I just spent 6 months in Paris, so i think this should be helpful.
What they say about a lot of people not knowing english, or not being comfortable speaking english is true. But what they say about the french being very proud of their language, and refusing to help you is totally not true (the second bit, at least to my knowledge, is baseless). The thing is, if they perceive you as a person who is mocking their lack of knowledge of english, they will be reluctant to help you, even if they do speak some english.
Knowing basic french phrases is always helpful. Please, thank you, "how to..", "where is.." are some examples. Most important public places have signs in english, and the places that have no english signs have very obvious french signs which you'll easily figure out.
The bigger tourist attractions have guides and help available in english, but don't be surprised to see that even in museums like the Louvre, the descriptions of works of art are not available in English, unless you take the english audio guides.
If you plan to visit the smaller towns, having a translator/dictionary on your phone will be useful.
I knew very little french when i landed up in Paris, but my stay was still amazing, and I got by with mostly just english. In my opinion, it should be around a 4 on 10.
Have a great stay!

I enjoy using my phrasebook and making an effort in each new place, but realistically, most visitors never get comfortable with more than the first page of essential phrases. That's fine; you can look up words in your book when you need them, and then promptly forget them again. See more communication tips under the heading of http://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/sightseeing.

As stated by everyone, it is very important to greet everyone with a greeting in French. I had been to Paris on two occasions prior to taking my wife. To prove to her how important it was to greet a storekeeper in French, we went into a tourist type store and promptly did a proper greeting. I then asked the storekeeper (in French) if they spoke English and they said they did. Then we stayed in the store and waited for the next American tourist. They didn't greet the storekeeper and they immediately began to speak English to him. He responded that he didn't speak any English.

I have found that all my encounters with the French have been very positive and I don't speak any French except for the few phrases that the prior posters have suggested. I also like to compliment them on what a wonderful city that they live or work in and that goes a long way to having a positive experience. So many of my friends put down the French as being unfriendly, but when I ask them if they have ever been there or know anybody who is French, they most always say no.

You will have a great time if you go with a positive attitude and remember that you are in France and not in America.

I am in Paris now and have had very mixed experiences. Our first lunch we were in a "touristy" restaurant in the 1st/2nd arrondissement and my son asked for the check and we received hot milk :). I think most people have some English knowledge but it varies greatly even in major tourist places like the Louvre. Be polite, greet everyone warmly, say please and thank you and when all else fails point :)!

Europeans (and even the British) have been visiting each other's countries for CENTURIES. Language can always be dealt with in the tourist trade. I"m reading a book right now about 3 young English chaps who got a big old car and drove from London to Rome in the '20s. Naturally, hilarity ensues.

Now if you want to sit in a local bar and discuss being and nothingness or even the local soccer team, that requires a conversational skill it takes years to acquire.

I am going to Paris in September. I speak some French and I intend to practice as much as I can. However, I plan on repeating conversations in English - if possible. - to make sure there is no confusion, especially with menus, directions, etc. I've heard that the French appreciate Americans trying to speak with them in French. I hope so.

Very helpful.
Merci beaucoup!
J.S.

On my last visit to Paris, I noticed that the French greet everyone with Bonjour Monsieur/Madame, even bus drivers. If you stop someone on the street for a question, start with excusez-moi and be generous with the s'il vous plait 's.

Practically every time I tried to use my halting French, Parisians would immediately switch to English.

Bonjour,

I am french and I live in Rouen (Normandy). In touristic places there are more more signs in english.
Learn to say "Bonjour", "Merci" et "Au revoir" (that's the three first expressions that every french children have to learn !) and use it again and again. I would add "Désolé, je ne parle pas français".
Yes, greetings are important for us and we're proud of our language. But that's true too that most of the French don't feel confident with their english.That's why, sometimes, some of my compatriots can feel "assaulted" by someone who speak to him only in english. We're not rude, we're just shy !
In cities, you will always find someone who speak english. In small villages, it could be more difficult but please don't skip these places because of that. That's in countryside that you can discover farmers, small"cafés", real french products and traditional houses).
Bon voyage
Caroline

Caroline's point is a good one. Saying you are sorry not to speak French in French is helpful in establishing that you recognize that the defect is yours. We have always found people to be good sports when we greet them in their language, whatever it may be, and then throw ourselves on their mercy. When you launch into English without apology or at least greetings in their language you are coming across as entitled and arrogant.

Dave: screamed? Really?
Somehow that sounds a bit like an exaggeration.

No exaggeration at all, Ben. And she was perfectly civil once she got her proper greeting; she was making a point, very effectively.

This is my favorite news article about the (cash) value of polite greetings in France: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-25347423.

I saw the same thing often among my French colleagues when I worked in a bookstore. If a French customer came in and didn't properly greet them, (i.e. "Bonjour, Madame/Mademoiselle/Monsieur") but rather launched right into their question (Do you have xxx book by blah blah?) they not infrequently responded not with "Yes, we do" or "No, we don't," or "Let me check," but rather with a VERY pointed BONJOUR MADAME. No screaming, but then again we weren't stuck in a metro ticket booth. : )

J.S., you are not going to have troubles communicating. Even if you speak just a teeny bit of French, I encourage you to use it. You'll have more fun!

And signs in French are useful. They'll teach you French. The context often makes the meaning obvious.

If you're not feeling confident about your French, bring a phrase book or your smart phone. It also helps to rehearse what you want to say before you say it. For example, figure out how to ask your question and think about possible answers so you are prepared for what you hear.

Oof; I have witnessed the BONJOUR BONJOUR BONJOUR in action ;-) These 7 letters mean.so.much.

I highly recommend Rick's French Phrasebook! I think the phonetic pronunciation he provides is the best you'll find, short of a French textbook/dictionary, and those are only good if you really want to speak French more like a native speaker - and most of us don't want to work that hard. Spend a lot of time with it BEFORE your arrival; that's the key. Practice the basics - bonjour, merci, au revoir, pardon, parlez-vous anglais, je descends, où est..., ouvert/fermé, aujourd'hui/demain, je voudrais..., l'addition, chambre, quai, etc. If it's something tricky, or you aren't making yourself understood, just show the phrase in the book (or carefully write it out, if it's something you use repeatedly like a dietary restriction). Learn the categories in the book to make things easier to find in a hurry. I can't overemphasize how much I like Rick's phrasebooks! They've only gotten better and easier to use over the years.

Just knowing some very important basics for the traveler will take you a looooong way: open/closed, in/out & entrance/exit, yes/no/maybe, basic numbers, yesterday/today/tomorrow, morning/day/night, breakfast/lunch/dinner, ticket window/cashier. You can approach a business door and tell immediately: if they're open, their hours, days they're open/closed, if they're currently closed for lunch, where to line up to buy entrance tickets, air conditioning, credit cards (not)accepted, etc. These are words you may never hear nor utter yourself, but will go a long way in your understanding! Also those tricky 'I thought I knew what that meant!' words like menu vs carte. You can use those tiny, colored Post It flags to find often-used sections in your phrasebook more quickly.

And let's not forget the truly important words - bière, vin, and les toilettes.

Which brings me to another point, already mentioned above. Don't try to compose long, 'correct' sentences when a few words will do, and do much better...like trying to say 'Excusez-moi, s'il vous plaìt, Monsieur, mais où sont les toilettes?' when a very simple and to-the-point 'les toilettes?' will serve both of you better ;-)

...and may potentially prevent you from having to wash your pants so often...

Paris is a very internationally popular tourist city. The vast majority of what you need will be in English, and most people in the tourist industry speak at least some English. It will probably feel very intimidating, but don't allow that cause you to freak out ('freak out' is a technical term in the field of tourism). As scary as it sounds, it is kinda fun to pantomime and butcher each other's mother tongue to communicate...but be prepared that you may not always be successful. Just keep at it...

I get the impression that you don't need to be told not to yell in English to be understood.

Normandy, because of the number of American, Canadian, and British tourists who visit, is a little pocket of English-speakers. Not quite like Paris, but lots of signs, menus, etc. in English. (And don't be surprised if the sight of all of those flags make you tear up a little...)

Have a fabulous trip! You'll be fine.

Hahaha, Ben that's hilarious-have it your way. Wow.

I had the same experience as Dave and his wife at a metro booth! My husband and I were a little confused about the tickets we were holding, didn't know we could use them again to access to RER and we saw no ticket machines. In my confused state I failed to greet the woman properly and was put in my place. I try really hard to remember to greet people properly but forget occasionally. My bad!
I have found though that the majority of the time we forget, it is overlooked. It's not something we are used to doing here in the US.
I carry a Rick Steve's phrase book with me most of the time. In Paris it isn't as necessary but we've been in smaller towns where English isnt spoken at all. The book comes in handy, even if you have to point to words.
Signs are in French but are pretty self explanatory. If you are planning on driving though I'd recommend a GPS with Europe maps. Very helpful! We used an iPhone last time that worked great but it is my daughters, she lives there and has a French sim and unlimited data. Not something we always have access to. Of course paper maps and printed directions are always good to have as back up to failed electronics.
Enjoy! You'll be fine with limited French. I've been 6 times now and I'm embarrasses to say my French is still just the basics.

As everyone has mentioned, learning the proper greetings and being courteous is truly important. I would suggest a little book called
"Rendezvous with France" by Jill Butler. Your library should have it and you can check it out before buying. It has illustrations, their French words and how to correctly pronounce them. It covers the basics on travel, dining, hotels, etc. She is an illustrator who lived in France for years and created this book to help travelers.

Twice I've had experiences like Dave's at Metro ticket booths. Once close to screaming, the other more like sarcasm. Both my fault for not opening with "bonjour," perhaps aggravated by the frustration of the ticket-seller's job.

I love the café with different coffee prices depending on how you order! Thanks for that, Laura.

In the train stations in Paris the signs are trilingual, German, French, and English. You'll have no problems traveling solo in Normandy, let alone in Paris. Other North Americans do it, so can you. I've been there solo and with others...no communicating issues.

Having been to Europe many times, I realize the importance of hello, please and thank you. I also do this here in the US when dealing with store clerks, etc. It's all about showing people common courtesy and respect.

In Paris, it's a 2 on the "difficulty" scale if you at least try to make an effort. I actually would have rated it a 1, but I did encounter 2 people who genuinely could not speak English, but they understood enough of my limited French that with a bit of pointing and gesturing they were able to get me to where I wanted to go. I had a similar experience as Yosemite above. Street food vendor was approached by someone in line who did not greet the vendor and launched straight into English making zero effort to even try a few words in French. The vendor pretended he could not speak any English and the customer left frustrated. When I approached the vendor, I greeted him in French and launched into placing my order in French. He smiled and said not to worry, he could speak English. They don't expect you to be fluent by any means - but they do appreciate an attempt to at least try a few words out even if you totally botch the pronunciation.

You will tend to find that it's easier finding someone who speaks English if you approach people who look like they are 45 and under. Outside of Paris, it's maybe a 3 if you are conducting business outside of a touristy area.

I'd like to add that the hotel staff at the hotel we stayed in Lille knew no English, the owner spoke very little. My husband needed a Dr while in Lille. The staff spoke no English. At the pharmacy one pharmacist knew enough to help us out. Our next stop was a B&B in the country outside of Gray. The owners spoke not a word of English. In all cases the phrase book came in handy, as well as my French fluent daughter when she was with us(at the clinic and during check in at the B&B).
So there are places in France that you could come across people that speak no English but you can still get by with the help of a phrase book or translator app. The clinic would have been very hard with just the phrase book, though.