4 Culture Shocks in Canada I A Frenchies Experience in Montreal!

[@ambivalent3995]

I'm from Québec and yes for us it's very easy to understand French from france because we're way more exposed to their accent or content than they are to ours. Your example with Céline Dion is on point, when she goes to france she actually changes the way she speaks a bit to sound more "French" haha. Obviously there are some expressions we don't understand from france though, I used to struggle with the verlan or some expressions but that's normal. (and obviously some regional accents may take a bit of time to get used to)

[@lucieudem]

Exactly about the verlan and other idioms/ expression. A thick French accent with specific expression (think Renaud early disc or movie like Les Ripoux) is hard to understand by many Quebecers.

[@rectotexto4586]

@@lucieudem vous êtes tous les deux francophones. Pourquoi commenter et répondre en anglais ?

[@mayfielcl]

@@rectotexto4586 car la vidéo est en anglais

[@wandererstraining]

@@rectotexto4586 So that other people who might read the comments can understand, too.

[@wandererstraining]

I came here to say that as well. It's easy for me, as a Québécois, not only to understand French from France, but to imitate their accent to make it easier for them to understand me.

[@isabeault.perrelle]

As French-Canadians, we are very much exposed, and from an early age, to French-French, in movies, even in translations, because the "French-French" is considered like the "international" French. It has long been the French that the elites were speaking, so, in the past (maybe before the 1960s), if you had access to higher education, it was common to "Frenchifie" your accent. It was super common among the Church members, as well as in the medias. You'll probably hear the expression "Radio-Canada" French ("l'accent Radio-Canada"), which is the way the journalists working at Radio-Can used to speak on radio or TV (it's not the case today, but we still hear it in older presentators like Céline Galipeault or Charles Tisseyre, if you are curious). Moreover, for a long period of time, the cultural exchanges were unilateral, usually from France to Quebec. In 30+ years of life (part in Quebec, part in France), I saw a change in the ways French people perceive and "hear" Québec French, and what they basically know of it, with more and more québécois artists (like singers or movie directors) getting known in France, and with a lot of Erasmus students coming to Montreal or Quebec. I hope it answers a few of your questions about the understanding of the accent.

[@MartinCanada]

Agreed. You've explained why it was easy to understand SRC broadcaster Bernard Derome in days past with my text-book French but not so much today's reporters.

[@theguyfromsaturn]

It's more than exposure though. Remember that the Metropolitan French we hear is very much a "Lingua Franca" in France. Many regional varieties would be likely as difficult to understand as French-Canadian is to French people. Much like Standard Italian, or Castilian in Spain it is developped to be as intelligible to as many as possible, with less merging of syllable between words (and other linguistic phenomena that people more knowledgeable than I could probably explain much better). That's why Spaniards, for instance, will have an easier time understanding Italian Speakers rather than Portuguese speakers (whose language is much closer to Spanish), but Portuguese speakers have usually no trouble understanding Spanish (they ARE very close). But Spanish (aka Castillian) was essentially developed as a common language between Basque speakers and their Romance speaking Neighbours and therefore has much less merging of syllables. The same is true with Standard Italian which is the bridge between the various dialects of Italian (which can be wildly different), which is why Spaniards will generally have an easier time understanding it than they do Portuguese despite the fact that they Italian is linguistically generally more distant. So while familiarity certainly plays a part, the role of Metropolitan French as the glue between the various regions of France is probably a bigger factor in the fact that understanding is easier in one direction than the other. That being said, I turned ON the TV once back in the 80s to an already started documentary that had be baffled for a while. It showed an obvious European scenery, but listening to the older people speaking in it it was "obviously" filmed in Québec.... it turned out to be Normandy (if I remember correctly). So, French "from France" is NOT that different from Québec French, even though Metropolitan French definitely is. That documentary is what consolidated my impression of the reason the language is easier to understand in one direction than the other. It fits the pattern of other Romance speaking countries too well.

[@toughcookie128]

@Amy Gordon Va t'acheter une bonne paire d'oreilles. Le français Québécois est bien du français au même titre que l'anglais australien est de l'anglais. Hé oui, Molière prononçait moé et toé (en bon françois) et non pas le moi et toi de la révolution.

[@lesfreresdelaquote1176]

I lived in Montréal from 1988 to 1995, and I distinctly remember how I struggle to understand Québécois French at the beginning. It took me about two weeks to fully adapt to the accent. Six months later, I could enjoy watching the weirdest movie ever: Elvis Gratton, which according to some of my Québécois friends was the ultimate test on Québécois French. It took two more years to get rid of my Québécois accent when I moved back to France in 1995.

[@Christian_Martel]

Hi there. Interesting question. We hear often that French don’t understand Québécois while the latter understand the former. It’s more complex than that. Here’s my own experience about it, as a Québécois who has lived and worked few years in Europe: It all depends on the registry used by the speakers. There is no doubt that the formal language learned here, written and spoken, is standard French with minor adaptations. For example, the language used in television newscast differ lightly on accent, but are similar and intelligible on both sides of the Atlantic. Same thing for academics or professionals discussing in an official function. The main difference comes when the speakers have an informal, familiar or popular language. The distinctiveness of Canadian French, predominantly Quebec French, is how the popular language (their many accents, contractions and vocabulary) used in daily life has evolved overtime and that is more related to the social and historical construct of daily life here in Quebec and Canada. So, when Canadian and European francophones communicate, they generally have to carefully raise the formality level (the Canadian might have to raise a bit more) such that they understand each other, but it’s not impossible. Yes, generally speaking, Canadian francophones have been more exposed to European content than vice versa, but recent trends tied with globalization, influences from many countries are being more and more understood by a growing diverse Francophonie.

[@LifeontwowheelsRocks]

Language issues: much depends on whether the Québécois person and the French person are speaking what I'll call 'mainstream' French, as opposed to regional or class-based dialects. The most difficult Québécois dialect is what we call 'joual', especially when it's peppered with traditional curse words. The Parisian would find it all but completely incomprehensible. But when I speak French in the way I was taught in school (lived my entire life until 6 years ago in Montreal), I have had absolutely no difficulties with conversations in France. Love the channel. I live in Toronto, and I miss Montreal.

[@Christian_Martel]

Agreed.

[@Tarkienn]

@Amy Gordon Your comment is wrong linguistically and historically. Also it show a feeling of patronizing superiority.

[@cotepierre68]

I have some Normand friends. They remind me constantly that they understand me very well. Parisian, well that’s an other story.

To understand why there is so much differences between French of Québec and French from France, One have to go back to 1760 basically. That year mark the end of the seven years war between England, France and Spain. As a war reparation Québec is given away by Louis the 14th king of France to Georges third King of England. To make a long story short, in order to assimilate the population we were denied our political system, many basic civil rights and most of our institution unless we learn English and converted to Protestantism. which had the exact opposite effect. Catholicism came to an all time high and Québécois became jealously conservative of French language. In the mean time French from France saw the end of monarchy and five different republics in their recent history. As a result their have a so called simplified french language that is influenced by Arabic language due to the proximity of those former colony. As oppose to Québécois who kept a very traditional French influenced by british occupation and the necessity for workers to deal with the foreman and bosses. anglicisms are usually linked to newer reality like cars or machinery. (beside Montréal which has a different demographic than the rest of the province) In conclusion: Québécois still use all of the 17 phonêmes of Louis the 14th French when the contemporain France only use 14 (they completely lost 3 of them) they can't quite ear what we say. Plus the so called simplified french mean that they lost a great number of words that they consider obsolete but we just recycled them for a newer object that have the same fonction. Simply put Québecois easily understand French from France or Belgium but Europeans have hard time understanding us. (provided of course it's French not Arabic)

[@iparipaitegianiparipaitegi4643]

Louis XV (not Louis XIV) gave the Brits the Nouvelle France.

[@benoitgratton5829]

For the pizzas, it's not that common to order one pizza per person in Montreal : it's more commun to order bigger pizzas (like 16 inches or 18 inches) and spilt them with the family members. It's usually much less expensive this way. Also, it will be less expensive if you order directly at the restaurant (either by phone or by their website) instead of using a delivery service like Uber Eats, Doordash and the likes.

[@michaelcalce6291]

Great video! As a native Montrealer, I would say that groceries prices have really shot up in the last year or so. Restaurant prices are also up 20%. We went to Paris in 2019, and my observations at the time were that mid-tier restaurant food prices were similar to those in Montreal in that a 60$ meal for 2 (no alcohol) was 60 euros. The the rate of exchange at the time (30%) was similar to our tax + tip (15% + 15%). However, when you add in alcohol, Paris is cheaper than Montreal when dining out. I would venture to say that Montreal is consistently one of the most expensive cities to dine out, although as far as Canadian cities go, Vancouver and Toronto are also expensive. However, what makes dining in Montreal great, is that you will have a tremendous variety of fusion dishes. Chefs in Montreal spend time eating at each others restaurants, and so take inspiration from each other. Add the multiculturalism to the cuisine, and you will find many unique and creative dishes: something that is harder to find in a traditional city like Paris. BTW, you will be shocked by the price of cheese here, especially if it is imported. You can find some really good Quebec cheeses, but it will cost more than France for similar quality. I like your observations as an American who lived in Paris and now moved to Montreal. You might find that Montreal is sort of a hybrid between Europe and the US. Looking forward to your next video.

[@thenachofan7677]

Indeed, prices at grocery stores have risen tremendously in the past year. Dairy products are a killer example: butter's lowest discount prices have gone up like 50%. All we can do is wait for those prices and accumulate in our freezers (which is what many were already doing, but we all took the hit). We have seen some downsizing, but not more than usual. I also suspect some companies to cut down on ingredients: some crackers (not a grocery brand) I purchase seem less tasty than before. Maybe less seasoning makes for a lower production price to try and compensate (still, those crackers' price has gone up as well)

[@doswheelsouges359]

We understand each other at 90%. When regional accents come into play it's harder. When the French start using verlan...it's a mess.

[@sandihunter1260]

Loved this video. I wanted to mention that if you drive from Montreal into Ontario and visit places like Alfred, Hawkesbury you will meet Franco Ontarians, people born to French families that live in Ontario. This is a wonderful part of Eastern Ontario to visit and try the famous streamed hotdogs, all dressed with coleslaw. When I moved from Toronto to Ottawa I thought I had experienced a hot dog until visiting Alfred, best ever.

[@evelynproulx1853]

I know very well all those regions. I live on the border of Québec and Ontario about what 30 minutes of Alfred, 10 minutes from Hawkesbury. Don't forget to mention the cheese from St-Albert, with the cheese curds to make poutine.

[@amy_6768]

Yes! Share more! It's so interesting.

[@lucforand8527]

Love the headband. You look good in Blue!! This works well in both France and la Belle Province.

[@YONFT7079]

I am québécois who had the privilege of living six years in France after being transferred in Paris by my American employer. I worked in the reinsurance business meaning that I conducted business with many “Grandes Écoles” graduates who uses a very pure French. I never had any problem being understood. I only had to slowdown my speech. The way I see it, the difference between Quebec French VS French from France is very similar to American English VS British English. In fact the tone of the Quebec French is similar to the tone of the American English. The Quebec French has some words that are different from those used in France exactly like the way some words used in the USA differ from those used in the UK. Examples: - trunk vs boot - elevator vs lift Etc. I would also like to add that my family's experience in France (my wife, my son who was 11 years old when we moved there and I) has showed us that the French people have a favorable prejudice vis-à-vis the québécois.

[@femalism1715]

French Canadians are friendly, relaxed, and very informal.

[@sylvainb2366]

When French Canadians or Québécois singers sing they usually have no accent. But it's harder for a French to understand our spoken language because we just don't get the same level of exposure in France as the French do have here in Québec.

[@travelsaddict8952]

Hope you are safe and have no damage after the hit of the ice storm. Take care.

[@c.th.5880]

In Quebec, we speak French with our Anglophone and Francophone origins. We don't speak like the French because we are not French. We use ''you'' with old people, unfortunately this depends on the education received.This insults me when young people don't use the ''vous'' with a eldely person nor a person you don't know.

[@nadeaum26]

About your remark regarding Céline Dion, she adapts her vocabulary and accent to the country's interviewer, as seen here : kzbin.infooe91h8dRn6Q And for 1 movie from Québec that might be shown in France, there might be 400 movies from France shown here in Québec. So yes, we are much more aware of the accents, words and expression (and even the horrible Parisian verlan) than they are used to ours. Not counting the current anglicization of the french language in France...

[@etienne979]

French Canadian understand the french spoken in France, while the opposite is mostly not true, a french Canadian movie will have subtitles in France. So of course french Canadian believe they are smarter than the French, but I guess it's more a matter of beeing interested in the other one's culture. In France they don't show enough interested in the French Canadian culture to be familiar with the language, but in Quebec there is enough interest to understand the basic of France "street" language. There might also be of the explanation related that France "street" language is closely linked with verlan and english words. Now in Quebe we are surrounded with english so we are familliar with those words, and verlan is often a way young kids plays with the language in Quebec when they are young, so we find it funny that hardcorde people use a language kids use in Quebec!

[@robelanger4242]

The Québécois usually shop by looking at the specials on the pamphlets and the two most popular stores are SUPER C and MAXI ( the MAXI & CIE is the same but they also sell kitchen accessories , dishes, clothing etc... ) Also MAXI has less products on the shelves but they will match the prices of other stores given a proof via a dated pamphlet and same size and product and origin an example strawberries from Québec OR US or Mexico could make a difference in pricing this is why it should be the same in all aspect. The other store do offer a variety of products that the competition does not offer like imported from Europe etc....and specialised goods.

[@petersilva037]

quebecer here... (anglo, but with pretty good French, my wife is quebecoise.) we were in Paris in the summer a few years ago, waiting for the bus, and it wasn't coming. We were confused. We asked a local what was going on... to my ears, her answer was "le guêpe ride" ( the wasp wrinkle... ) I was puzzled... When people from Quebec use anglicisms they tend to be closer to the original , whereas people in France tend to just read the English words using their natural pronuncitation. Case in point... turned out ¨guêpe ride" was ¨Gay Pride¨. ... It was the parade day.

[@lauraramsey9000]

Frankly as an American I enjoy the fact that cashiers or people in stores chat a bit more in QC. When I did that in Belgium they looked at me like I was crazy. I find that Quebecers and Europeans tend to equally anglicize words, just completely different ones (week-end in Europe, fin de semaine in QC for example). Also yes, the food is way more expensive here in QC. The "rapport qualité-prix" is definitely not as good at the supermarket or restaurants. However, we moved just before inflation really took off in Europe so it has probably gotten worse there too. But on the other hand gas is cheaper. I think Quebecers do have an easier time understanding European French speakers than the other way around. The tir d'érable is so good! Have you been to a Cabane à Sucre with the big meal and the music and everything? So much fun, a must-do in late March and April.

[@joenroute9646]

Gas ? Pollution !

[@Ali-tz5xc]

​@@joenroute9646 Freedom!

[@joenroute9646]

@@Ali-tz5xc freedom comes with some responsability!

[@joenroute9646]

@@Ali-tz5xc freedom of what ? To pollute !!!!

[@Ali-tz5xc]

@@joenroute9646 freedom to drive

[@peggiescraftcafe7117]

Yes make a second video of your in-laws impressions. That would be fun.

[@sylvainb2366]

Je me souviens d'avoir écouté parler l'ex-premier ministre de France Jean-Pierre Raffarin lors d'une de ses visites au Québec et j'avais été surpris du peu d'accent qu'il avait quand il s'exprimait. J'ai su par la suite qu'il venait de Poitiers, d'où plusieurs ancêtres des Québécois et des Acadiens proviennent. D'ailleurs, certaines de nos expressions sont du Poitou, comme ''barrer la porte'' (verouiller la porte), ''garocher'' (jeter), ''brumasse'' (bruine) ou ''fret'' (froid).

[@mcouture100]

To get a perspective of québécois culture by a "continental"frebch artist who made it in France and Québec, I suggest you watch "Lara Fabian avec Alice Diop - C. à vous" . At about minute 28, she talks about her life in Québec. She speaks and sings in many languages and flips from European French to québécoisin a heartbeat.

[@guymarcgagne7630]

Fairly common reactions by your in-laws for many Francophile Europeans, particularly with respect to comprehension of the locals. Again, I must add that regional accents exist in QC as well, with some so pronounced that Montrealers are occasionally left slack jawed! Just as someone from the differing regions of France will struggle with the ''patois local", which by and by, represents a challenge for all outsiders. As far as understanding European (French) accents, a priori, education/erudition will be a sine qua non factor in the exercise. Much as it is in other geographic locations for Anglos. But here, Québécois are renowned for speaking very fast and often in clipped form. I.e: they shorten some words as well as making 'accords' that are phonetically unusual or even eyebrow raising to Euros, this is most common in Joual (QC slang). These are elements that further contribute to foreigners difficulty in grasping the meaning of a given verbal exchange, too fast to follow and sounds so weird! As far as groceries are concerned, this is winter, as all fresh produce etc., must be imported from afar, cost$ are incurred, no Shengen Zone benefits! Others have also eluded to a rampant increase in consumer goods, rents, etc.; basically we got zinged overall by inflationary pressures! Be well & stay safe

[@kathryntubridypakenham2743]

The hot maple syrup is called tire d’érable and yes it’s super delicious, I still love it even as an adult

[@mrg0th1er83]

There are a lot of English words used in France too. But they are not the same words used in Quebec so it’s a bit confusing.

[@susiex6669]

Thanks to the Norman invasion of Britain, English is also made up of 30% French words.

[@sadsixersfan]

This reminded me of my first taxi out of Edinburgh airport, I wasn’t entirely sure we were speaking the same language, maybe it was the jet lag. But yeah , like you say the ear needs to get trained to it, the particular phrases used and intonation can be so different.

[@m.e.3862]

The food is more expensive, but there’s farmers markets and big box stores that can give you more options. Also the last couple of weeks of July and the first couple of weeks of August is what is known as the construction holiday where a lot of construction workers take their holidays. The rest of the province also takes time off so it’s almost like the August holiday in France. This is unique to Quebec so just get ready for Montreal to quiet down a little during this time. Welcome to Montreal!

[@sharonmclaughlin2258]

So interesting to hear their impressions!

[@PeBoVision]

I have little difficulty understanding spoken french from Europe, aside from certain local expressions (much like trying to explain « les Sacres » to a European who is not familiar with swearing in Québec.) But dialects do not have to be distant in their sources to be difficult to understand. When I was young I worked in retail in Toronto, and made it a point to speak french to anyone when I could sense a french accent. One day a woman came in and when I heard her thick accent, I started speaking french. She was so happy I did so and quickly switched...to Acadien. I could barely understand her. Even within Canada, not all french accents are identical...From Labrador to New Brunswick to Québec to Manitoba we have, in isolation, developped our own unique variations to the « langue de Molière »

[@sylvainprive1754]

Garou is also a Canadian singer. He sings very perfect French accent from France but he speaks with accent from Quebec

[@martilivinghouse3376]

Would love to hear more of your in-laws' impressions!

[@archeewaters]

every time i change regions in quebec, it's a new learning curve. the couple times i was travelling through paris airport, no problem

[@alisonmarie312]

Very funny video. I'm definitely interested in hearing more about the reactions and perspectives of your in-laws. (And, yes, since moving from Boston, we also noticed that the food is a lot more expensive in Montreal.)

[@lucforand8527]

There is a classic film that expresses some of the language differences. It is called 'Il Lance, Il Compte'. This is a film about a hockey team (He Shoots, He Scores) in what we would call a garage league. It is very Quebecois as the language comes straight from the dressing room. This film was actually translated before it was distributed in France.

[@Mario_QC]

I will speak for myself as a francophone Quebecer. There are several aspects to consider when speaking French in Quebec. Spoken French, written French, francized Anglicisms, new words of the French language invented by the Office of the French language of Quebec to avoid Anglicisms especially in technological fields and local expressions. Accent is far from the only thing to consider. French-speaking Quebecers are usually more comfortable with the majority of French accents, although some of them, such as Marseille, are very difficult to grasp for an ear that is not used to it. There are several Quebecois accents just as there are several French accents. Believe me, there is a big difference between the Gaspesian accent and that of Montreal. On the other hand the accents have become accustomed to it over time, on the other hand the expressions are more complicated because they come when we hear them.

[@shannonkocon2414]

I have had very limited exposure to France, was last there in 2021 for two weeks and once in 2019 for a few days. That said, I found it interesting when you discussed food prices and how you felt Paris was expensive and were surprised by the cost in Montreal for a similar purchase. My personal opinion is that food was fairly cheap in Paris and cheaper yet in places like Vains, Bayeux and Amboise. In Minneapolis, if my wife and I go out for a decent meal, let's say salad, main & split a dessert plus maybe 2-3 drinks, I am looking at $125-150 with tax title and dealer prep. We ate an amazing dinner right across from the monument for the Bastille in the 14th with a fantastic cheese plate, seafood Risotto, dessert and at LEAST 3 beverages (this was vacation after all) and it was about 100 Euro for THREE PEOPLE. Add in the USD exchange and it was a bargain.

[@brunobandiera2062]

This vid popped up on YT, and I was like, "Hey, this might be interesting" but then the intro was, like, a bit long, and I think the culture shocks were, like, not very shocking, except like maybe for the like, tutoyage that is so, like, common in Quebec. And then there was this like, five minute pitch for Lingoda in the middle and I was like, "fast forward this" but the rest was, like, forays into like, travelogues and restaurant reviews of pizza joints that are like, not really upscale, but maybe like better than, like, Pizza Hut. So I'm like, "there's fourteen minutes and thirty seconds of my life that I'll never, like, get back." Does Lingoda offer courses in Valley Girl ? 😵‍💫

[@femalism1715]

Please, make part 2! Merci.

[@alexwyler4570]

TS 3:25 Celine Dion is 55. She learned her French 50 years ago and then move to the USA as an adult. 50 years ago, we were encouraged to ditch the French accent, Quebec with the " revolution tranquille "( 1960-1964) created universities, no need to go to France to learn stuff. We were very much encouraged to speak a French devoid of Anglicisms. Now, the " French " language is going downhill. Swear words are a lot more common. The swear word we could say in 1970 was Fu**. Now my brothers greet me with " Bon Matin" . That is a direct translation of Good Morning!!!!

[@abbibrophy7671]

Really enjoyed this video

[@louisd.8928]

You nailed it. Quebecers don't have any issues at all understanding French from France, to the extent that it's spoken with a mainstream accent, Parisian for instance. Regional French accents (Provençal, Marseillais, Chti, etc.) could prove to be difficult for Quebecers. You also identified the reason for that. French media and cultural products (e.g. TV, movies, music, etc.) are fairly common in Quebec, more so than the other way around although that is changing.

[@elisabeth8739]

Very easy as a Quebecer to understand France french when spoken also with reading my only exception is French fashion magazine !!! I just CANNOT ! the bonkers anglicism every two phrases and the headline exclamation point type of writing they use makes me go crazy !!!

[@fj2760]

FYI: They (tryied to) reintroduced the "vous" in shools around 15 year ago because they realized that using the unformal "tu" was making teachers and students "friends' because distance and respect was missing.

[@moniquehuchet3646]

Arrived from France in the 60’s. I remember how difficult it was to understand québécois expressions, parts were English made French , franglais, and parts were archaic rural expressions used by my grandparents, and I came from the area that sent the population of New France. I agree with the friendliness and “tutoiement “

[@carolannaitken5812]

I'm based in Ontario and have found the cost of food has gone up even more since Covid. In general, Canada is an expensive country due to high taxes. Hope you enjoyed Mt. Tremblant.

[@lucforand8527]

One that always gets my wife, who is a french speaker, is the prononciation of 'beurre'; i.e. the word for butter. The prononication of this word is completely different.

[@bucheronix]

Si vous voulez habituer votre oreille et votre coeur à l'accent d'ici, il y a une émission de radio diffusée à radio-vm (91.3 FM) qui pourrait vous aider à découvrir une culture unique, riche et méconnue: Les jours de la semaine à 16h, et le samedi à 14h : Paroles et musiques d'ici.

[@sparklie962]

Wow, super interesting. I'm on the west coast and have to agree that the cost of ordering in can be eye watering with the service fees and built in tip and taxes. And yes, food costs have been going up through the roof this year. *Apparently* (lol) we should see fresh produce costs come down once the Canadian growing season gets going. Also: what do you think of Montreal / Canadian fashion - is there a noticeable difference in acceptable office wear, street wear? We're always branded out west as being the worst-dressed in Canada hahaha but I've always heard that Montrealers are really chic. Is that true for you?

[@geoffoakland]

I'm not Canadian, but I wondered if you could get by in French in western Canada. Since it's an official language, are stores required to have a French speaking employees. How many years of French are you required to study in school if you are in Calgary or Vancouver?

[@sparklie962]

@@geoffoakland Lol, no you could not. There aren't significant numbers of francophones in BC according to the census. Can't speak for AB but I'd be super surprised if it were much different. I"m not sure how much French study is mandatory at the present time, in BC but it's minimal. Stores are not required to have French speakers - I think that's solely a requirement in federal gov't agencies. Other than in Quebec, and maybe Ottawa/a few communities in the Maritimes, I suspect it would be quite job/socially limiting for a French-speaker who couldn't also speak English to attempt to settle in Canada.

[@geoffoakland]

@@sparklie962 interesting, thanks for the response. I think I read that there was a predominantly French speaking suburb or neighborhood in Winnipeg. In Vermont I saw quite a few Quebecois.

[@sparklie962]

@@geoffoakland Yes, there are definitely francophone communities in Manitoba, but that is quite some distance from Vancouver or Calgary 🙂 Same country, different world....

[@theguyfromsaturn]

Quebec French in it's most traditional form, is not that different from French spoken in France... in parts of it that is. The thing is, we tend to think of Metropolitan French as Parisian French, but that is not how it is spoken everywhere in the country, particularly by older folk. I remember one day turning ON the TV and being confused by a documentary. The scenery was very European, but listening to the people speaking it was "obviously" rural Québec... It turned out to be (if I remember correctly) Normandy.

[@Rachel-rs7jn]

This was so fun! Was this their first time in North America? (They haven't been to the U.S. at all?)

[@kimc555]

Food prices have shot up in Canada. And post another one!

[@jeffsframe9927]

I love how careful and delicate you are being in order to not offend the Quebecers. But, it’s a known thing that every French speaking European has a VERY hard time understanding the Québécois. If at all. My Swiss cousins gave up eventually 🤣🤣🤣 C’est très bizarre 😳. ( BTW : Je suis Canadien en fait, mais j’habite à Paris :) I also like how noticeable it was to your in-laws that Canadians ( Québécois) are so friendly !! Lol I almost forgot about that quality of living in Canada 🇨🇦 And FOR SURE the cost of living in Toronto ( and I guess Montreal ) is more than even in Paris. And Paris is PARIS ! Packed with amazing awesome stuff. Hahaha Désolé ….enjoying your video. But the more I watch the more comments I want to make :) Ice. Hahaha. They don’t do ice in France. I miss ice. I was staying at a hotel in Nice that didn’t have ice. Can you image such a thing in Canada ? 😅😅😅

[@elireishere]

I feel like a lot of the anglicisms that people think we use are just older French words, and due to this it might seem we have a lot of English words, but the thing is a lot of French people use so many English words and then think we've anglicized our French is funny. Edit: I hope you guys have power, glad your parents got out of Montreal before the outage, thankfully I don't live in Montreal so I have power, but my brother still doesn't have any.

[@zara765]

I live in Quebec near Montreal and went in France. I understood very well what they were saying but the had a hard time understand me. But I was in Paris...

[@passatboi]

I don't get why people expect QC to be like France. It's not France. Yes, you have to tip. Yes, you get ice in your drink. Yes, the phone numbers have 10 digits and an area code. It's not friggin' France. It's like people saying "Wow. North Carolina isn't like England. Where's the fish and chips?"

[@JesuisIamEstoyyoSonoIoIchbin]

Very refreshing, love your observations. Where were you born, I notice you say exspecially, I wonder where it is originated, I heard it somewhere but can t situate it really. Keep up the good work et bienvenue à Montréal!

[@Lord.Ningirsu]

Hey next time you come to Mont-Tremblant, let me know, I live at Mont-Tremblant😁👍

[@jperez007]

“Two weeks maybe sound like a long time for people with their in-laws”. I wish I had them so “long”; I’ve had to put up with them for about four months!😭

[@susiex6669]

Raised in Montreal, went to Paris a few years ago, and had no trouble being understood. Same when I went to London. Clearly there are variations in vocabulary but I dont live in a bubble and watch film/tv and listen to music from both countries. On occasion I would use an expression that I would have to translate for a Parisian (j'ai l'aire d'une folle, comes to mind when I was picked up early in the morning to go to the airport 😂) but I was told I speak good French. Quebecers arent all French Canadians. There are plenty of immigrants who were raised in countries colonized by the French who speak perfect French and use the "vous" appropriately. (I actually hate it when strangers use "tu" like they are my best friend when they dont know me.) The vast majority of my French teachers in Montreal were North African so I definitely dont speak jouale (Quebec French dialect) and many of us raised here dont understand it either.

[@Emixam9090]

That is very sad that you grew in margin of the society of where you grew up and only got to stay with the minorities. You must not have a strong belonging feeling with Quebec 😖

[@susiex6669]

@@Emixam9090 What the "f" are you going on about? I live in the west end of Montreal and went to primary in Cote St Luc and high school in Cote des Neiges. The island of Montreal is very cosmopolitan. I didnt grow up in Matane. 🙄

[@Emixam9090]

@@susiex6669 still is in Quebec. Hence what I am saying is that it is unusual to say you don’t understand the language from where you grew up because you weren’t exposed to it. I’d say it’s very unique to Quebec.

[@susiex6669]

@@Emixam9090 Can you read English? Everyone can speak proper French here, its what you learn in school. Jouale is a regional DIALECT. You cant have a proper job in any serious field and speak jouale. No one on television speaks it. You dont turn on the local news and have the anchor speaking in jouale. So I have no idea what youre going on about. I work with French Canadians. We have no trouble understanding each other. 🙄🙄

[@goosevillage]

Former Montrealer here. My wife is from the north of France. We are a bilingual couple that moved from Quebec to Toronto. European French people DO NOT think like French Canadians no matter where in Canada they happen to live. French Canadians THINK LIKE NORTH AMERICANS and they DO NOT think like European French people. First and foremost , French Canadians are....NORTH AMERICANS..... and they are NOT European even though they have European cultural roots going back to the 17th. century.

[@lindabrouillette6765]

Everybody knows that. Just like English Canadians DO NOT think like British people who are europeans. There is an ocean separating us, so it's only common sense!

[@kittyfarkas]

I am Hungarian but born in transylvania on Rumanian border. I grew up speaking Hungarian. Yet, if I listen to Hungarian from Hungary, I do not understand them. The accents are totally different. I also lived in Paris a year at age 10 and visit my cousins in Montreal. Did not find French so different but I'm not fluent in French.

[@igaluitchannel6644]

It seems there are far more English words now dropped into French from France. "Le downtown de Montreal City", etc. French-Canadians always understood French out of France. TV did once show many old French films (though that's not the reason), but today there are no more films shown on TV unless you pay for them, alas. The clergy tended to have a higher brow French. "Tu" is still seen as poor manners. Eating out used to be very affordable not long ago. No longer.

[@gregggullickson]

Tell us more. V interesting. Anything re relations between anglophones and Francophones as long as not too stressful?

[@pascalolivier4458]

You were lucky to have a water pitcher on your table at the restaurant. Most of the time, there's a dedicated waiter/waitress who will pour water in customers' glasses. And it has already happened to me to wait for ages because that person was not doing his/her job.

[@bl9531]

Nice infomercial for Lingoda

[@coleendenty9332]

110 CAD is around 74 or 75 Euro. So still more expensive but not 83Euro. As someone who lives in Canada and works in France half the year, Canadian food is definitely more expensive

[@rv3superstar]

France has specific localized French, those are super hard for Qc ear; lets say... Marseille for example. That can be super hard if they use their local lingo.

[@pegasuslb]

Sideline subject: seriously what is it with French in-laws? The minute their child steps in Montreal (or anywhere else in the world, to be honest), they pack their suitcases and show up at your door for a month, and expect you to show them everything (OK maybe not a month, but never less than 2 weeks). Like give me a break people, let me settle in first, find my bearings, find my way, furnish my house, and then MAYBE you can come for a week. Geez! (sorry about the rant but it happened more than it should, to me and to so many people I know).

[@jeanforest8060]

Rappel I : en Espagne le "vous" (USTED) a complètement cédé sa place au "tu" (TÚ) sans pour autant qu'on y manque de respect à l'égard des aînés, bien au contraire... De même, rappel II, le YOU anglais correspond-il au "vous" sans que pour autant les voyous se vouvoient... THOU, le vrai TU, (cf. l'allemand DU) étant réservé à ...Dieu! Du bist mein Gott... Thou art my God! Tout est dans l'attitude, en somme.

[@sylviepare5957]

Les Québécois comprennent beaucoup mieux les français que l'inverse. Pour le prix des restaurants, je ne suis pas tout à fait d'accord. À qualité égale, c'est souvent très cher à Paris même quand on connaît les bons plans. Pour la nourriture, ça dépend de ce que l'on compare. Les Français comparent les trucs français comme la baguette ou le supermarché. Là oui, c'est plus cher mais une grosse miche intégrale du style "Poilâne" est beaucoup moins cher ou un gigot d'agneau. Quand vous irez au marché Jean-Talon l'été, vous verrez que les légumes d'ici sont très abordables (mais l'inflation fait ses ravages ici aussi). C'était nettement moins cher qu'en France il y a 20 ans mais là ça se ressemble beaucoup. Les logements sont beaucoup moins chers ici.

[@act_sion]

Le Français sont très peu exposé aux Québécois, sans parler que quand les Québécois qui vivent en France ils vont gommer leur accent et parler un français plus standard

[@act_sion]

Qualité égale, la nourriture est plus cher au Canada ! Sans parler la nourriture est souvent ultra transformé au Canada

[@sylviepare5957]

Je ne suis pas d'accord. Ça dépend pour quoi encore une fois. Et si l'on compare que ce qui est français, la comparaison est biaisée. Les gens comparent un Camembert de supermarché à 1 euro 90 avec un fromage artisanale. En tout cas, pour les produits que j'ai nommés c'est plus cher en France. À chaque fois que je retourne à Paris, je fais des courses et je compare moi aussi

[@act_sion]

@@sylviepare5957 Rien à voir avec le camembert. Le nourriture du Québécois moyen est souvent ultratransformée , trop sucré , trop salé un peu comme le pain en tranche même la farine est blanchi au Canada .

[@act_sion]

@@sylviepare5957 moi je compare pas que les prix , mais aussi la composition de la nourriture industrielle.

[@anthonypacifico5334]

Word for word we understand everything French people from France say, the only place we really struggle is with sayings. Mostly our words are from an older French from when France colonized Canada.

[@bvignola2907]

C'est vraiment étrange. Je ne me souviens pas d'avoir eu de la glace dans mes verres d'eau. Et, je vais au restaurant très régulièrement.

[@carolinelabrie3564]

Ça dépend à quelle période de l'année. En été c'est plus courant. Mais en hiver, c'est en effet étrange... Aussi, ce que j'ai le plus souvent vu, c'est de la glace directement dans le pichet d'eau, pas dans les verres.

[@pete7110]

In terms of food price, think it’s like anywhere, there’s cheap supermarkets and not cheap. Privigo for sure isn’t the cheap. Go to supermarché pa or Walmart or maxi. Can’t say I agree that it’s cheaper in Paris either but who can say for sure, but for sure other parts of France is cheaper indeed. Lived in Belgium too, that’s way more expensive than both haha. Yes my belgium friends would probably disagree. Only lived there a year so maybe not long enough to know where to go besides carrefour 🤷‍♂️

[@e815usa]

New subscriber, love your channel. I'm American and love visiting Montreal. One thing I have spoken to Montrealers and Montreal visitors about is the supposed fact that is is more advantageous to have a French last name if you are working and living in Montreal. To me it sounds almost discriminatory but I wanted your opinion on that since I'm assuming you have a French surname from marrying Robin. And is it the same in France, having a French last name versus, say Italian or Polish, for example? Would make a great video for you to discuss!

[@francoismilette7446]

You are totally wrong, French Québécois are now in minority on Montréal area and french language is talked by less people everyday, to the point that it is becoming a national issue. Most employers are searching for people how can speak English, French is an option, English is mandatory. So for most job a Smith or Patel will come first than a Tremblay. As for the public sector there are positive disciminations. Peoples from different horizon are hired to better represent the nature of a mix population.

[@Pazu84Vaucluse]

There is no discrimination on Italian names in france since so many french people have italian names. Spanish, Portuguese, Jewish, Arminian names are very common as well. No one cares. Arabic names are probably more discriminated. Italians, Spanish, Portuguese, Arminians, etc.. all integrated well in France.

[@wesleymorris-laviolette1543]

Im French Canadian from Ottawa, ON and grew up speaking rural Canadian French. In contrast with ither commentors from Québec, I personally feel it is just as hard for me to understand French from France than it is for them to understand me. French was a local/family language for me growing up. I knew no one who watched movies or listened to songs from France - not a soul. So yes, hard to understand

[@passatboi]

We can't understand the France humor and expressions. That's why Québec has all its own TV shows and movies. The humor and weird expressions don't cross the ocean very well. I have trouble understanding people from France when they're using popular expressions or speaking slang. Also, they say du coup all the time for no reason whatsoever. It's so bizarre.

[@YakkLiMp]

If you like pizza you need to try Fugazzi in Pointe Saint-Charles! Pizza 900 is also good

[@ismaelleger9767]

You should also check how french is spoken in Africa or DROM-TOM..I think you would be surprised ! Or even focus on Creole (I am from Niger/France)

[@alexandremuise8889]

so where are our inlaws from, New Brunswick, Saint Mary's Bay or Cheticamp?

[@seachelles7]

I’m an anglophone Canadian but I have a friend who spent the first 18 years of his life in France. He compared Quebecois French to Shakespearean English - that when settlers moved to Canada, the language didn’t evolve the same way it did in Europe so it sounds to his ears like Shakespearean English sounds to us. He also said the amount of Franglish threw him off and the amount of English phrases directly translated word for word reminds him of English exchange students trying to learn the language and not getting it quite right or forgetting a word and saying the English word instead. He ended up moving to BC and speaking English all the time because he found the language barrier too frustrating in Quebec lol

[@ybreton6593]

Oui je suis d'accord avec vous ? depuis une vingtaine d'années surtout dans le milieux des affaires commerces les étudiant qui sortent des écoles de commerces pratique un espèce de mélange franco-anglais et donc dans le milieux des affaires et du commerce . une chose importante 60 % de l'anglais provient des mots de langues française . exemple colombie britannique , fait en Français : colombes de Bretagne (régions françaises) Vancouver en français vent-couvert ou a l'abri du vent . au USA la ville de Détroit en français : étroit , Chicago = chicanes etc.... je fais parti d'une génération ou apprendre l'anglais était détesté par les enfants de l'après guerre de 1945 à 1970 ? pourquoi c'est simple : nos parents qui ont connus la dernière guerre mondiale , ils nous ont transmis la rancœurs et la colère envers le comportement de l'armée britanniques en mai et juin 1940 , le replis des anglais à Dunkerques après seulement 10 jours de combats et surtout pour ce justifier ils ont fait croire que les soldats français des lâches et se rendaient facilement Mêmes les autorités britanniques dont leurs roi Georges VI alors qu'au contraire les soldats français se battaient avec acharnement en 30 jours 98 000 soldats français ont été tués et chez l'adversaire 76 000 soldats allemands sont morts et simplement 4200 morts côtés britannique , il faut savoir que l'armée française se battait sur trois fronts : le Nord avec soi-disant britanniques mais aussi a l'est seul contre les allemands et sud-est contre : les italiens , autrichiens et allemands , a l'est l'armée française a tenu bon , au sud-est l'armée français était victorieuse contre les armées de la coalition . malheureusement ce qui a été honteux pour les français d'alors ; c'est la comportement des hommes politiques français . les anglais ont méprisés les résistants français ainsi que le Général De Gaulle chef de la France libre . en 1944 l'aviation anglo-américaine ont bombarder et détruit inutilement 7 villes françaises faisant 120 000 morts sans distinctions: hommes , femmes , enfants , vieillards ! puis les violes (abus sexuelles) faite aux femmes par les soldats étatsuniens ; ils se sont comporter en France et en Allemagne exactement comme les soldats de l'armée russe ! tout cela a été effacer de l'histoire .regardez sur internet : la bataille de France mai juin 1940 ! puis : les soldats français ont ils été lâches ! véritable histoire de la poche de Dunkerques .

[@ybreton6593]

@kleijnee dans les temps anciens les noms étaient donner suivant les lieux ou ils habitaient ou le métier . exemple nous avons fait notre arbre généalogique mon nom est : Kervadec le nom remonte vers 1730 en cela veut dire : la maison en pierre et dans la langue bretonne c'est : Kervadec . pour rappel il faut remonter a la bataille d'hastings qui c'est déroulé en octobre 1066 dans le sud-est de l'Angleterre (actuellement Sussex) ou Guillaume le Conquérant a battu les anglais . depuis la devise de R.K > en Français il faut savoir que 60% de l'anglais provient de la langue Française . et le Nom Vancouver en français s'écrit vent couvert ou a l'abrit du vent . Vancouver n'est que la déformation du français . George est un prénom Français . quand a Colombie britannique . Christophe Colombe n'a jamais été au Canada . Christoforo Colombo (Christophe Colomb en Français) est né a Gênes (Italie) et il n'a découvert que l'arc antillais . en réalité se sont les Vikings qui sont arriver en Amérique vers 970 à1001 et quand au nom Amérique ce nom vient du navigateur Florentin (ville de Florence, italie) Amerigo Vespucci (1454-1512) comme quoi les Anglais ? BOF !!!

[@johnbaird4912]

@@ybreton6593 Think your percentages are over exaggerated

[@Pintosonic]

As a French Canadian, I always thought that our culture was very similar to the French culture because of the language. But if you put the language aside, I can tell you that French Canadian are in for a much bigger culture shock by going to Paris than going to London.

[@fs400ion]

I don't know since London and Paris are very multicultural (especially London) therefore of course it'll be easier to feel at home since there is less of a unique culture there. Pretty sure a French canadian would have a lesser culture shock in small regions of France than in small regions of England.

[@lucforand8527]

Actually you should check out the movies with a french language track in Quebec. You should find that many movies have different french language tracks in Quebec than they do in France. In fact even the titles will be different. This is largely due to the different expressions used in Quebec compared to France and the fact Quebecers are much closer to American culture then are the French.

[@hdufort]

Français québécois : "Annnne possède un âwne." Français de France : "Ane possèdeuh un ane." (Oui, j'ai étudié la linguistique, la phonétique et la traduction!)

[@theuglycrows3416]

Yeah, about food cost, dont forget that we import most of the fruits ans végétale cause winter her, so food cost more

[@lucforand8527]

You may notice that Canadians use much less ice in their drinks than in the US. Personally, I rarely put ice in a soft drink from say McDonalds or a similar place. The same goes if you fly on a Canadian airline. The staff will normally ask if you want ice or not. This is not the case in the US. First they fill the glass with ice and then they add the drink; whereas, often in Canada, they fill the glass and then add the ice!

[@candy.yankovska]

Ive never seen that before where Canadians add ice after adding the drink and Ive lived in every province in Canada except Quebec. Ive only seen adding ice (usually alot of ice) first then the drink, just like USA. So Im really surprised you feel opposite 😃 Where in Canada are you living? Im originally from Nfld but currently in AB.

[@lucforand8527]

@@candy.yankovska I may have exagerated slightly but if you compare how drinks are served by an American airline compared to a Canadian Airline, or even how a soft drink is served by restaurants in Canada compared to the US, the difference is the quantity of ice. In the US they fill the container, to the brim, with ice and then add the soft drink. This is not generally done in Canada as Canadians use much less ice!

[@candy.yankovska]

@@lucforand8527 yeah thats true😃

[@cheprince2894]

Oh the ice bucket! Hilarious

[@VladislavBabbitt]

"The Flintstones" and "The Simpsons" are dubbed in Québécois French. "Peanuts" is dubbed into Ontario French. There is a popular CBC program from Alberta called "Heartland". It has been on for 18 years. It is dubbed into European French. All the Québécois I speak to have never heard of it. Even native English speakers from Montreal think that Québec is a slice of France in North America. It is NOT! It is a North American Culture in the French Language. They think that Montréal is the Paris of the North. First of all, Paris is situated more north than Montréal. Second of all, the two cities have NOTHING in common. Les Deux Solitudes persistent toujours, même à Montréal.

[@lucforand8527]

For $110 dollars you paid way too much, like double. For two persons in Quebec City we get two pizzas for 30 dollars including taxes and tip to the delivery person. Ask the locals!!

[@lucforand8527]

I should be more precise. At a restaurant you could pay close to $100 dollars for four as, depending on the pizza, one pizza might be $15-20. With a soft drink you are probably at $20-25. So for four persons this could likely be $80 plus 15% tax gives you $92 plus 15% tip gives you $105. Pizza is much cheaper from a fast-food pizza place like Salvatore's than a restaurant like Boston Pizza or Mike's. Many of the fast-food pizza places often have specials such as 2 for 1. I.e. two 10" pizzas for something like $15 which is only 20$ with taxes and tip. Add some soft drinks and its $25. Shop around until you find one you like!

[@dougmurdoch8531]

Quebec French is an older version and from the Norh and Northwest. Southern French, Gascon et Langue d'Oc are impossible for a québécois to follow, especially if two or more people are talking. Otherwise both are intelligible in a short while.

[@ralphlw]

Ice seems to be an ongoing theme in Montreal. Also, please block the Olivia Banks scammer.

[@mileitman]

Canadian here. I h.a.t.e. ice

[@pjalexandra]

There's no more reason for Quebecois accent to sound like France accent, than there is for Americans to sound like the British. Many of the ancestors left Frances hundreds of years ago, and the French evolved from those accents/dialects + have been influenced by Canadian English.

[@camilledrouin8320]

No I did not have a problem to understand the normal French person….I am a born-in Montreal French Canadian with a Irish background mom and never had a problem at all….

[@pierrelarocque3214]

Aliud tempus, aliud mores. D'autres lieux, d'autres moeurs.

[@patrickchadd]

The québécois have no problem understanding French - standard French is taught and so the québécois really understand French and Quebec French pretty easily. I’m dying the US but speak French and though I learned standard French, I had very little issue in Quebec City and Montréal understanding French…🤷🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️

[@valeriemalenfant]

My boss is French but live here for many years but she still used expression that i need to ask her what she means by that. Like 'c'est grave!'' for us QC it means there is an emergencies, it's terrible, somethings is wrong as for them ''C'est grave!' it more it's awesome, great ... it's a positive .... as for us QC ''C'est écoeurant' usually mean it's great as for in France it's usually mean disgusting and will make you sick. Side not e: King Louis the XIV was probably speeking more ''Québecois'' minus the english slang than modern day France (French) because we stop being a colony in the 1760s we ''lost'' for a long time commercial and cultural exchange with France. So language developped differently ... but now with immigrantion Montréalers speak way more an internationnal french then let say remote area like l'Abitibi. I'm from Northern Ontario (born and raised french) and when I go back my family say we do have now an accent (more my kids abviously) So it would have been worse for your in-laws to understand QC 20 years ago! LOL