We are traveling to Paris for three days in a week and I'm worried about not speaking French. I like to honor the cultures I visit but learning a whole language isn't in the cards for me. How challenging is it going to be in restaurants or shops? Can I use my translate feature on my phone to help with the language divide?
Any words I should learn that would help?
Thank you in advance.
If you know hello (bonjour), good bye (au revoir) please (s'il vous plait) and thank you (merci) you'll be fine. Say bonjour to everyone... and I mean everyone...you encounter. From taxi driver, shop clerks, anyone you intend to speak to. Say bonjour first. I cannot stress this in strong enough terms.
If you just do that, you'll be fine. Most people in the areas you'll be will speak English.
Thank you! This takes a weight off my mind. I appreciate the quick response also.
You will find that in real-time that using a phone translator just isn't practical.
Many restaurants will have menus in English (some with creative translations).
As stated above, ALWAYS start with "bonjour.". "Excuse me..." Is not a replacement for bonjour
Remember that these people generally aren't extremely fluent but know enough to do their jobs well. Be grateful they put in the work and speak simply and clearly as a courtesy.
Before you go, go on line and find a site that gives you a dozen conventional and politeness phrases. You MUST great people on first encounter -- walking into a shop, getting croissants at the bakery, asking for directions -- ALWAYS start with bon jour (or bon soir). and you need to be able to say thank you, please, excuse me and ask basic directions. These are easy to know and there are many sites on line that list them and also will play you a recording to hear how they are pronounced.
Most people at tourist sites will be able to cope in English although again -- you must use the politeness phrases first. In less central spots that is less so. We usually stay on the fringes of Paris and these days more and more people have a little English but even so it is not unusual to encounter those who don't.
The phone translator is not useful in the middle of a conversation usually but you can prepare a question or request or use it to figure out menu items. FWIW. you are usually better off just googling the dish in question than using the translator. T he translator won't be able to translate a dish with a name like Gratin a la Maxim -- or whatever. But google will often show you the recipe and a picture.
I did RS Best of Paris. I did this with only committing to memory the minimum since I had just done the RS Italy tour.
I had a brain fart standing in line once and didn't manage the "bon jour" when I finally got to the counter person. It did not go well.
You will have no problems. Anyone who interacts with tourists will speak enough English to make themselves understood. Saying hello in French and good by will help set the tone. Most restaurants menus will be in both English and French or they may offer an English version. And don't fall for the trap that an English menu is a poor restaurant.
As long as you have the basic greetings and phrases, you'll be fine. I do find Google Translate helpful because I try to prepare in advance. I can manage basic French, but there are often phrases and words in shops and ordering food etc that I like to refresh myself prior to speaking.
I try to speak French as much as possible, as I find it does make a big difference in terms of friendliness etc, but on occasions when ir doesn't go according to script and someone asks me something I can't answer (or sometimes can't understand in the first place) I do find people pretty patient.
Be assured that you won't encounter any problems communicating with the local population.
My knowledge of the language is modest at best, still I don't rely on a translator feature at all, unnecessary.
I once did a classic while changing planes at CDG, going from Florence to Seattle. I greeted the transfer agent with Bon Giorno instead of Bonjour. We had a good laugh. In other words, good faith efforts count for a lot.
