{"id":1857,"date":"2014-01-08T15:39:16","date_gmt":"2014-01-08T15:39:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/?p=1857"},"modified":"2014-01-09T11:52:39","modified_gmt":"2014-01-09T11:52:39","slug":"8-phrases-to-learn-before-you-travel-to-france","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/8-phrases-to-learn-before-you-travel-to-france\/","title":{"rendered":"8 Phrases to Learn Before You Travel to France"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"frenchhostels\"<\/a>Not only will French skills enhance your travel experiences in France and make getting around, eating, and drinking easier, but you will also be able to speak some of what is considered to be one of the most romantic languages across the world.\u00a0 Despite some differences between the language variations, it will also come in handy if you visit French speaking areas of Canada.<\/p>\n

Remember that nouns have a gender in French \u2013 some are masculine and prefixed with le<\/em>, whereas others are feminine and prefixed with la<\/em>.\u00a0 Another key point to remember is the form of address when speaking to another person.\u00a0 Vous<\/em> and tu<\/em> are both used for \u201cyou\u201d; vous<\/em> is formal and tu<\/em> is familiar.<\/p>\n

To help you out, here are some top eight phrases to learn before you pack your bags and head of to one of Europe\u2019s jewels:<\/p>\n

1. Hello<\/strong><\/p>\n

Being able to say hello is both polite and will also often guarantee a much friendlier service in a shop or restaurant.\u00a0 Bonjour<\/em> is hello, and the les s formal hi, used within close circles, is salut<\/em>.\u00a0 Part of the French culture is to greet assistants upon entering a shop.\u00a0 If the member of staff is female, a cheery bonjour madame<\/em> is a perfect greeting.\u00a0 If they are male, you can say bonjour monsieur<\/em>.<\/p>\n

2. Thank You<\/strong><\/p>\n

To show your gratitude and thanks, merci<\/em> will convey your meaning well.\u00a0 Merci beaucoup<\/em> means thanks a lot and shows an even deeper gratitude.<\/p>\n

3. Where are the toilets?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Imagine being desperate for the toilet and having no idea where to find one \u2026 awful!\u00a0 Even if you cannot understand the spoken reply, many people will guide you in the right direction.\u00a0 Ou sont les toilettes<\/em> will be very useful if you are searching for the nearest restroom.\u00a0 You can use ou sont les<\/em> \u2026 when you are looking for anything in the plural, and ou est le \/ la<\/em> \u2026. when looking for something in the singular.<\/p>\n

4. Do You Speak English?<\/strong><\/p>\n

When you are really in a tricky spot, it can really help to be able to get assistance from someone in your own language.\u00a0 You can ask parlez vous Anglais<\/em> to try and find an English speaker.\u00a0 If the answer is non<\/em>, you need to ask elsewhere.\u00a0 If the person can, they will usually answer you in English!<\/p>\n

5. Goodbye<\/strong><\/p>\n

Au revoir<\/em> is the standard way to bid somebody goodbye.\u00a0 In less formal situations, and where you will see the person again in a short period of time, a tout a l\u2019heure<\/em> means 'see you soon'.\u00a0 A bientot<\/em>\u00a0also means 'see you later', and is often used on the telephone.\u00a0 It is a common misconception that adieu<\/em> is a good way to say goodbye; 'adieu' is more suited for a permanent farewell than for a regular goodbye.<\/p>\n

6. How Much Is It?<\/strong><\/p>\n

When buying something, it always helps to know how much it is!\u00a0 You can ask c\u2019est combien?<\/em>, which means 'how much is it?' \u00a0Adding s\u2019il vous plait<\/em> is polite \u2013 so c\u2019est combien s\u2019il vous plait<\/em>.\u00a0 It helps to point to the item you are asking about.\u00a0 If you look confused by the price, the vendor will often write the figure or punch it into a calculator to throw you a line.<\/p>\n

7. I Don\u2019t Understand<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you are in a bit of a pickle, rather than mumbling on you can tell the speaker that you just don\u2019t understand.\u00a0 They may speak slower, they might paraphrase, perhaps they will find someone who can speak to you in English, or it is possible that you could find yourself in a game of charades!\u00a0 Whatever happens though, being able to say you cannot understand can be a great help at times.\u00a0 Je ne comprends pas<\/em> tells someone you don\u2019t understand.<\/p>\n

8. Would you take my picture?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Everyone likes to have the perfect holiday snaps as a reminder of the top spots they visited.\u00a0 If you find yourself in a fantastic place and want your picture taken, you can ask prendriez-vous ma photo, s'il vous plait?<\/em>\u00a0 Of course, if you want to be with your partner, a friend, the kids etc, people will understand your meaning, but to be correct, you can say prendriez-vous notre photo s\u2019il vous plait<\/em> to mean 'our photo' instead of 'my photo'.<\/p>\n

As an extra, with wine being a huge part of the French culture it helps to know your white from your red and your ros\u00e9.\u00a0 White wine is vin blanc<\/em>, red wine is vin rouge<\/em>, and ros\u00e9\u00a0wine is vin ros\u00e9<\/em>, where ros\u00e9<\/em>\u00a0sounds like 'rosay'.<\/p>\n

Learn even more of the local language<\/a> and speak with confidence before you head off for a fabulous time travelling around France.<\/p>\n

\"FrenchPhrases\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Not only will French skills enhance your travel experiences in France and make getting around, eating, and drinking easier, but you will also be able to speak some of what is considered to be one of the most romantic languages across the world.\u00a0 Despite some differences between the language variations, it will also come in(\u2026)<\/p>\n

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