Wow, it's so complicated just to greet someone in French. I thought it was always 2 kisses. It's good that we have you to explain it all! You still look just as young and lovely as in the old video.
The number of bises depends on the area but the general rule is 2 kisses, it can be 3 like in Arles region. If you don't know how many bises to do, watch people from the area when they do it or just ask them
"...even I don't know most of the time..." Okay, thanks for that! ...😗 ...😐 ...🤔 ...😯 ...😒 ...😓 ...😶 ...😳 All the possibilities are just too funny to imagine! Thanks. Great vid.
In Spain you go left first then right, in Italy you go right first. France it’s all over the place. I’m with Japan, give a little bow. No touching! Much safer and less embarrassing particularly if one goes Spanish whilst the other goes Italian!
Bonjour Geraldine. Great video as usual but I’d like to clarify something. When Americans hug when greeting or leaving friends it is not full body contact. The contact usually does not go below the shoulders as you should be leaning in with your feet at least a foot or so away, therefore so should your body. Bisous 😎
Exactly. You're touching arm against shoulder or back, which seems less intimate than cheek against cheek. And much less complicated than having to know who to kiss and how many times to kiss. I'm confused about why the number of kisses even matters?
Ken and Melisa, what part of America do you live in? I live in the PNW. Yes, I often see this half hearted kind of hug here in our country but I advocate for enthusiastic authentic intimacy amongst friends and acquaintances and hope, over time, our American culture will embrace faire la bise. When in Europe, I cherish this custom. 😗😗
J'étais élève à l'Université de Franche-Comté il y a beaucoup d'ans. La prof d'allemand était gentille et sympathique avec les élèves étrangers. Quand on a commencé à faire la bise , je ne savais pas quelle joue à présenter, et nous avons fait la bise sur les lèvres. J'ai été gêné, mais elle a ri.
I'd be interested in hearing more about why you think men often don't do la bise with other men. Is homophobia the source? (i.e. are they afraid of being perceived as gay?) If not, then what is the explanation?
Great lesson! I’ve lived in Belgium for over 30 years, and all my neighbors, family and friends do one kiss, unless they are from France then they do two or more. Sometimes that leads to mishaps. A few people I know do three, and they say “Trois” during the first smootch so you know to keep going.
Isn't la bise is also the North wind? When there's a strong cold winter wind it's called La bise. Also, when greeting the "kiss" is often just getting close and making a kissing sound or touching cheeks but not the lips. Especially in a group situation....you may not know some of the people at a party but when you arrive, everyone will want to do la bise. Since you don't want to insult anyone by skipping them, you just bring your cheek next to their's on both sides but don't touch. So if your boss or his wife is there, and you're not on close terms, you keep your distance without insulting.
Men doing 'la bise' to each others, it really depends, but I would say that it's not the norm. Of course it depends on the environment, family, cultural background... Personally growing up near Paris I never did la bise with other guys, even close friends. It was just not done around me at all. Always handshake the first time you see the person that day. When it comes to family members, it's more common (I'm talking specifically between men again), but again it depends. Personally it only felt natural to do la bise with the generation of my parents or older (like uncles), but not with my brothers or cousins. It's only now, in my 40's that I could do la bise with my brothers. cousins, and my best friend (I mean I have, but since I don't get to see them often, I think it would still be a handshake if it was on a more regular basis).
One day I was in a car with friends, I was in front in the passenger seat, and my friend was sitting in the back seat, she was gonna leave so we were doing the bise, when I turned back to kiss her cheek, she also went to kiss my cheek and we kissed on the lips, and that's why I don't like doing the bise, mostly with people I don't know very well. By the way, I'm from Brazil and we also do that, where I live we give two kisses, but in some parts of the country they give just one, I think I could say the same French rules apply to Brazilians, but men never do it, even when they're close friends.
My husband did not learn French/ French culture in High School but with marriage to me he immediately had a Martiniquan family who accepted him wholeheartedly into their circle. So, he was happily doing la bise with them when one day one of them explained to him that it was a reciprocal action! He said, and all the while I have been frustrating my French friends because I have been 'kissing ' them on both cheeks...not giving them the opportunity to 'return the favor'!
De quel côté on commence ? Dans la plupart des régions de France, j'ai l'habitude de commencer de la joue droite à la joue droite, mais ici en Alsace, c'est le contraire qui semble se produire !
So in Salomé par Oscar Wilde, originally written in French, takes place in the time of Herod and John the Baptist, I believe. So, being a play from the 19th century the phrase used by Salomé is "Baisserez-moi" if I remember correctly, to mean "kiss me". Thus, for literary purposes would that utilisation be the exception?
you are talking about a play of the 19th century ! The language changed since this time. You don't use anymore 'thou' for you, in modern english. And of course, it depend on the context, in a old literary context, "baiser" can mean kiss. Nowaday, for the meaning of kissing, we also use the verb "embrasser" wich meant in the old times take in your arms.
@@thierryf67 I'm well aware that the times having changed,so too the language. Example: Intercourse use to mean, the exchanging of ideas through discussion, no longer in usage or the phrase "How chance it?" being an old and obsolete manner of saying "How come?" I just was wondering if one were to write within the antiquated school of grammar, if it would be acceptable? That's all.
There is a photo from 2018, showing President Macron giving a full body hug to a shirtless man on the island of Saint Martin in the Caribbean. Even to Americans, the hug seems awkward and too intimate. What explains Macron's behavior which is very unlike the French?
Imagine arriving to a French party, trying to fit in by saying hello to everybody, but not being sure and asking every single person "do we shake hands or fuck?"
I don't think many French people realize how cute their accent can be to American ears^^
Wow, it's so complicated just to greet someone in French. I thought it was always 2 kisses. It's good that we have you to explain it all! You still look just as young and lovely as in the old video.
Haha! Well yeah it depends :)
The number of bises depends on the area but the general rule is 2 kisses, it can be 3 like in Arles region. If you don't know how many bises to do, watch people from the area when they do it or just ask them
Merci beau coup!! 😂adore your videos 🎉
La Bise also happens in The Netherlands, although only with family and family friends
"...even I don't know most of the time..." Okay, thanks for that!
...😗 ...😐 ...🤔 ...😯 ...😒 ...😓 ...😶 ...😳
All the possibilities are just too funny to imagine! Thanks. Great vid.
In Spain you go left first then right, in Italy you go right first. France it’s all over the place. I’m with Japan, give a little bow. No touching! Much safer and less embarrassing particularly if one goes Spanish whilst the other goes Italian!
Haha 😆
Bonjour Geraldine. Great video as usual but I’d like to clarify something. When Americans hug when greeting or leaving friends it is not full body contact. The contact usually does not go below the shoulders as you should be leaning in with your feet at least a foot or so away, therefore so should your body. Bisous 😎
Exactly. You're touching arm against shoulder or back, which seems less intimate than cheek against cheek. And much less complicated than having to know who to kiss and how many times to kiss. I'm confused about why the number of kisses even matters?
Great point!
Ken and Melisa, what part of America do you live in? I live in the PNW.
Yes, I often see this half hearted kind of hug here in our country but I advocate for enthusiastic authentic intimacy amongst friends and acquaintances and hope, over time, our American culture will embrace faire la bise. When in Europe, I cherish this custom. 😗😗
J'étais élève à l'Université de Franche-Comté il y a beaucoup d'ans. La prof d'allemand était gentille et sympathique avec les élèves étrangers. Quand on a commencé à faire la bise , je ne savais pas quelle joue à présenter, et nous avons fait la bise sur les lèvres. J'ai été gêné, mais elle a ri.
Hahah 🤣
LOL... I hope she was good looking. 😉
Ah, a very helpful insight into this complicated part of French culture! Merci beaucoup!
"Complicated" 😆 nice word to describe!
James P: I would say helpful insights (plural), because there are so many in this video.
I'd be interested in hearing more about why you think men often don't do la bise with other men. Is homophobia the source? (i.e. are they afraid of being perceived as gay?) If not, then what is the explanation?
Great lesson! I’ve lived in Belgium for over 30 years, and all my neighbors, family and friends do one kiss, unless they are from France then they do two or more. Sometimes that leads to mishaps. A few people I know do three, and they say “Trois” during the first smootch so you know to keep going.
Isn't la bise is also the North wind? When there's a strong cold winter wind it's called La bise.
Also, when greeting the "kiss" is often just getting close and making a kissing sound or touching cheeks but not the lips. Especially in a group situation....you may not know some of the people at a party but when you arrive, everyone will want to do la bise. Since you don't want to insult anyone by skipping them, you just bring your cheek next to their's on both sides but don't touch. So if your boss or his wife is there, and you're not on close terms, you keep your distance without insulting.
Men doing 'la bise' to each others, it really depends, but I would say that it's not the norm. Of course it depends on the environment, family, cultural background... Personally growing up near Paris I never did la bise with other guys, even close friends. It was just not done around me at all. Always handshake the first time you see the person that day. When it comes to family members, it's more common (I'm talking specifically between men again), but again it depends. Personally it only felt natural to do la bise with the generation of my parents or older (like uncles), but not with my brothers or cousins. It's only now, in my 40's that I could do la bise with my brothers. cousins, and my best friend (I mean I have, but since I don't get to see them often, I think it would still be a handshake if it was on a more regular basis).
Love paul taylor! Merci, geraldine!
Merci beaucoup (because very nice school so thank you so much)
One day I was in a car with friends, I was in front in the passenger seat, and my friend was sitting in the back seat, she was gonna leave so we were doing the bise, when I turned back to kiss her cheek, she also went to kiss my cheek and we kissed on the lips, and that's why I don't like doing the bise, mostly with people I don't know very well.
By the way, I'm from Brazil and we also do that, where I live we give two kisses, but in some parts of the country they give just one, I think I could say the same French rules apply to Brazilians, but men never do it, even when they're close friends.
Hahaha 😂😆
O shit, I hugged people, and they froze, that's true... I thought they didn't like me!!!
My husband did not learn French/ French culture in High School but with marriage to me he immediately had a Martiniquan family who accepted him wholeheartedly into their circle. So, he was happily doing la bise with them when one day one of them explained to him that it was a reciprocal action! He said, and all the while I have been frustrating my French friends because I have been 'kissing ' them on both cheeks...not giving them the opportunity to 'return the favor'!
Wow, I just realized that me, trying to hug people was terrible... luckily, I only did that twice
Merci pour la video Prof geraldine.
France 24 a fait un reportage sur la bise. C'est intéressant.
th-cam.com/video/iYeSUwY9XLY/w-d-xo.html
Trop sympa ta chaîne, découverte par hasard : ça met le smile même en audio GG
Bonsoir. Le lien au pdf n’est pas bon. C’est-à-dire c’est un lien au pdf d’expressions de puces.
La pipe is an universal topic.
De quel côté on commence ? Dans la plupart des régions de France, j'ai l'habitude de commencer de la joue droite à la joue droite, mais ici en Alsace, c'est le contraire qui semble se produire !
Ya pas un ordre precis c'est pour sa :)
So in Salomé par Oscar Wilde, originally written in French, takes place in the time of Herod and John the Baptist, I believe. So, being a play from the 19th century the phrase used by Salomé is "Baisserez-moi" if I remember correctly, to mean "kiss me". Thus, for literary purposes would that utilisation be the exception?
you are talking about a play of the 19th century ! The language changed since this time. You don't use anymore 'thou' for you, in modern english. And of course, it depend on the context, in a old literary context, "baiser" can mean kiss. Nowaday, for the meaning of kissing, we also use the verb "embrasser" wich meant in the old times take in your arms.
@@thierryf67 I'm well aware that the times having changed,so too the language. Example: Intercourse use to mean, the exchanging of ideas through discussion, no longer in usage or the phrase "How chance it?" being an old and obsolete manner of saying "How come?" I just was wondering if one were to write within the antiquated school of grammar, if it would be acceptable? That's all.
La Vie est Un Songe well if it’s Salomé that says it then the meaning is right 😂😂🍆
سلام
Formal language is not the same as informal language...that’s the same in all languages of the world not just french... she’s funny
Nourhan Salloum, not all languages have different grammar for formal and informal conversation; that’s what she was talking about.
Most just makes sense. Probably best to stay away from La bise...
Mdr 😆
There is a photo from 2018, showing President Macron giving a full body hug to a shirtless man on the island of Saint Martin in the Caribbean. Even to Americans, the hug seems awkward and too intimate. What explains Macron's behavior which is very unlike the French?
Macron is anything but a normal person.
We dont know 😆
To answer your question, we need to know what is the nature of the relationship between Macron and the man he was hugging.
Imagine arriving to a French party, trying to fit in by saying hello to everybody, but not being sure and asking every single person "do we shake hands or fuck?"