Do better than Emily in Paris (a French person's take)

[@natassiamstelmaszek2804]

Using "Emily" as a cultural guide would be like using Homer Simpson as a parenting guide!

[@Commeunefrancaise]

Natassia M Stelmaszek perfect analogy !

[@andrewyarosh1809]

😂😂😂😂😂😂👍👍👍👍👍👏👏👏👏👏🥂

[@kalalakapay]

I will give the writers the benefit of doubt and say the writing was deliberate to portray Emily that way. More like a critic of American culture and its lack of will to learn other people's cultures. For their sake I hope that's the case. If not, it would mean it was written by someone who has no Google or Bing.

[@eduardochavacano]

and only a moron will criticize the show like its a documentary. Its a comedy geared towards the queer market and those that appreciate CAMPY shows

[@lohphat]

...or how to operate a nuclear power plant.

[@kjergens1]

Emily would be considered rude in America too .

[@drmilan6386]

Lol

[@bethanyhenderson8686]

Agreed!

[@monicachieffo4418]

Hahaha love this

[@jessicasharpe1925]

Agreed!!! 1,000%

[@GaGa51194]

Probably everywhere 😂😂😂

[@bellycurious]

When Émilie did not respond with 'bonjour' to the boulangère I though: 'how rude. Not just in France.'

[@HopeGardner3amed]

We don't have a lot of bakeries here so I will use cafes as an example, if a barista says "hello" you say "hello" back. I live in the USA

[@hanab3758]

Aah so I wasn't the only one thinking that

[@weronikajaworska2296]

That scene genuinely made me so uncomortable! How could you not say "hello" or not even respond to it!? And exactly how you say it not just in France I live in UK but I am from Poland and only really rude people act this way.

[@jeffkardosjr.3825]

I got some bonjours in Quebec City late at night, so I responded bonswer.

[@aoede6766]

Yes. And that is why they showed the boulangere giving her a dirty look. It was about an American making faux pas in France. Americans picked up on the premise of the show. Why can’t you?

[@MsLulumaria]

I remember when I went into a coffee shop in Paris (more than 10 years ago!) And my french is not he best but I asked politely for un pain aux raisin and my raisin pronunciation was more on the raison side. The barista very politely corrected my pronunciation and it made me laugh because he made me repeat like in class!! The people queueing behind me were not very amused hahaha but he seemed pleased that I was trying and I appreciate that he was super polite to me and gave me a mini lesson.

[@da96103]

Wow, you are a real life Emily !

[@parisbreakfast]

I did the same thing this week :((

[@joanlynch5271]

I think that the words which are the same in both language are the hardest to pronounce.

[@SueRosalie]

@@da96103 no because Emily never tries to correct herself and learn anything even when all the French people make the effort to help her! She always comes across as rude and lazy.

[@da96103]

@@SueRosalie That's true. Emily gives me the Anne Hathaway vibe in Devil Wears Prada.

[@satorlu]

"that's not very funny, but well, that's the joke" - that made me laugh more than the actual joke :D

[@deniaridley]

LOL Me too actually!

[@eamongilligan3262]

Was coming here to say the same thing!

[@AleMurgia13]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@HonoreeCorder]

Moi, aussi.

[@amicalancea]

Yeah, she desteoyed her in the most elegant way possible. :))

[@DavidSinghiser]

My father and his wife went to France about 20 years ago. He had heard about how rude the French were and he was worried. He knew Merci, Bonjour, & Pardon: His pronunciation was very American. He came back in love with France and the French. He said they were polite and patient with all his struggles communicating. He tried a little and they gave so much more in back. Ten years later, I had the same experience.

[@marine6271]

I think it's the same everywhere: we know that learning a language can be hard (and that French is a difficult language) but showing that you try and you care is really heartwarming so of course we'll want to help you! The contrary though...

[@ozkurrrmizrahi]

I’ve encountered both rude and nice French people so there’s some truth to it hahaha but I love Paris ❤️❤️❤️

[@Gionacloud]

@@ozkurrrmizrahi yeah but I mean that doesn't depend on them being French, unfortunately, rude people are everywhere XD

[@aoede6766]

I had a different experience in Belgium 25 years ago.

[@amaliamariagagliazzilage8358]

Yes, the thing is that there is something called La politesse, it just good manners. If you treat them accordingly they will treat good as well. They are never direct. Bon Jour, excuse moi, svp is mandatory 🙂 I wish everywhere was like this

[@corvuscorone7735]

It is not only that she fails to say "Bonjour" back when being greeted explicitly, she makes neither an acknowledging eye contact nor does she at least smile at the baker lady. So even if you were not considered to say hello when entering a small shop, I think it is impolite everywhere not to say a greeting back at least with appropriate body language if not in so many words.

[@kireidoll]

Not at all, it is standard in most parts of Asia, but I still consider it to come across as rude. Not acknowledging people's existence is inherently rude, culture or not

[@bitchette]

@@kireidoll really !? That's strange because whenever I get Asian customers, I tend to feel like they need more eyecontact ! 🤔

[@alidelatierra]

I grew up being ignored so I thought for so long it’s actually awkward or weird to interact with people you don’t know

[@kellyriddell5014]

I agree that it seems rude, but I'm an American, and in my French classes growing up I was taught that Americans smile and laugh much more than French people and we would be seen as weird in France for being so "smiley." I don't know whether or not that's actually true.

[@starlightbright]

@@kireidoll yeah I’m from Taiwan and it’s true. It’s a little rude, now that I think about it.

[@jackiebillek3417]

“Yes, Emily should have learned some French before she came to Paris...*for work*” lol

[@nxx4872]

she should’ve also studied the culture too and french manners too. some actions that wouldn’t be offensive or rude in the states could be considered rude in other countries.

[@Call-me-Al]

@@nxx4872 yep, like touching items that you give to others with your left hand, or how you use your chopsticks.

[@aoede6766]

The premise was that she was asked last minute to fill in for her boss who did speak French. The plot of the entire series is about a young American girl who is good at her job working in an unfamiliar culture. It is the ENTIRE premise of the series. The fact that the French are up in arms over this sweet show proves their own arrogance about their culture which Americans perceive as rude. Therefore: French stereotypes are apparently true. No French reviewer acknowledged that Emily learns the language and culture as the series progresses. America is on the other end of the world. Our country is large and we don’t have the opportunity to hop on a train and be in another country in 30 minutes. This makes learning another language difficult and a mute point.

[@Call-me-Al]

@@aoede6766 most Americans shun learning any native American languages despite not being able to throw a rock without hitting a (former) native American tribal land. Nor the current secondary (or primary) language of the region, like for instance Spanish for the former Spanish colonies. This is just a mental imperialism disease you guys inherited from England, it isn't a distance thing (Edit: and in no way is limited to the English speaking world, which is why I specified imperialism.) Bad shit happens when people get too used to that everyone else have to accommodate them as default.

[@aoede6766]

@@Call-me-Al There is no reason to learn Native American languages. And many Americans in the South are learning Spanish. If French expect people to speak French in their country then we damned well can expect people to speak English when they go to America, England, Ireland, Scotland, Australia and New Zealand. Why? Because the English speaking countries won the wars. If Louis XIV and his empire were still ruling today we’d all be speaking the beautiful French language. Take your cancel culture victim mentality somewhere else. Native American? Are you kidding me?!

[@mimesthaisilva8321]

I visited Paris in 2017. Before going, I learned how to say in French, “Excuse me. Good morning (or evening). I’m sorry, but I don’t speak French. Do you speak English?” The result is that everyone treated me kindly, and even when they didn’t speak English, they still did what they could to help me. Almost everyone taught me how to say things in French, and I learned a lot in just two weeks. I noticed that French people tend not to tolerate rude behavior, and they just stare at the person or ignore him/her until the person behaves well. I loved this!

[@shannonhudgins]

staring at people/ignoring people when they misbehave... I wish I could tell you how much of my classroom management is based on that.

[@mimesthaisilva8321]

@@shannonhudgins doing this has a much more powerful effect than yelling at people, doesn’t it?

[@shannonhudgins]

@@mimesthaisilva8321 very much so. My own kids were in my class (I"m a band director) and when I would get very quiet and just stand there they would start shushing everyone around them. I remember hearing my son say "guys, she's getting mad, this is gonna get scary if you don't hush." My daughter told me I'm way more scary quiet than loud.

[@mimesthaisilva8321]

@@shannonhudgins Lol! My mother used this kind of stare too, and it meant, “Wait until we arrive at home”.

[@vilena5308]

Thank you, it's good to be reminded. She basically did an equivalent of entering a bakery and just saying 'Doughnut'. I find it hard to believe that that is polite in the U.S.. Or any culture.

[@shaungordon9737]

Actually, in some countries, it's pretty normal just to say directly what you want without all the pleasantries.

[@vilena5308]

@@shaungordon9737 For example?

[@ashwinigurung6620]

@@vilena5308 India XD

[@Goingby20s]

@@shaungordon9737 i think its common in both the US and here in Brazil, people will go in fast paced places and just ask "can i have a doughnut?"

[@marine6271]

@@vilena5308 China too. Japan to some extend.

[@mortypickles]

Here in the US, I would find it rude if someone came into a bakery and just said, “Chocolate cake,” when ordering. When something like that happens here with a non-English speaking tourist, it is bothersome, but I figure that the person is so focused on just trying to say what he/she wants correctly that all else is forgotten. It absolutely sounds rude, though. I definitely agree that saying hello upon entering a business is not as common here (wish it were!) and that you absolutely must greet shopkeepers when you enter a business in France. That’s the first piece of advice I give anyone I know who is traveling to France for the first time. Love these videos! Thank you so much for all of your helpful content! My French is super rusty.

[@sophiehatter525]

Removing the tourist element, I don't say hello when I enter stores in the US, but I do when addressing anyone for the first time 🤷🏼‍♀️

[@marine6271]

@@sophiehatter525 yes that's what you would do most of the time in France too, but in this very scene Emily is alone in the shop and the Baker already told her "Bonjour" so the basic politeness would indeed be to say it back, but you can say bonjour while entering in a store when you're alone, when there are already other customers it depends on the size of the shop or if the clerc is already talking with another customer. If you don't know, it's safe to just that it when you actually have an interaction with the staff (but when in doubt, it's always better to be too polite than not enough).

[@steverocksyo]

I think the correct analogy would be if they said chocolate cake please? Would you be offended more than if they said, hello, chocolate cake please,

[@steverocksyo]

@@sophiehatter525 I say hello when I make eye contact with a store keeper.

[@a1nelson]

As an American, I agree. But, there’s a bit more to it. It definitely depends on where in the US you live (as a cultural native), but in general, Americans typically avoid bothering other people and do not want to be bothered themselves in public - even in relatively small shops. Pushy, commissioned sales staff have essentially created, or at least accentuated, this cold attitude/behavior. So, it’s not uncommon for customers to avoid eye contact and also to generally avoid disturbing the shopkeeper from whatever they were doing previously. Of course, when eye contact is made and/or the shopkeeper/employee greets them, it would be terribly bad form for the customer not to respond with _at least_ a ‘hello’. What I do 110% agree with is that the single best piece of advice one can give to prospective travelers to France is to follow these basic rules - even if they can be quite different from the culture from which the visitors originate (e.g., American culture), and thus potentially uncomfortable or counterintuitive.They hold true for most countries, but are especially important in France. Many, quite surprising doors have been opened to me during my travels, simply by being polite and respectful.

[@lemn_emiee]

"oui, merci, ça sera tout" was something I never actually learned in French class, but I heard the lady in front of me say it when I was visiting France and I'm so excited that I learned something so essential from observation! Merci pour la bonne vidéo

[@mikichilcutt]

I thought the show was an Americans' dream of how a Paris life would be for an American. First get looked down. then the American educate the French. Whenever I visit France and try to speak in French, I could tell they are looking at me like an infant trying to speak, but not in a malicious way. I could tell that they find it funny but adorable. They let me try as much as I could. Also thank you so much for emphasizing on saying "Bonjour" whenever we go to an establishment. It went magical. As a Japanese, I had always been shy and not accustomed to say anything at stores etc. I hadn't known it would be thought as rude. I could tell when I say "Bonjour Madam" they instantly feel more friendly

[@doogiehowser2011]

"It's better to know a few words of politeness and be respectful of the culture than speaking perfect (language), while still ignoring all the cultural differences." En pointe!!!👍 A simple and necessary yet often overlooked rule for EVERY traveller going ANYWHERE.

[@idawantu838]

If she thinks French people are being rude I'd love to see "Emily in Glasgow" where she rocks up acting like that :D . Who doesn't say hello and thank you and then goes on about other people being rude?

[@luftronikastarchaser5624]

As a German student currently living in Glasgow, I died of laughter at your comment XD The scene with the plumber would have been beyond hilarious

[@willmcpherson2]

There would be too much swearing for TV 😂

[@sugarbear1965]

It’s true they would just say f off

[@Annie1702]

American people does that. Jaja

[@LeoDBW]

I'm french and bilingual, and sometime i come across english tourists who are trying really hard to form a correct sentence in french to ask me something, I know how hard it is to speak French so I often answer in a mix of french and English to help them for complicated words :)

[@rik8809]

In my sole visit to Paris, I found Parisians to be very friendly and helpful. My French was rusty at best, but I tried. Like anywhere, good manners take you a long way. I do hope to see more of France some day. 😀

[@yoda12439]

Lovely lesson thank you

[@danielphung6146]

Ils sont pas méchants

[@michaelrice500]

I would be happy to travel with you, Rik; in our experiences, we are twins.

[@serendipity191]

My experience as well.

[@Xnhl]

Did you? Maybe it's my face, but many weren't polite about my lack of French, even if I tried to smile a little, of course greeted, tried French and everything. Not on any trip to France. Most gave me the feeling, I was bothering them and an idiot. So basically the negative cliché. Coming from a country whose inhabitants are said to be direct to the point of being rude myself, you would think, I could tell. :/ Still, I want to visit France again, once we can do so. It can get only better. As the for the negative cliché (is that the correct spelling?): I do see where an American might get that idea from. Not only from having been a German in France, but from having been to the US before and meeting the stereotypical American: We Germans certainly don't gush over everything and would prefer being waited on but not bothered while dining, for example (To American restaurant owners: yes, there is a difference, as there is between being waited on and getting ignored, and we do recognize that's more on your policies' than on the staff's side). 🙂

[@arnoldrivas4590]

Linguistic differences aside, the rules of politeness when greeting people is very similar to Spanish speakers. I'm Central American and in LA, I make the effort to say 'buenas días', 'buenas tardes', and 'buenas noches' when greeting people or when entering a store. It's just polite and oftentimes, you strike up a conversation. It's just part of the culture. So it's wonderful to see that French culture is very similar. As well as the masculine/feminine rules in the language. Edit: My mistake was typing 'buenas días'. That's incorrect. It should be 'buenos días'.

[@joiceraiana]

I'm Brazilian and it's the same here. It's impolite not say "bom dia" or other forms of greetings when you enter places and totally rude not answer when someone greets you.

[@mwrees]

Buenos dias

[@biancawilliams2995]

Yes you’re absolutely right Arnold! Spread the word because I prefer when someone from LA greets me with a beso (as we do in France) rather than the ‘normal’ response of ‘you’re not from LA so I wont greet you properly’!!!!!

[@angelina22ist]

@@joiceraiana c’est vrai.

[@arnoldrivas4590]

@@mwrees slight error on my part. Thank you for pointing it out.

[@janedmunds4218]

There’s a whole book titled, «The Bonjour Effect,« that has lots of tips. Thank you for educating us, Geraldine! J’aime bien votre vidéos

[@nanettemorton4054]

I read that book before I went, and I had a lovely time! I actually managed to have conversations with people.

[@janedmunds4218]

@@nanettemorton4054 I want to read Geraldine’s recommendation now too

"j'aime bien vos vidéos" ou "votre vidéo" ;-)

[@janedmunds4218]

@ I appreciate that.

[@lacrima152]

A simple "bonjour" can do magic, I'm not sure if you've seen this meme made of a sign in front of the cafe: prix du café en terrasse: "un café" 7€, "un café, s'il vous plaît" 4,25€, "bonjour, un café, s'il vous plaît" 1,40€ 😀😀😀 well, at least you tried and it's worth it 😉 Edit: wow, thanks for so many 👍, guys! 💜

[@washizukanorico]

I hate that meme by the way, I live in Paris every time I see this meme I do not enter the shop. I always say “bonjour un café s il vous plait” but this meme is rude to me. I am a shopkeeper myself and am polite with customers whatever their level of politeness, at the end of the day their money makes me live. How rude is it to state that THEY should be polite, (even if they indeed should) much better to have a sign that says “bonjour, vous êtes les bienvenus” than a sign asking them to say bonjour first ... Parisian non sens to me ...

[@lacrima152]

@@washizukanorico You're absolutely right, we all should be polite everyday and everytime, not just because somebody tells us to be so. But of course, not all of us are. I had a similar situation in a shop recently as I was waiting behind the guy who was asking the staff for something from the counter and he didn't even say "good morning" or "please", just the name of the thing he wanted. I felt offended even though he wasn't talking to me but to the lady behind the counter. I keep on telling myself that it was too early in the morning for him and he was not fully awake yet but of course it's just a bitter joke. Please, let's be nice to each other, guys, it costs you nothing. Wishing you a nice day 👍

[@kioskclerk]

Nearly the same shop sign circulated as a meme in Turkey too, it was about tea though XD

[@rickymartin4457]

@@washizukanorico I disagree. There's so many adult people walking around that still haven't yet learned how to be polite to other fellow humans. A bit of reeducation does them good imo.

[@washizukanorico]

@@rickymartin4457 appart from the very fact that this “re-education” is being not polite in the first place ... you don t fight fire with fire, that makes you as bad as they are

[@HolandaChiquita]

I often just start by apologizing for my lack of French and then try and speak it to the best of my abilities, or just say it in English if I have a back-out. So far every French person has been nice, helpful and patient!

[@michaelrice500]

I have to say, that even the "gentleman" who robbed me in Lyon was very polite about my poor French and assisted me with a few tips. A bad experience, or a good one? Who can say?

[@ellax325]

Wait what? 😂😂 omg

[@aimeeelizabethj]

That's hilarious 😆

[@michaelrice500]

@@aimeeelizabethj I didn't think so at the time, but c'est bon. Now I laugh about it. We were at Place Carnot, walking to Bellecour.

[@weltschmertzz]

What an interesting experience

[@menacinghat]

@@michaelrice500 what happened?

[@marizamentzou3293]

Dear Géraldine, I moved to Paris 7 years ago. The boulangerie scene.... That was me in tears when the boulanger corrected my un, une, in fact she also repeated bonjour to me several times and to me (7 years ago) that was so passive-aggressive, and I had never experienced it before (and I had lived in 2 more foreign countries). I see there's a ton of reaction to this mediocre Netflix series which should not even be worthy of any discussion.. But in all fairness, all clichés aside,... There are moments in the series with which an expat like me relates to.

[@daniellepearson9519]

As another expat in Paris, I can agree that there are many very relatable moments in the series for EXPATS. I don't see how the French or Parisians would be able to relate to Emily's experience. She does however, need to learn some basic manners!

[@boink800]

Actually, you were very lucky to have such a kind person teaching you how to avoid massive social gaffes in France. Most French would not care.

[@Goingby20s]

I think Emily was rude and childish in the series, and saying bonjour is the norm, so I think everyone should do it, but indeed there are times that french people tend to be unecessarily rude, in their defense Ive had similar experiences in other places in Europe, lile in the Netherlands. But in both countries, I do find that its a small minority that is really rude.

[@lsfastronomyclub2074]

That’s pretty relatable Mariza . Love 💕

[@mimesthaisilva8321]

Every single time someone corrected my French in Paris I thought the person was being helpful. They were always patient with my attempts at correcting my pronunciation and helped me through it. If I had had to pay for that kind of tutoring, I wouldn’t have had money to travel to Paris. What I mean is that it’s all in our minds to gladly receive help or think we’re being treated badly. And their behavior is not passive aggressive. They’re very actively guiding you.

[@missusCIRQUE]

As a tourist, I didn't have the best experience in Paris the couple of times I visited. Bordeaux however, was an absolute godsend. That aside, I'm Asian and I definitely get the whole politeness thing (hell, we even say 'good morning auntie' to cleaners/stall owners/etc. we randomly pass by who are NOT our aunties, lol). But I suppose the biggest difference I've noticed is that whilst we have all these unspoken rule for politeness, we don't have the expectation for visitors to know them. So when they don't do or say the socially correct thing, we don't hold it against them. When I was stopped by a French family who were trying to, in less than stellar English, ask for direction, my first instinct isn't to immediately correct them. I simply try my best to direct them to their destination. The fact that they're lost in an unfamiliar environment must already be distressing enough, there's no need to make them feel worse. I understand there's a different expectation for expats, but often it's hard to tell who's an expat and who's a tourist. So we let the expats here absorb the culture over time and let the people around them (their coworkers, their friends, etc.) guide them to it instead of strangers in the shop or the street. And I suppose that in itself, that expectation, is perhaps the biggest cultural difference between Paris and many other cities. Also - I can confirm that not all Europeans say hello or good morning, etc. when they're visiting other countries. In fact the ones who seem to always say hello,etc. are the Australians, Americans, British and of course, the Canadians. Not a call-out - just an observation that perhaps, people are simply more likely to remember their manners when they're in an environment that shares their language.

[@Shiva-bt5vb]

@@OpiumBride Well, I am a Chinese tourist, before I went to Paris couple of years ago, I did my homework and learned that you must say "bonjour"or"bonsoir" when starting a conversation. Overall I had a really good experience there, I don't know why are those words so magical, but people seemed to tolerate my very bad french, and happy to communicate with me the best they can.

[@leticiafarina9165]

Dude this is so weird, I’m brazilian and in Brazil we also call random people (mostly staff) “tia” or “tio” which means aunt/uncle LOL

[@NataliaPessoaXOXOMAKE]

@@leticiafarina9165 onde você mora? Nunca vi ninguém chamar um estranho de tia ou tio...

[@9grand]

Cultural gap , to be polite in France is to show respect not to overly ( fakely) friendly .

[@zeldinhah]

@@NataliaPessoaXOXOMAKE aqui no rio quando alguma criança chega pra pedir alguma coisa, geralmente fala "tio" ou "tia" ex: tio, passa a bola! / tia, me compra um lanche?

[@a1nelson]

Before visiting any country, ‘hello’, ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ are the first words that I practice and be sure to memorize. Not only are they culturally important, but they also aid in general communication, as these words confirm that the other party is ready to discuss whatever matter is at hand, clarify that a question is being asked (rather than a statement) and signify the end of the key information. As an illustrative example, in Deaf culture, it’s important to confirm that the other party is (actually) looking at you before you ask a question or express your thoughts. Then, when the end of the current conversation is signified, it permits the other party to engage in other conversations. Computer networks also operate in this manner, for similar reasons.

[@pamhellman6719]

Five years ago I visited Paris after I had just three months of French tutoring. I am an older lady and learning even a few words of a new language is difficult for me. I went into a little shop to buy souvenirs for my family and I made a heroic attempt to communicate in French. My words were halting, probably incorrect, and my pronunciation would definitely be called “Texas accent” LOL. But I honestly tried and as I left the shop, the shopkeeper stopped me and gave me two little key rings as a gift! I was stunned and effusive in my “Merci beau coups”. Later when I related that story to my tutor she was amazed and said she’d never heard of such a thing happening in Paris!

[@esthervanderbrugge2253]

About 30 years ago I’ve lived in Paris for a year to learn French. Almost nobody could speak English back then so my French improved very quickly. 😏 In the beginning I had a daily bakery struggle like Emily because she pretended not to understand me unless I said it perfectly and corrected me all the time. So that was very frustrating. But when I could finally have conversations in French I confronted her about that. Her response was ‘but now you speak French correctly thanks to me’ and we became friends. I have to say that I did say bonjour and merci all the time..Now I can have conversations in French AND understand the French way of thinking. I can understand that the French don’t like the show that much but I thought it was funny and some situations do happen in real life.

[@jojoleung627]

As you said Emily should learn some french before working in France, I would like to see french people learn other language before working in another country lol Here in Hong Kong, french people still expecting local speak french 😂 zero effort given.

[@mewlionfrance5253]

lol

[@KaedeVM]

Here in Hungary many French expect Hungarians to speak their language as well. So, I guess there's some hypocrisy here😁

[@jassinaable]

French are well known for this. They usually speak terrible English (if they do at all)

[@afrotina2780]

we hav chinese pl working in my country and none of them speak any laguage other than manderine PS: they work as OB/GYN and most of us local ppl are fluent in french and english i always thought it was weird

[@moonwalker4696]

well that's the plot .. her boss who speaks french was supposed to go but couldn't so emily was a last minute fill in. I'm not saying the show is great but they have an excuse here

[@netfun8087]

The way you communicate is so thoughtful and comprehensive, it is sincerely a pleasure to listen to your explanations and follow your thought process. Thank you.

[@FLYNNMBF]

The writing is banal and the whole concept based on stereotypes of both cultures. I cannot imagine any firm would send someone to another country without paying for some kind of crash course in language and culture, especially if they want to do business in that country. Dix Pour Cent is far better.

[@lunamarie1472]

dix pour cent🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼

[@writerforlifeify]

Maybe that was the whole point--highlighting the contrast in cultural stereotypes, in which case 'correcting' every faux pas committed by Emily defeats the writer's purpose for this project. But that's just a guess on my part. I find Americans rude in general, wherever one may encounter them.

[@katyglazier4981]

Especially marketing where it's vital that you know your customer and thus, the culture, at least some understanding of language, etc

[@johnsmith-ko4ky]

@@writerforlifeify americans are rude? guess you never went to uk

[@writerforlifeify]

@@johnsmith-ko4ky Nope, never been to UK. Obnoxious, are they?

[@henrywest7217]

The French and the Americans most definitely have different styles when it come to exchanging pleasantries. This was informative.

[@jnewmark41]

French are very abrasive and closed minded

[@hcm5467]

@@jnewmark41 i can't stand those pricks, they are still debating abortion right ;)

[@capra2935]

@@jnewmark41 What makes you say that?

[@CC-my2nt]

@@jnewmark41 Then do us all a favour and stay at home if you cannot tolerate cultural differences.

[@davidchicoine9209]

​@@jnewmark41 No doubt the French would find your mentality likewise.

[@mariereid5178]

I have been practicing my French with your ten day every day crash course and I have learned a lot from it

[@jujubees711]

It's the first episode. Emily just got there. You're expecting her to know things she may not know yet? You don't know, what you don't know? I only have watched the first 3 episodes, so she may learn these things (I hope) as the show/story progresses. But wonderful to learn this here, if I ever go to Paris. Merci!

[@JTrudy808]

I think it’s interesting how French people will help you fix your pronunciation. In America (well, depending on where you live I guess) we’re used to hearing English spoken by non-native speakers, so we typically wouldn’t correct anyone’s English. I’ll have to remind myself if I’m corrected when in France, it’s not personal, just helpful. Thanks for this vid, would love to see more lessons using Emily examples!

[@lautoka63]

I was, many years ago, told by a shop assistant in Seattle that I spoke English very well and that there'd been a "gentleman in from Finland last week and he spoke English very well too". Coming from the Commonwealth, I was a little surprised.

[@2nolhta]

I think there is more "correct way" of saying something in English than saying something in French. But maybe French Canadians beg to differ.

[@JTrudy808]

@@2nolhta you’re right, it typically is more about saying something with the right grammar as opposed to pronunciation. I find myself correcting native English speaker’s (and my own) pronunciation more often than not, LOL.

[@indianaraauaneduarte]

I noticed that too. When she simply said "un pain au chocolat" I just thought " uh oh, not good. Not good at all". Thanks to the French I've been more polite in any language I speak

[@ehstandyourgroundac]

As somebody named Emily who lived in Paris, I'm afraid to watch this Netflix show hahaha ;D (my biggest problem was trying to have people respond in French when I spoke French :( I had a wonderful host lady though who helped a ton- and your videos!)

[@pgcfriend]

My husband & I watched a review of the first episode of the show on the streetfrench.org KZbin channel. The couple lives in Paris. We don’t have Netflix anymore. At least from what little we saw of the first episode there was very little French being spoken.

[@AUDREYAPL]

My friend who lives in Paris says "sure, it has a few stereotypes... but it's a tv show, not a documentary... just Chill" I've never lived in france (just visited) and the show made me want to go back reaaaaally bad ;-)

[@eduardochavacano]

The people who criticize the show as horrible are morons! The Tittle Alone is a Clue, ITS A Comedy and a SATiRe! morons do not know what Satire means!!!! Emily is beautiful. People would still want to have sex with her. Unless you are gay. the show is about Sex and Social Media.

[@Claire-td1ng]

@@eduardochavacano I find it very hard to find the show funny when they are so many racists comments and jokes in it. Making the only asian character say it doesn't help. One, because she is clearly not even Chinese and is blatantly insulting China, and two, because the writers of the show are all white. The sleeping with an underage boy and talking to the mother about it is very far from funny either. I'm not really sure what comedy you're referring to, but clearly my sense of humor is very different from yours. It's a very dull show that makes no sense at all and with no character development either as a redeeming feature.

[@ajaxwillis3962]

Hello. Loved your video. I just wanted to say; I decided against watching Emily in Paris after watching Alex Meyers video about it. Not only is Emily extremely rude (to everyone also just not a nice person in general) but, the show seems rude to France and the French culture. I am not French, but I really don't like the idea of watching a rude person in a show that is rude. I don't know if that assessment is correct, having not watched the show. What you've said has reinforced my perception though. If I had the money to go to any other country, the first thing I'd do is make sure I had the very basics at the least. Thank you for making this. It was well put together.

[@lohphat]

“Culture Shock: France” is the book which saved me as I was posted to Paris on short notice. I landed not speaking a word but now am comfortable in almost any situation. Because I didn’t learn French at university I lack a lot of written skills so spelling is a problem for me. Other than that I aggressively started into French classes soon after my arrival to get me going. It took me about 3 months to get a foothold and 6 months to become comfortable.

[@RaziNurullayev]

Une boulangerie, un pain au chocolat, une épicerie - a small grocery shop, une librairie, a book shop, mal-élève - uneducated, impolite, ce sera tout? Oui, ça cera tout. On n’est pas rendu - it is going to take time

[@ThePumpingiron27]

The character Emily was rude even by American standards. We usually will reply hello when greeted and should say please when asking for something. Or was that just the way I was raised?! Love your channel! I'm learning french for my grandmother. French is her first language, so I want to be able to talk with her in her native tongue. Merci beaucoup pour cette information ! ❤

[@aoede6766]

No, we don’t say hello to store workers when we walk in.

[@bidoubidou74]

@@aoede6766 of course you say hello when you get ready to talk to someone.

[@dhmcarver]

The advice in this video is spot on. Once I realized (after far too many trips to Paris) that this kind of small talk is vital, even if you have precious little French, as I did, my experiences in Paris changed immeasurably.

[@suereed3474]

It's just common courtesy in any country to say "hello" when entering a store before making a request, much less not answering when anyone says hello to you. Please and thank you is universal.

[@scorpi0841]

The advice about greeting shopkeepers was one of the best tips that I got. I struggle with understanding unexpected questions, but most people were so willing to help me when I made the attempt.

[@LisaVanGemert]

Yesterday, I made the decision to return to my French from high school and college, having lived in Germany and learned German in the meantime. KZbin suggested your channel, and in just this video, I was hooked! I just bought your first course, and I'm very excited!

[@bluesky7838]

I'm fluent in French, with a native-sounding accent, but I'm a New Yorker and don't know all the subtleties. Once, in Paris, I walked into an office building and -- à la New Yorkaise -- walked up to reception desk and asked for directions. The two men at the desk both looked at me in horror, and reprimanded me with, "Mais madame, vous ne dites pas bonjour!?" (Madame, don't you say hello!?"). Learned that lesson! By the same token, a French friend was here, and was very perplexed when he said hello and how are you to a telephone representative, and got a very terse reply back before going straight to business. I had to explain that those reps are often timed, and really can't spend time on the pleasantries.

[@MatheusTorezani]

When in Paris I’ve always been very well treated, you just need to have good manners, saying Bonjour, je vous en prie, merci, pardon, je suis désolé, etc... it’s a must. Understanding that you are in the most touristic place in the world and trying not to bother the locals with questions that can be answered by google it’s also a good ideia.

[@lamwingman1]

I really love the fact that French take the time to help us with their language. Older learner like me really need alot of help!

[@kassfox8381]

I'm Russian, but I guess it is not polite do not say any greeting words in any culture. It's more about polite at all not just cultural differences))

[@neideneves5391]

I'm a Brazilian living in the USA. Thank you and please were the first words I learned before coming to the USA. Because even coming from a third country like Brazil these are the basic knowledge for being polity in any place. Emily would be rude in my native-born country as well.

[@norbertfontaine8524]

When I go to the boulangerie, I say "Bonjour, une tradition s'il vous plait" " Merci, au revoir" or "Merci, bonne journée". I'm 62, I rarely feel the need to say "Bonjour Monsieur" or Bonjour Madame" a simple "Bonjour" is enough.. When I enter a shop or a waiting room with several people I will say "Bonjour Messieurs Dames" or the very casual " ' M'ssieurs Dames" ( I'm French). You're expected to say "bonjour" whenever you address somebody, not only shopkeepers. If you rent an appartment, say "bonjour" to your neighbours if you see them on the landing.

[@mayc.7746]

I grew up in Europe for a good chunk of my life and I picked up the habit of saying hello whenever I enter a shop, asking the shop keeper the permission to browse and saying thank you when I leave the shop without making any purchase. I also say thank you to waiters in restaurants making sure that I look at them and nod my head as a sign of acknowledgment whenever a doorman helps me with the door even though that’s his job. I did this when I moved back to Asia 15 years ago and I got asked by people why do I say “thank you” to waiters since it’s their job to serve anyway... Cultural differences is a thing and I’m glad with the globalization my (type of Asian) people are learning to be more appreciative of workers in the service industry. I like to say good morning to my neighbors, some are positive about me saying hi and some freaked out lol

[@sallys.2707]

French people here ! Je comprends que certains anglophones soient frustrés qu'on leur réponde en anglais quand ils nous parlent en français. Je pense que ça vient de deux choses : 1. Tout le monde, y compris nos professeurs d'anglais, nous dit qu'on parle vraiment mal anglais, donc les français aiment bien montrer que ce n'est pas le cas. 2. Répondre dans la langue de notre interlocuteur si on la connait est vu comme très polie dans pleins de milieux sociaux, ça montre qu'on se soucie de lui/d'elle. Tips : continue to speak en french, eventually we get it and answer back in French x)

[@deniaridley]

At first I was taken aback. I thought they didn't understand my pronunciation, or were impatient, or were just being rude. Then I decided to look at it differently: I would continue in French and thank (or even compliment) them for their English. I figured they either just wanted to practice their English or were just being polite. And in changing how I saw it, I gained a few French friends along the way. That was 11 years ago when I first arrived. I'm still friends with "my" first boulangère! We even correct each other now! mdr

[@deniaridley]

Et pour être honnête, je le fais moi-même quand je vois quelqu'un qui a du mal à parler anglais ... si je connais sa langue (espagnol, français, ou italien). C'est normal. 😊

[@biancawilliams2995]

c'est fou!!! Quand j'ai vécu dans le sud, je n'ai jamais eu personne qui passe à l'anglais pour moi (je ne voulais pas qu'ils le fassent), certains étudiants américains très américanisés se sont fait dire de « rentrer à la maison ». Dans d’autres situations, si un accent non français était détecté, on nous donnerait les mauvaises directions (même par les chauffeurs de bus) ... Vous parlez juste de Paris? Ou la France a-t-elle changé?

[@masterpaw5783]

@@biancawilliams2995 Je pense c'est à la fois régional mais ca dépend aussi de l époque et de sur qui vous tombez. Ajd plus de français parlent anglais peut-etre sont-ils plus ouverts? Ce cas m'a l'air un peu extrême c'est assez regrettable. Personnellement si je vois que quelqu'un a du mal en français, je lui parlerait en anglais instinctivement, peut-être même si elle parle un bon français mais que l'anglais est sa langue native simplement parce que ça ne me dérange pas de parler en anglais, et je trouve ça plus polie de répondre dans la langue native si possible

[@ysucae]

vous avez effectivement un anglais de merde, en général. mais les anglos adorent l'accent alors ils vous pardonnent immédiatement ;) et puis d'habitude c'est très bien quand même, on comprend bien. au québec, si on parle français c'est mieux vu de continuer en français, parce qu'historiquement les anglophones n'apprennaient pas la langue et on se retrouvait obligé à parler anglais même en grande majorité québécoise. c'est un peu vu comme une oppression. certains sont assez défensifs.... xD

[@IDontWantThisStupidHandle]

My husband (québécois) and I (an American who immigrated to Québec and is fully fluent in French) only made it through three episodes of that show. It was incredibly frustrating how she kept trying to change the culture of the people around her in her new country, and how she also never seemed to try to seriously learn French (just relying on translation tech and everyone around her speaking English). I get that was supposed to be the joke, but she never seemed to learn how wrong that is. In fac, she was often rewarded for it. It is incredibly rude, self-absorbed behaviour, and the exact opposite of what an immigrant should do. You chose to go there, you learn their culture and their language (share your culure, when appropriate, but don't override their culture with it) -- don't expect them to change for you.

[@fanniedesrochers7882]

Hey! I’m from Québec and my boyfriend lives with me here and he’s from Australia but he doesn’t know much French but he’s trying to learn. Do you have any advice for learning to understanding how we speak here in Québec, cause I know it can be quite tricky for a foreigner. :)

[@musik102]

Well, some aspects of a country's culture always could do with some changes! And, an outsider would bring a new perspective.

[@blackalien6873]

@@musik102 There is absolutely nothing the French need to learn from Americans. Maybe from Germans or Swedes.

[@musik102]

@@blackalien6873 Really? Now, remind me, who invented KZbin?

[@nightshade1936]

@@musik102 the problem is when the outsider who doesn’t even try or put in any effort to learn about someone’s culture feels entitled to changing and criticizing it. There is always upsides and downsides to every culture, but that does not give others the right to change it. If it does, it changes from the people within the community. An example could be the gender inequalities between men and women, which was so ingrained in culture to the point it became law. That only changed when the people within those communities with the same culture strive for change because they know the history, the ideals, the beliefs, and the wisdom of their culture. Emily doesn’t know the language, doesn’t even bother to learn it, insists that the American way of doing things is better, when in fact, it’s just different. One culture is not superior to the other. It’s just different

[@seanmeaney8220]

I had an unexpected French lesson in Calais. My wife and I fell into conversation with a very elderly French couple in a park. I introduced my wife as and was politely but firmly told . I still don't know whether this is general, whether it is an age thing, whether it's optional, or whether it was just idiosyncratic on his part - but I've always remembered it.

[@PaulinhaCardoso88]

My only bad experience with french was in Metz, my plus size self entered a large scale lingerie store and when I asksd help to find my size the sales lady gave me one low look and started telling me "we don't have anything for you, you are too large" in a loud voice and proceeded telling all her other colleagues, in front of costumers at the cashier's line, "it's not possible, there's nothing here!". I was so ashamed and humiliated. I gave the pieces I had doubt about back to the cashier and left. I'VE NEVER BEEN TREATED LIKE THIS IN MY LIFE. I've visited 5+ countries, never, ever, anything like this. I was polite in my bare french, the sizes I had chosen I'm sure one would have fitted me. After that, I'm not shopping for clothes in France. German and Dutch are far more helpful and polite. And they have better respect for larger ppl.

[@KevinPeffley]

I’m so sorry you had this experience. In all the times I’ve visited Paris, I’ve never encountered rude people. Perhaps I’m just lucky. One thing to keep in mind is that French people tend to be frank (no pun) when talking with people. What we in the U.S. would consider crossing the line, French people may be more forthcoming. I don’t mean to excuse those who offended you, but perhaps, just perhaps, no offense was intended.

[@PaulinhaCardoso88]

@@KevinPeffley I live in the Netherlands, I'm well versed in frank-ness. There's nothing which can justify that woman's attitude.

[@jinshenka]

Ok so your ONE TIME experience in ONE shop defines your idea of France. That's great. There are rude people everywhere.

[@PaulinhaCardoso88]

@@jinshenka As a plus size costumer (size48-50EU), this was just the final straw. Clothing shopping in France isn't an option. Still love the fragrances, though.

[@MyratheDunmer]

The French are genuinely really fatphobic, it’s a terrible shame

[@glauciamsq]

I'm brazillian and have been to paris, and a "bonjour, ça va? pardon, je ne parle pas français, parles-vouz anglais?" (pardon my grammar) can take you a loooooong way. People were so friendly and even if they didn't speak english or portuguese, they saw how much I was trying and were very kind and patient whenever I had to use google translate (I only knew basic questions/vocab). Politeness and effort are key

[@susangalpin4967]

I like that you give language instruction, too. Merci! 💓

[@SomethingNewOficial]

The French people are sweetest actually. I had the time of my life when I was I France, they just get so happy if you try to speak their language. I love the parisienes

[@luisalvaro2137]

I lived in France for 6 years, most of the time no locals appreciate any try, I had countless of bad experiences for not having a proper pronunciation, it was quite a challenge.

[@GabrielOliveira-vh2tp]

PERFECT!!!! I am a foreigner living in France and YES! All those basic tips really helps your adaptation here. And YES, they love when we are trying to speak their language. I LOVE YOU USING THE SERIE TO EXPLAIN THE RIGHT THINGS TO DO!

[@tb8827]

You have such great energy. That energy is infectious and captivating. Merci beaucoup🙏

[@Sentinella911]

I saw 5 minutes of "Emily" and thought how totally ridiculous it was! Yet so many people in usa loved it! Proof that Americans, même les bien élevés, remain very ignorant about french culture. Thank you for this exposé

[@cockeyedoptimista]

I never even heard of this silly show. ("Emily in Paris")

[@roddendechavez1914]

I'm learning French (or at least basic french and french culture) more of an interest than a necessity so content like this is highly appreciated. Merci!

[@roddendechavez1914]

@MrTherealpad Bonjour! merci beaucoup. You are very kind. I appreciate your advice and hope to see you soon too. a plus!

[@ubaldoa.rosario1832]

Last year I visited Paris. I never had a rude encounter at customer service, and I was careful enough to learn basic French manners. Even though I don't speak French, I did learn rudimentary phrases that would help me on my way around the city. It was a great cultural exchange.

[@cherilynlarsen8104]

When I was growing up in the 1960s there was a phrase coined from a book; "the ugly American." This show exemplifies the concept. Emily doesn't arrive in France with any knowledge of the culture or the language. It is embarrassing to me that Emily is so unconscious of her rudeness. The scene where she says "The customer is always right" and sends back her food untested was so embarrassing and wrong headed. She was unteachable. I find the show very squirm-worthy.

[@tonilyng4851]

I love living in France. I have been here for four years. I insist on speaking French. I make many mistakes and sometimes I see people flinch. I gladly accept being corrected. Sometimes people speak quickly; I ask them to slow down and they do. Like anything else, tu dois l'entraîner tous les jours. À bientôt.

[@Greatpacificnorthwesterner]

Oui. I always said "bonjour" when entering the bakery near my flat in Poitiers. But for me, it was fun and polite and a basic cultural custom that I enjoyed. Living en France was a great learning experience pour moi. ❤️

[@KevinPeffley]

I saw a preview for this series and passed on it. While it may not be written very well, at least we can have the benefit of understanding these cultural differences. I also wanted to say that I’m very impressed with how Netflix handles language translations. My French girlfriend and I can watch together; she gets the French audio and I get the English subtitles. We’ve been able to watch several series together like this. She did have difficulty with one film that used Québécoise actors. The accents were so strong, she couldn’t understand them. This is only the exception, however. For the most part, it has been great fun, and I’m learning more French expressions as we go along.

[@whatevadad1312]

could you do more of these videos, if you enjoy them? where you analyse mistakes or misunderstandings of french portrayal in the media !! it’s so interesting and helpful - thank you so much for your videos 💗

[@funguyonline]

For many French folks, not saying Bonjour is almost the equivalent of a slap in the face - it's really an affront. Even if you say "Hi" or "Excuse me", it does not/can not take the place of Bonjour (or Bonsoir). I (only) made that mistake once in my 2 years of living in Paris. Meanwhile, many French folks will correct you and expect you say it (again) correctly. In (American) English, that can feel patronizing and rude (and be embarrassing, especially in front of a crowd), unless you take it with a grain of salt... But I adored Emily in Paris (mostly for the sumptuous scenery and inventive outfits) for the funny fish-out-of-water comedy and the relationships... even if I agree that Emily is so clueless and people would have been turned off by her in real life.

[@cockeyedoptimista]

It doesn't bother me to be corrected. I like to learn things and I appreciate the instruction.

[@heytony12345]

When she walked into that shop and didn't say "bonjour! Je voudrais..." As someone who has been to France a bunch of times, that felt really unauthentic to how you'd speak with a shopowner or someone inside a small business. It's really sad and too bad that so many French cultural missteps are committed in this show. Guess it's all about the $$$.

[@unaffiliatedwealth1798]

This is a priceless lesson. It's gold. To learn from the mistakes from an actual series is like fixing mistakes in real time. We, as students of French are shown the poor example so that we can then put ourselves in a similar position to make a better decision in conversation. Excellent! I'm an abstract learner so this is extremely helpful for me indeed!

[@DonnaLang42rockglobally]

Thank you for your encouragement with regard to the value of making mistakes and learning from them. To quote a friend who resides in France, "Il y a de l'or dans l'erreur."

[@Ciaseea]

Géraldine! Thank you for your explanation on this. I think it would be really interesting if you spoke on each the things that are incorrect or culturally wrong in France in this show. Like a series since pretty much episode has a lot of cringy moments lol. I understand the joke is that she is fish out of water, but some parts were strange and try-hard and this is speaking as an American. For example, the part she tries to return her steak because it is “raw”.

[@mediterraneanworld]

She would need multi-episodes to cover that! I just can't believe how they could have made this - it almost seems a parody of the most ethnocentric US takes on France from the 50's and 60's.

[@shweefranglais7900]

As a simple explanation the French tend to prefer their steak a lot less well done than Americans or British. (in general but there are exceptions; some English and Americans like their steak "bleu" but in general most don't in my experience) I went to France and my hosts were really excited about serving me steak as they thought I would love this as a Brit. I thought "great". When it came it was what I would describe as virtually raw, and unfortunately I don't like vinegar either and they had put a dressing on it. I literally heaved looking at it. I tried to eat some; it literally wouldn't go down. I still said how nice it was and that I was really sorry I couldn't manage any more as I had eaten on the plane! The other thing in the steak incident is that the French are also very proud of their cuisine, ( and also their wine); and food and drink in France pretty much amount to an art form. So to criticize a chef (even if you are the customer) is not necessarily ok. Isn't it up to us to adapt to someone else's culture rather than expect them to be like us? The first thing to do is to give the dish a try ( in my case I did that) You may find that you like it and if you don't still be polite even in a restaurant and just go for something which will probably suit your tastes better the next time such as a fish dish or a vegetarian dish. I would be insulted if someone came to the UK, ate a traditional roast beef dinner cooked to (British) perfection by a British chef and sent it back because it was "overcooked" That is the equivalent of what Emily did.

[@btowles1970]

I cringed every time she said "Savoir", with the rigid R sound. It hurt my ears to hear it.

[@vidiesel]

I get so triggered when she says “merde” with that same R sound.

[@marine6271]

That's such a common mistake among French learners though, they try so hard to master that r that they actually force it too much so I'm OK with that, at least they're trying. The scene that really made me cringe the most is either the preservatives one or the one when the mother asked about her son's sexual performances 😬.

[@naritruwireve1381]

I took French in school for 5 years and I still don't understand how the r is pronounced...

[@ysucae]

@@naritruwireve1381 try purring. i'm not joking. you kinda have to rrrr with the back of the throat like a cat. the you do that and pronounce the vowel with it. it's typically the hardest thing for english speaker and it's ok not to really know

[@luxorbis20]

@@naritruwireve1381 🤣🤣🤣🍷

[@toutydroid]

In Lebanon too it’s very rude to enter a place without saying Bonjour/Bonsoir. When asking for something, we must add “please”, and thanks or merci when getting what we asked for. These are really magic words.

[@nameisamine]

When I was in Paris I avoided every girl like Emily...This show is just hilariously bad! Everybody is a caricature! Emily’s fashion is terrible! Is that what she thinks Parisians dress like? Yeah, all Parisians have a closet full of Chanel with a bright red beret, they can definitely afford that on their marketing assistant salary. Emily learns NO FRENCH by the end of the show 🙄 If you want to practice French listening watch the VF.

[@GoLongAmerica]

What is the VF?

[@trichechus20]

VF??

[@nameisamine]

@@GoLongAmerica sorry! It stands for [Version Française] as in dubbed in French. If you go to a French cinema you usually get the choice to watch a Hollywood film in VF or VO [version originale]. I think French dub of Emily in Paris is a laugh because the voice actress for Emily has to speak French with this overly anglophone accent, you can imagine what Emily would sound like if she actually spoke French 😂

[@savasgenc1908]

Actually there is a great French tv series called "Call My Agent" on Netflix. It's an excellent show ;)

[@wsk9734]

The show is made by the same producer as Sex And The City, they also have the same stylist on board hence why it feels so outdated and cliche. It would make more sense if Emily (who's from the midwest) have some cute outfits for special events, tries to learn French and absorbs the culture. It's really unfortunate because a lot of young people don't act like this, but obviously this show is becoming trendy and audiences who are into vapid content like this show and TikTok will emulate this type of lifestyle.

[@cutiepoodle]

I would love to hear you real-time commentary over the full episode where what they speak is subtitled and your audio is louder and also subtitled. ( I am an advocate for ASL and closed captioning) Your details and examples made it very memorable to learn.

[@Titemaud]

As someone who works in retail I can tell this boulangère is very nice to Emily. I would have stood my grounds and repeat "bonjour" until she cried, same with "ça sera tout". XD I love her eye-rolling, that's typical French too. I feel like yeah, French people don't really care about your level in the language, if you are polite and butcher words, it's fine, we'll help, especially if we speak your language, we'll meet you in the middle, BUT, if you are rude yet with perfect prununciation, we'll be rude back. Tourist or not. My record is saying "bonjour" 8 times until someone said it back, the guy said "Nan mais je regarde (No, I'm just looking)" to which I said "Oui et moi je dis juste bonjour (Yes, well I'm just saying bonjour)" Also tip for people who want to be left alone in a store : Say Bonjour, I know many sellers that will NOT leave you alone if you did not as a way of "retaliation". You may be met with a "Comment puis-je vous aider (how may I help you)?"; simply reply "Je regarde, c'est gentil, merci (I'm just looking, you are very kind, thank you)". And if you end up needing help, just say "Excusez-moi" and ask your question. Chances are you'll get a big smile and a very helpful retailer. It's as simple as that =)

[@CassieAStone]

I wish I had tried this kind of approach when I was in hospitality and service industry jobs! There are some major differences in cultures that visit the area I worked in and so many people I worked with would quit before being rude back to rude customers. My sarcasm probably went over their head because of the language barrier but it helped carry me through. Like. Just try to learn a few words, thats all anybody really wants, right!?

[@CitrineDream]

8 times? that's so damn funny

[@Titemaud]

@@CitrineDream On a different tone everytime, just o make sure he was ignoring me. :'D

[@Titemaud]

@@CassieAStone I made a point to always stay extra polite so they could not accuse me of being rude but realise THEY were. As they say, kill them with kindness. :D

[@ukaszduda6887]

@@Titemaud that's your idea of being polite?

[@chestermicek]

Bon jour! So, here's my French culture clash story. My wife & I flew to St. Martin Island & stayed there for our honeymoon. Being the linguistic showoff that I am, I had memorized 25 or 30 French phrases including the French for "Two chocolate croissants, please." The server looked at me and said, in English, "You want two chocolates in your beer?" The woman made an idiot out of me in front of my wife on our honeymoon. Of course, Beth saved the day by saying, "You French can be so rude." Now, I speak enough German, Spanish, Swedish & French to get around, but at the time, my French was more limited. It's since improved, and it's been "combat tested" in Montreal. I got directions to the Basilica, different warned waiters that my wife is allergic to beef and ordered other necessities in "magazans" without insulting French speaking people. That said, I'm buying the book you recommended because I'm looking for a better experience when I take my wife to Paris this year. Merci!

[@catherineyork812]

Emily in Paris m'a fait rire. Of course it's full of stereotypes, it's an American show. It's fun and entertaining and not to be taken over seriously. So all the criticism or picking at it, in the end, shouldn't be taken too seriously. Mais bravo pour un approche different pour enseigner le francais. And your English is outstanding.

[@XxAnimalRightsxX]

I watch this show in French actually so when they speak English, I don’t even realize it lol. It helps me as a beginner notice the difference in accents and this video helped me realize what not to do- thank you!!

[@james-p]

I didn't expect much coming from those who brought us the "New York" of Sex and the City lol. I read some reviews of Emily in French, and they think

[@RT-hh3vl]

I saw this in Paris: "une café" 7 euros / "une café s'il vous plait" 5 euros / Bonjour! Une café, s'il vous plait" 3 euros

[@cockeyedoptimista]

Wow! That is amazing and hilarious.

[@macwinter7101]

Thanks for the points. Although I had the impression that Emily's cultural blunders were intentionally written, considering a large part of the tension in the show is the cultural conflict between her and her french colleagues/peers.

[@elianacosta317]

The "bonjour" situation is the same here in Portugal. If the first thing when talking to someone is not "bom dia" ou "boa tarde" etc.. that is considered very rude! And ppl might also star to say "bom dia" until the other person says it back. Btw, "chocolatine" ftw! Désolé, je suis du sud xD

[@ashtraygirl0013]

Thank you for explaining so well. Sometimes cultural understanding is more important than academic understanding .

[@jennifergonzalez4749]

From my experience bakers correcting me each time I said "UNE pain au chocolat" and "UN baguette" is accurate XD. Happened to me several times.

[@elizabethjarque6391]

I will never forget one of the first lessons I learnt in Paris, when I asked for un Baguette - the boulangere certainly made it clear that it was pronounced UNE baguette Madame, UNE Baguette!

[@frankpaquet295]

So sorry you feel this way about the show; definitely had fun watching this show. What's funny is that Lily Collins can speak fluent French, but for the show she's learning. The french are so picky, but you're right, she tried! (from Sandi)

[@larrycrawford4338]

Mais Geraldine The point of Emily is to show the contrast. I'm an American et j'adore Emily. Literally every time she messes up I fill in her answer, Je dis merci. Emily later is seen taking pictures with the boulanger. When I was last in Paris I taught my wife to say pain au chocolat and she went over to the local boulanger for one. She messed up and was corrected, just like in the show. Oui c'est awkward but it's the contrast that makes it fun to watch. As an American I see the difference otherwise i might have missed it if she was completely proper. Mais je comprends que vous essayer de nous enseigner la bonne msniere. Merci.

[@yemisioju4006]

Good analysis.

[@jaybeeabadiez_]

Emily has her own personality, and just because it doesn't fit your standard does not mean she's rude. I have some few French friends too and I find them rude most of the time but instead of judging them I try to understand that we are not raise the same. See? We can't really judge someone just because they have a different upbringings or culture.

[@vanneswing]

The thing is so weird that she is suposedly an expert in social media, so the first thing to do is to learn a bit of the country you are going to live in, I really don't understand how this people managed to do the serie so bad. jajaja although they put the effort just in clothes.

[@josiechavez2879]

Bonjour Geraldine! I love your YT channel ...I visited Paris in 2017 with two friends. I loved it! My friend hates it...but I noticed because I made an effort to speak French at cafes, bistros and museums I was treated much better than my friend who thought the French were rude to her....now I know for sure a little French goes a long way! ...greetings from Los Angeles!

[@zzy2620]

A useful way to use French is learning the phrase "Sorry, I don't speak French" in a decent French pronunciation. I did that once for a different language (czech) and - it was very funny and people were very friendly, too.

[@glykera]

Unlike the French, Czech people never expect anyone visiting their country to speak their language. If someone tries to learn their language a little, they are then understandably very happy.

[@andhu71]

Its rather common that they correct your pronunciation in some shops or restaurants and as long as they are not rude, I enjoy it. I'm not French so might as well learn it!. Thank you Géraldine for this youtube clip. I totally agree with you, it's the basic lack of cultural codes that makes some scenes look awkward. So, it's time to learn a thing or two.

[@loreemackay9960]

Not all Americans in France are in Paris. I was living in Lille for 12 months while attending immersion classes for French. Lille was a college town full of young people which is an important distinction. I disagree that they like to hear you speak in their language if you don't speak well. I was the only one trying or doing the hard stuff but always the butt of public jokes. They expect you to know genders. I love the cultural "bonjour" everywhere and also when someone repeats the phrase correctly for me.

[@loreemackay9960]

Forgot to say I was expatriated by an American business

[@jinshenka]

I think we are less used to hear mistakes so it shocks us more. Native English-speaking people hear their language with lots of accents all the time. For us, it's almost painful to hear mistakes but also funny and cute. It was certainly not meant to hurt you or shock you if they laughed or corrected you, I think.

[@yokun5764]

I need more video like this, I love how interactive it is and I learned a lot about the culture as well!

[@Sarah-ew2pp]

I've always found that a couple of greetings at the beginning of an interaction and a couple of thank-yous/goodbyes at the end meant that shopkeepers would forgive almost anything else during the exchange. The French/Parisian intolerance of bad French attempts is a stereotype I've never even witnessed. P.S. How is it possible that Emily's fashion gets w̲o̲r̲s̲e̲ as she begins to wear more and more Chanel!?

[@johnsmith-ko4ky]

it happens. a few years ago, in paris, we wanted to order some tea. even after saying bonjour and je voudrais and svp, a young woman working behind the counter, absolutely refused to understand our way of saying 'thé'. after several attempts, we gave up and left that charming cafe because she was the opposite of charming, simply a stereotypical rude french, who seemed very pleased with herself for not serving american tourists.

[@EmilyWheatley]

I love how you used something current as your example of how to speak everyday french!

[@juliekelsall2799]

What I find interesting in France is that whenever I ask for something in French, the assistant always answers me in English. I thought it must be because my accent was really bad, but then the same thing happened to my friend who is actually French (but has lived in the UK for over 20 years and sounds completely English). Disappointing for me though as I want to practice my French!

[@mediterraneanworld]

this is relatively new as now many people speak very good English and don't have the same linguistic hangups. It is difficult for those who want to speak French - my best advice is not to give up and keep speaking in French!

[@dpainter1526]

This happened to me too the first time I visited Paris. As Geraldine said, the French really love their language, so if they can perceive that you don't know it well, they would rather speak English to you than hear their language spoken badly. Also, (in my experience, anyway) a lot of them take pride in showing that they know English too, and if they can tell that you're a native English speaker, many will want to practice their English on you. I found that the only thing to do was to be stubbornly persistent, and continue speaking in French no matter how they responded, I mean, even if I got stuck, I'd ask my questions in as much French as I could, and didn't give in. Eventually, when they saw that I couldn't be shaken, most would go back to speaking French. Just be stubborn! As for your French friend, I don't know; maybe he's losing his accent...?

[@dgphi]

It's better if you go to the countryside rather than to Paris.

[@juliekelsall2799]

@@dpainter1526 hmmm, I was on a school trip to Normandy with my class of students from Wales, and my colleague also a French teacher from France - and they still answered both of us in English! 😂

[@lulutza13]

@@dpainter1526 every country is proud of its language, but apart here I've never heard this thing with "they don't want to hear someone butchering their beloved French". It's extremely rude to do something like that. Because that person has taken hundreds of hours of practicing and learning French just because they were willing to integrate and be polite to the country they live in. But rudeness is a primarily trait of this country, when you get past the bonjour and merci.