Today my mom sent me a picture via email of her new passport because she plans to come visit me soon! I was so excited that I started thinking about making her a list of some useful French words and phrases that she should learn before coming. Because of the four languages she knows, French is not included (#waytosupportmylife).
Anyways, just in case Romney wins the election and you guys decide to move to a different country like France, here are some things you will probably use on the reg:
- “Je ne parle pas bien français” = “I don’t speak French well”
Let me tell you, this phrase will get you out of some sticky situations because, frankly, if people know you don’t really speak the language, they won’t want to bother with you. For example, let’s say HYPOTHETICALLY one night out with your friends you rode a train without paying all while drinking straight out of your own personal bottle of wine. In this completely hypothetical scenario, if you got stopped by the train police (does anyone knows what those guys are called?) and you said this phrase, they would probably just let you go without a ticket. Although they would most likely make you leave the bottle of wine….bastards.
- “S’il vous plait” = “Please” ; “Merci = Thank you” ; “Bonne journée” = “Have a good day”
These are pretty basic words that you have probably heard before. I felt the need to reiterate them, however, because I think that a majority of the time that Americans think French people are really rude, it’s because they don’t say things like this. Manners people!
- “Bisous” = “Kisses”
Ok, I love that people say this here; well, ok, it’s less said and more used during text/Facebook message conversations, but I still love it. When I think of the kind of people that say “kisses” to each other in the United States, I think of pretentious fashion people in New York City holding poodles. But here, you can not have a poodle and still say “bisous”! It’s just a term of affection, kind of like “xoxo”.
- “Sur Place” = “For Here” ; “A Emporter” = “To Go”
This is a question you will get whenever you go to get food. Although, at the point that they ask you this question, they will probably already realize you’re not French, think you have the intelligence of a two-year-old, and be miming everything with their hands. Still, I would suggest you know it. I would recommend eating food “sur place” because I like the restaurants here. But just in case you are feeling homesick and need to eat a whole pizza by yourself in your bed (wait–what? did I say that?), “à emporter” is a good way to go (ha, get it?).
- “Vin” = “Wine”
Self-explanatory.
Franco-phony 