Are the French rude or is it a big misunderstanding?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 ก.พ. 2018
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French people (and in particular Parisians) don’t have the reputation of being the most polite people in the world. Tourists often complain about how rude they can be. And yet, etiquette is a big deal in France. There’s a whole network of rules governing just about everything, from how to say hello to how to behave at a dinner party. Join us as we explore this paradox.
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I'm french and I've never seen someone eating a burger with a knife and a fork
So am I, and i saw it and did it already. It depends on the restaurant.
ur epic bad
so this dumba$$ is influencing others to avoid france!
I’m French I saw it many times. I did it too.
Ben si
Dans les restos comme un homme civilisé
Ahuri
No matter where in the world I am, I'm never using fork and knife to eat pizza.
Dude, what she says is completely untrue. I always use my hands for Pizza and I am french.
I have no idea where the hell she got those lies from...but she clearly visited 1 or 2 places, and just pushed them as being the standard in France...
Uhhh... So let's say you're eating at a pizzeria and you eat your pizza with your hands? I mean sure if you go at Domino's but not in a proper pizzeria...
Saying someone tells lies because you don't act accordingly to what that person says doesn't make it a lie.
Kcrik K wrong when you go out and you are at some pizzeria or italian restaurant, nobody eat with their hands.
On parle pas de Domino's ou d'un kebab là, 😑
Sam Haucward maybe we don't go to the same places and don't know the same people then. Went to a proper restaurant last night...and I was eating my fries with my hands and nobody looked offended...
Some types of pizzas can't really be eaten by hands, trust me.
I thought saying a "hello" or "excuse me" before asking a question is a must for everyone? We do it in Asia too.
someone may just ask directly the question just like some peoples in Indonesia and maybe Malaysia. In here it isn't considered rude to do so
@@haskelltan276 I'm a Malaysian tho, still find it rude.
@@haskelltan276 in indonesia we must say "permisi" which literally means permissions
We do it in the US too but not in Germany lol
@@ishakadriansyah8085 excuse me? Man? -_-
well I can't say they are all rude, but we once had a french guy visiting for a summer, and it turned out he is extremely rude and inconsiderate.
normal
Here is the thing as foreigners you don't get about French : you see our coldness as rudeness while we're actually being polite. In America for exemple being polite to someone you don't know is to be kind, to smile, to be warm, to make them feel at ease, to be tactile, but in France having this type of behavior is seen a extremely rude, specially in urban areas, it's bit different in the south (I had to edit to make things clear). As a tourist I don't know you, you don't know me, I obviously won't smile at you randomly and behave like I've known you for years because that'd be seen as creepy. Ask a French what he'd think if a random man smiled at him the the public transports out of nowhere, check his reaction, and you'll understand. This is a cultural misunderstanding. This is not because something seems weird to you that it is weird in another place, you have to understand that the world does not revolves around ONE type of cultural standards.
Itten Bordesius thank you 🙏 i am definitely agreed big time!!!
It does go both ways though. The world does not revolve around one type of cultural standards, but I would say the french approach to politeness is in a minority.
Yes...But when you are in France, french are expecting you to be polite in their ways, that's fair '^'
Soit ta tête est dans ton cul, soit tu n'as jamais voyagé
No, it's not. It's one thing to acknowledge that you're not being rude on purpose and that it's just your way, it's another to impose it on foreigners.
Had a French boss, he shook the hand of everyone in the morning. Respect
@Big Man in corporations people lose these traditions
he did it because it was covid and he wanted to spread the virus !
@@hangman5918 Bruh.
this is for Americans, we have all these rules in the UK. Its crazy that Americans don't say hello / salut before asking something .
Thank you ! I thought I was the only one thinking that.
Maybe some don’t but I guess it depends on your background. I’m Cuban/American and we always say hello to someone before we ask for help. Every person I come in contact with throughout my day I respectfully greet them. But like I said, it’s how I was raised and it’s a custom amongst Cubans in America and Cuba as well.
French Guy here, I prefer Americans they’re much more warmer than brits. I feel like all anglophones suck at languages and international travel
Huh? I think americans always say hi how are you all the time. That was my experience when i went to NYC. U enter a shop and they will ask you hi how are you and they expect you to reply. Since im asian, i just smiled back when they say hi but it seems they were waiting for me to reply back. Sorry here in asia, strangers dont greet other like that. Hi hellos are for people u know and for shop employees they will greet you and a smile back is enough
Thanks for the tip. I'll remeber to say "cheerio" and address you as "gov'ner" ;)
When I was in France recently I didn't notice French being rude at all. THey were so nice and friendly. BUT what I have noticed as long as you try to make an attempt to speak French they will respect you more.
My sister said that. She says that if you can speak French (which she could) then you have it easier. Doesn’t mean you won’t run into rude people though because she still noticed people sometimes making remarks from weird to rude, specifically to foreigners like her. She even called some of them out when it was to her group, surprising them when she spoke French.
Like any country =)
We're pretty cool, well not everyone but it's like everywhere
Manon Froment
I guess that’s how it is with all countries in some form or fashion. Their leaders aren’t often the best but certain people themselves can be pretty cool.
They are quite egoistic though
I'm Irish and speak okay French. I always made an effort in France and found people friendly. In Ireland we also have unwritten rules about hello, it's manners.
Normal bro ! Respect is the key....
Irish here too & I feel very relaxed in France. I speak reasonably OK French & I enjoy the manners, even the occasional "pfoof" with eye roll. I think it's cute 😂 I also love Parisians!
Etiquette, yes. Among themselves! If you're an outsider and are just honestly struggling or unknown with it, they threat you like dirt.
I think this video only talks about Parisians, The French are actually very similar to the British.
They are polite, but you have to mind their personal space.
As a French person, I can agree. We’re polite but mind our personal space. We usually are closer to our friends but we prefer being a bit less close. Hope my English isn’t bad.
People are really warm in the north of France. But you always have to say « bonjour » before talking to someone. It is the number one rule. If you don’t say it you are considered rude. I don’t think we are rude, we are just more distant and don’t behave like bestfriends if we just met someone.
So would you say you are more reserved and distant like the the reputation that Swedes and Estonians have?
"united statians" is that a nationality you made up?
I sincerely doubt that. Nobody says that here. People might tell you it is okay to identify them by their state identity as many people will introduce themselves by the state they come from, but nobody calls themselves "usian" or "united-statesian", that label is only used by South Americans who are angry at us, for the name of all things.
Now in Spanish there is a term Estadounidense....but it does not work in English, simply because it sounds horrible when you try to say it English.
It sounds horrible because "united statian" does not roll off the tongue, because there are too many consonants, hard t's which ends up making it sound bad. Usaian, sounds bad for just the opposite, three vowels next to each other, makes it hard to say too. Sorry but it simply does not work well in the English language and anyone who speaks English will tell you it sounds wrong. It works in Romance languages because of the way it is presented and spelled in Romance languages.
The French are generally very nice. Whenever I ask Parisians for directions, they guide me with a smile.
How is that rude to expect people to say hello before starting a conversation???
Clem So do you find Germans rude then? They don’t say hello before starting a conversation, especially not in shops, nor in the waiting room in the doctors, nor in the dentist, in the bus, metro etc,
Because to them it isn't rude to not say it maybe ? Just suggestin'.
Mama Yeah Germans don’t make small talk nor greet strangers (not even a small hello to a shop assistant)
Marley Barley Nice, now I like Germany even more. :D Can't wait to get outta France to be honest.
Mama I wouldn’t want to live there aha. It’s dull, orderly but dull. It lacks soul.
I found the southerns far more provincial than Parisians. But "bonjour" is key. Also, they're more formal. So "Bonjour, madame" or "Bonsoir, monsieur" are better appreciated.
Jared Baxter Just say "bonjour"
But you can say "bonjour monsieur / madame" if you want :)
If you don't know them a'd you have to be very polite, it's a little better, but a simple bonjour is already perfect!
A lot of these rules are rules of thumb : no one cares if we eat with elbows on the table and the hands under the table. A lot of people eat their pizza, their hamburger and their shrimps with their hands. Unless you're having a dinner in a very smart restaurant, that's something you can do.
I really wonder if these women have already eaten with French people - and especially young French people.
Eléonore Riha I'll agree with eating pizza with your hands. Elbows on the table or hands under the table is a big no no.
Hm, yeah, with friends it's okay. But personaly, with some people of my family, I have to behave that way :/
Wow ! How strict ! You mean, if you put your elbow on the table - even if you're really polite and well-behave for the rest of the time - they begin to whisper behind your back ?
Yup, but that part of the family is just mean. Don't worry, if you're polite, most french won't care if you put your elbow on the part x)
I know^^ I am a French myself !!
I'm a Brit living in France and I find it can vary by region. In the Nord-pas de Calais people seemed much more insular. Now living in Franche Comte I find people much more willing to engage, and even make the initial move to strike up a conversation.
Example, down here, when someone enters a room of strangers (ie Dr's waiting room) they give a general greeting to the room of "Bjr Monsieur, Madame" which I never encountered in the North.
docthebiker Really?? At every doctor waiting room I've ever been to people say hello as they come in
It's kind of a particular doctor waiting room thing, because no one says hello to other customers in shops etc but always at the doctors
Yet, they do this in the North.
I heard people in Brittany are the politest from someone from Franche-Comte so not sure this is true. I also lived in Franche-Comte and didn't notice a huge difference from other areas of France.
@@aldozilli1293 I guess there are local as much as regional variations. I'm in a pretty rural farming area rather than industrial. Poligny seems friendlier than St Omer, but then my French is a hell of a lot better now I'm here. When I go to a big city like Lyon it's a bit like going to London for sociability. but less downright rude people around.
I was once eating traditional Hawaiian foods with my hands, which is how it was originally done.
When I ask this French “friend” next to me if he would do the same, he said, “I don’t eat like a barbarian.”
He had Western manners, but he was rude as hell!
See the difference between manners and really kindness?
Don't think that we are all the same.
Do this next to me and I'll say " okay if it's the way to eat Hawaiian food " and that it. I'll be happy to see someone enjoying its food :)
@@ChachouLP You are a kind soul! I would love to "break bread" with someone such as yourself.
I agree in that we are not all the same, but I think it is important to be kind to other people because we unfortunately become a representative of our own people, even if we do not want to.
@@KG-fw5wk To me that's not really rude. It's just an unwillingness to fully participate in that culture's norms. They just want to consume the food and leave. Americans are literally the same way. Try bringing any average American to a restaurant where eating with your hands is normal (excluding obvious ones like Pizza or typical finger foods) and they will express the same level of discomfort.
I had a French exchange student from Avignon visit me in the states and we took him to a pizza shop. He kept asking for the knife and fork to eat his slice. We showed him how to Americans eat pizza. He said it was odd but he graciously did it without complaint.
@@knucklehoagiesthat's rude though
@@strangeman9362 no it's not.
I've never had any problems with French in my many trips there, BUT I have never ever met a more complaining nationality while they're abroad. The French complain about everything. 😴
I'm French and I have to say that's true. Complaining is part of our DNA... For the best and for the worst...
It is their culture to profess dissatisfaction with most everything around them.
c est vrai !!
That's because perfection is important in our DNA so untill is perfect we complain loool
If this is the French etiquette then I must be the wildest savage of France... Seriously who does this nowadays?
İlyas pmj everyone in france does
People do it in my country to.
I do say "Bonjour Madame / Monsieur".
We are all different. Being polite in the US = trying to make people comfortable. In France = respecting a strict etiquette.
Miaina Saying Bonjour isn't rude at all... It just means that you don't consider the person serving you as a slave and that you respect him... Those who don't even say Hello are the rude ones, not us...
Gurlll do you know how often I get a „bonsoir“ at 4PM in the afternoon
It’s probably because 4 PM is considered as the end of the afternoon in France. So we say bonsoir.
No honey, it's not a misunderstanding. I have been put through a bunch of racist treatments in multiple occasions in france. I was shocked to see they correct their attitude once I replied them in french. I regret learning that language.
here we go with the race card. go back to the US with that woke BS. The French are colorblind people. Their attitude towards you has more to do with your respect for their culture as opposed to your skin color.
@@knucklehoagies "The French are colorblind". Lol! What a lie.
You almost never see mixed groups of people hanging out (or even going to dinner) in France.
You see it all the time in London and the rest of the UK.
And look at the controversy, newspaper column inches and even *protests* about Aya Nakamura possibly singing at the Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony!
Emeli Sandé sang at the London 2012 Opening Ceremony and it didn't feature on the news, nobody talked about it and there were obviously no protests! 🤦🏻♀️
@@leenieledejo6849 could a fooled me.... I've been all over France and I see interracial friend groups all over the place. Especially the younger generation. Maybe you're only noticing what you want to notice.
Im half french from london and some french girls recently asked me for directions they looked so depressed not even a hint of a smile by the end :D
This did absolutely nothing to change my opinion about the French
When I was in Britain and Finland and had to take the bus, I learned that this étiquette is a load of bs. We are polite in words but not in deeds. We are absolutely horrible when it comes to wait in a line, when it comes to speaking in public with a friend, when it comes to expecting service in catering/restaurants, it's absolutely horrible.
The ruling etiquette in Portugal is the French one, although the 'bon appétit" one was a definite surprise!
For a French it's so funny to see that Anglo-saxons consider us as "rude", because it's exactly that we think about them, especially American people from US.
Americans are NOT generally racist nor rude. If you think we are mostly a bunch of racists, you have bought into a European stereotype of Americans. Furthermore, I've heard that the French treat Asians horribly from expats who live there and and witnessed it on a regular basis. People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
Garry Iglesias, so the many videos I have seen on youtube or tv that americans stab, beat up, and bully non-native people(specially LATINO people)for speaking another language, are all staged???
With their "get out of this country" saying?
No, thanks, I am never coming back to USA. I rather go to Canada or UK where anglo-saxon people are nicer!!! (I been there)
Take you reality!!!
Americans, except in NYC and maybe similar cities in the NE, think being very warm and smiling is normal but can actually be rude at the same time. Abruptly asking for help or demanding some assistance without any sort of kind introduction seems to be common, it doesn't help if you happen to be smiling (though often they aren't even if they think they are). People in NYC can actually be the worst in both being abrupt and being very serious and unfriendly. Occasionally a New York resident will be warm and/or polite but that is an exception and stands out. If you're very attractive, you may find more people of the opposite sex will be quite kind and helpful towards you in NY, but for everyone else, forget it. I hear Parisians are bad and imagine they may be similar to New Yorkers in being overexposed to other people, having to deal with a lot of stress when in the city, and maybe having an inflated sense of self worth ("Look at me, I'm a big shot living in Paris/NY!") on top of being annoyed that all of the tourists and recent immigrants they interact with do not follow their etiquette at all or know how to speak their language (not that big of an issue in NYC, though tourists can be annoying).
+Jonathan Andrade - Well I've been there, and haven't been stab, and met nice people generally (overly obsessed by money yes, yet nice)...
Yes crime exists, yes dumb exists, yes everything: do your homework, you'll see it's NORMAL to have diversity statistically speaking..
Garry Iglesias
Maybe because you spoke english all the time and doesn't have an accent!
Glad you haven't been stabbed.
Keep your opinion, I'll keep mine!
Change gap ! To be polite in french is to show respect , respect , respect not to be 'fakely' friendly!
@Alex americans don't respect the fact that the US wouldn't exist without the french army haha
@Alex Your "liberation" kill way more people where i live than the Germans ever did, it was a long time ago but don't expect great respect for this butchery.
@Alex You don't even respect them for liberating you form the british it's disgusting.
Rome is also just as busy with tourists as Paris, but a lot of people report feeling welcomed when in Italy. Hmm
Very, very interesting. This seems to be endemic to large, affluent areas. We non-French also have propriety, but in poorer areas you have to be friendly and make allowances for outsiders. Otherwise, you could lose your job or business and it might take a while to recover.
BTW, I found Parisians to be stressed-out, impatient and distant, but I never got a hostile vibe from them.
Just a cultural shock, in France we are cold because being automaticaly very warm and friendly is considered to be super fake, we keep our distance at first but when a french is warm to you he means it. ^^
Also it is very true that there is a difference between touristic places, very crowded and stressful and the rest or France where people are more relaxed and happy to see foreigners.
I live in Paris right now and I also get now that tourists can be a burden sometimes since there are so many of them (even though it's not their fault). For instance in museums chinese people don't see the problem in being pushed and never apologise for running into you when most french will say "oh sorry", but it's another cultural difference.
No, Chinese tourists are just ignorant and quite primitive.
Chinese and Koreans, its kinda like part of their lifestyle. They do it too when they visit my country, they push my countrymen away when the metro came and rushed in. Whereas we queue up. Then we tell them not to do this, or go home. My country (aka gov) is desperate for their money, but the people are not.
weird french
As a Canadian dating a French, I feel I can offer insight to this. Sure, the French have everyday etiquette and manners, but If they got their bad rep from bad etiquette, they’d be called uncouthed, not rude. But the French are known for having strong etiquette rules. So I think the rudeness comes from the zero filter in their speech. I ask my boyfriend how he likes my dress, and instead of saying he liked the first dress better, he blatantly said I look fat. No filter. To Canadians (and Americans), that’s extremely rude. To French, it’s polite to say your honest opinion. That’s the disconnect.
Wow really ? Cuz yeah we’re not afraid to speak our mind but most of all the guys know that you never say to your girl that she’s fat like never
Most of the guys *
Katy Out n About you’r right but .. calling fat it’s a little bit rude 😂😂 i will just say that « your shape is not very beautiful with this dress » mdrr
But yeah I HATE when my American friend says that « your too rude » when I give my opinion but IM SORRY !! But lying IS rude
I'm French. I would have said 'I don't think that dress suits you', that I would be ok with but 'you look fat' is just awful. Dump him. 😂
Yes well.... French come from the word Franc which literally mean honest....Plus the english countries doesn't act like french americans and english are like peachs soft outiside and hard inside which mean you can become friend really fast but you wont enter them privacy then french peoples are like coconuts so we dont smile to peoples we dont know but when you are in you are in and you ak whatever you need.
I am from Brazil. I was in France in 2015. I can't speak french but I always says "bonjour"...kkk
The french in general was nice with me...it works.
"...nice to me"**
I live in a tourist city in The Netherlands and it surprises me that this video clips says that it is polite to start with bonjour and then ask your question in English.
Here in Holland we have lots of French tourists and I have never heard a French tourist start with "Goedendag / Goedemorgen / Goedemiddag". They don't even put in the effort to try it in English. They just say "bonjour" and ask their question in French (assuming that everybody in the world understands French).
I think by now we can establish that English is the international language to communicate (look at all the English comments in this vid), so I think it's very ignorant to say that foreign visitors in France are rude for not starting our sentence with Bonjour, when French people themsels not putting in the effort to speak the language of the country they are in or even English.
Also a great part of the French people don't even understand English or do understand English but are to selfcentered to spreak it. I also found out that a lot of young people don't get english language lessons at school. Why is that?
Subsequently, these french tourists are to be perceived as impolite. Personally, I make it a point to acquire approximately 5 to 10 words or phrases and to learn about culture/attitude of the country whenever I travel. English is universally taught in France due to compulsory education, and every french kid learn it. To give you an explanation as to why older people (and also some younger ones) don't really speak english, I would give you 3 things that I can think off: lack of linguistic confidence, cultural identity and pride, limited exposure and need.
Your comment is valid based on my personal experience. Etiquette works both ways. Just last week I sat next to a French guy who went off on a waiter at a restaurant in a U.S. airport because the waiter asked him if he wanted his remaining pizza boxed up to go. French guy threatened to report him to the manager. I nearly fell off my chair because we were in New Jersey. You don't threaten Jersey folks. Had the Frenchman took the time to learn about American culture, he would have understood the question was not disrespectful. We don't have three-hour meals here in the U.S. I've had a Chinese restaurant vacuuming and turning off its lights. LOL.
I've come to realize that the French are quite insecure about their language's status on the world stage. They secretly hate how English evolved to become the international language and not French and I guess they take that insecurity out on everybody else.
You're spot-on.
Dutch people are reasonable, fun and don't take themselves too seriously (unlike the French).
I live in a touristy city of France and I see English-speaking tourists all the time who just go up to locals and start speaking English at them (to me included). I agree that it's rude not to even say Bonjour or attempt some minimal phrase in French. For example would it kill them to learn Bonjour parlez-vous anglais?
I find it shocking how unwelcoming the French are toward Americans given all the sacrifice our country gave to liberate your country.
@@fudomyoo9762 do you know Lafayette?
@@aurelienc5254 An American and French Patriot. We Americans respect the French for their help but the reverse is not true. In France, other than Normandy. When people find out you’re American they treat you worse; they become rude. In America if you’re a foreigner from anywhere we will be kind and try to help however we can.
Also how is chewing with mouth closed universal? It's perfectly normal in Korea and probably other countries
to all ppl who watches/d the video, who liked and disliked the video, and to the ppl who commented on this video: *BONJOUR*
That "Bonjour" 🤦🏾♀️ you can be hated because you didn't say it!
nancyann78 i mean it’s basic politeness to say hello before asking for something 🙄
How about going in elevators and saying bonjour first before entering.......what you think bout that?
that's serious everyone, saying "HI", just this simple word will help you so much
but the "never arrive on time", seriously, many people don't like this
and it's okay to refill your glass first, but you have to ask if anyone want some
aannnd you can eat with your hands, like for chicken, burgers, and all this stuf... but, if you're in the "hi-class", then you can't
Alex D. Yeah the "never arrive on time" thing is reaaaallllly untrue
Mel Mel It is true sometimes. I’m French, and even if I’m probably generalizing, we do sometimes come a bit late. But, it’s not everywhere, and it’s usually for dinners with friends or with your family.
The French I think are of the nicest people, when I went to a restaurant all of the waitresses stopped to talk to me even with my bad French.
Thats not being nice,that being professional and etiquette ...how dumb can u be
Rude people won't stop, even professionally.
Also the waitress is not paid with the tips so she will be less "fake" by waiting for it.
French are not rude... We are just following "savoir-vivre" rules. And as a parisian, I'm always proud to help people when they need help. For those who say that they have been in France and that we are rude, it's false... I'm not saying we are perfect but we aren't rude. Our manners may be considered as rude for some reasons but for us it's normal to not be close with people we don't know...
And one person doesn't represent an entire country.
I live in France, they are not rude....but I would say private and quite shy.
JM Kim Grande mate I was in France years ago , I did exactly what the vid says and you are 100% correct , I used my crappy French on the locals and got treated very very well ! I was very impressed! Loved France would move there in a Heart beat ! Especially the Pyrenees;-)
Sorry.. my relatives have been to france, Paris in particular and they were damn rude =_= each and every single one of them
@@Ryuusubliminals222 maybe you're the problem ?
@@aeramisu maybe if people are rude to you for no provocation or real reason whatsoever, they are the problem?
P.S. that goes for you too :)
😂😂😂😂😂 real if french people are rude i don’t know how to qualify US-American.
Lamar Barryvf it’s just Americans.
@@graceenstine1486 wow funny how we hijacked that term
Lamar Barryvf Americans are very rude and inconsiderate. They’re disingenuously friendly and very mean when you do something they don’t like.
@@wrestlingfan-yq1wh Any american I've met was very nice.
1158supersiri where are you from?
Get offended by someone not saying "bonjour" seems really rude to me.
And don't say hello before talking to someone (even if you don't know the person) seems rude to me.
@@lefistcosmique true
where can i download these publication on etiquette
As a french guy I've seen some rude people I've seen some nice people and honestly there are way more nice people, it's just that people hate france so they stereotype french people
I didn't find the French to be rude at all. People in the country were quite friendly, and people in Paris were certainly no less friendly than big city people I have encountered elsewhere.
Sure?
Surround yourself with French people and you’ll see
In short they think they are higher than everyone else. Like how rude.
We are rude...
What is this to do about the FRENCH BEING RUDE ?
LOWE sonia because common people dont screw around like the french
LOWE sonia I see this as educating ill mannered people
they are saying that while french are being considered as rude, they are actually more polite or have more rules
Exactly.
It’s not that the French are rude, but that cultural norms and etiquette are different in France as compared to America.
Ex: When American’s go into a McDonald’s, they typically say excuse me to get a worker’s attention. In France, this is considered rude because they French think it’s polite to say hello, maybe even make small talk and then tell the worker what you want.
Ex: American’s typically hug or shake hands when greeting friends or new people, but in France, this is considered an invasion of privacy, so they do a double cheek kiss. It’s considered intimate enough to not be rude, and polite enough as to respect the individual space of the person you’re greeting.
The reason Americans think the French are “rude” is because Americans are typically very open and upfront about their feelings or intent, whereas in France, this behavior is considered taboo in many areas.
EX: Asking someone to help you before you’ve even made an attempt to gauge how they are is rude (Americans asking where the Eiffel Tower is without at least first giving a bonjour makes people not want to deal with you)
Based on my experience, French people were very polite and gentle. What impresses me most was that always all the time people say Bonjour first to the clerks in shops or bus drivers and don’t forget to say merci after that. it’s really really cool. And I appreciate a man who was helping find my accommodation together for almost an hour! It’s unforgettable!
unless you look 0.1383% arab lol
@@user-jp3tp7fv1s unless you are unwilling to adapt to France laws and rules*
Really? so why the government has to mount a campaign so that the French don't mistreat the visitors in cafes, restaurants or as a guide in a toor? I believe that you probably see the French as superior to your own people, so you don't notice. There is also the contrary effect: some racist gringo goes to Nicaragua and finds he is mistreated because they did not behave as if he was the king or the pope.
It is not very polite to jump the line or smoke inside a bust stop cabin full of people. Those things happen all the time in France.
...well, I forgot to mention about listening loud music inside buses or other public places.
what is the matter with these people, expecting everyone to follow their abstruse rules? :)
Etiquette is different than being rude
I'm Portuguese and I love the French language and French people
French People seem very arrogant, but they aren´t once you get to know them better.
So if you don't adhere to their strict rules they'll be crappy to you. so rude then
this is the etiquette my mom taught me when I was a kid
Well...I'm French and I live in London coming from Nice where many English people have been living for years but yet don't speak a word of French. They stick to the English community and just can't be bothered to learn just the French basics. That is beyond rude ! It's an insult right in the face of the people and of the country who welcomed them. As opposite to this I've been told "When in Rome do as Roman do" by some English people just because I didn't understand one word that was new to my English vocabulary. Also, apologising one time is polite. Apologising 10 times is patronising..A French person would say "Ok I got it" after 3 apologises. That would be blunt but not rude.
@FRANK FIUME Je vis à Londres depuis 6 ans donc je n'irais peut être pas jusque là mais je comprends ton point de vue. Tout le monde est prompt à trouver les anglais hyper ouverts d'esprit car des dizaines de communautés différentes vivent en Angleterre et surtout à Londres. Seulement les gens sont naïfs. Si autant de communautés vivent à Londres c'est surtout parce que Londres a été la capitale de la moitié du monde pendant des siècles et les gens s'imaginent que l''envahisseur anglais était un gentil petit gars qui venait avec des fleurs, des gâteaux et des hugs. Ils ont toujours cet instinct qui veut que l'Angleterre est là où ils sont où qu'ils se trouvent dans le monde. Parfois ils sont presque touchants de maladresse. Par exemple quand ils sont tout excités d'apprendre un mot facile comme "voiture" en français. On est en 2020, à Londres où vivent environ 300 000 français, cette fille avait 32 ans et passait son temps sur internet et ne savait pas comment dire "car" en français...En Chinois, en wolof ou en Russe ok mais en Français.
I’m French and I agree that we are extremely Rude.
Authentic more than rude
@@ChachouLPNo, it's called being rude.
Go to Sweden and you'll understand the meaning of rude.
@@phlm9038 I’ve been there. The Swedes are way more polite than the French.
@@vasudevsarvam6912 if you want rude, just observe any american tourist in any foreign country. The French are angels in comparison.
In Quebec we use bonjour 24 hours a day. It s like say hi!
I am so glad that I am happening to watch this without subtitles.
Even as a french I'm learning lot of things
Gosh, now I understand why I was so awkward
maybe if english people stop asking themselves this question each time they think about France, they might forget it after all. Maybe if I stop thinking english have poor cuisine maybe i will appreciate it more when i'll go there !
''English people'', it's the whole entire world who believes this. Why do French people always assume it's the British who make up these stereotypes? And what nation made up the stereotype that the British have a poor cuisine? France! Both as bad as each other.
Tigerlypaws What country are you from? I’ve heard East Asians, Italians, and Spaniards say the French are rude (but the latter two are respectful enough to learn the French language).
Tig
Because how can a whole entire other country possibly have the same stereotypes for a country if they have no contact? One country is spreading rumors, that's how.
could someone explain the lift/elevator thing i am confused
abhirxxp pal1 well, when you enter an elevator, you just have to say a global "bonjour" 😊
If a french want to kiss me to say hello? I would dodge it. 😂
I have to say that I went to Paris and I can't really agree that French are that rude. I tried to learn some basic French and I think that was the difference. I went to France knowing that they speak French not English.
From a French point of view, foreign tourists (especially English sorry guys ) are often rude, never saying "hello" when entering a small shop, unable to say three words in French and grnerally not trying to interact with the French.
You do have to note that English is a worldwide language. People from English speaking nations don't need to learn a second language, although many do, because there is no need to. Perhaps France should be a little more welcomg/helpful towards those who do not speak French.
As i do agree with the more understanding part, you also have to consider that Paris has 80 millions of tourists a year. More than the entire french population. Each year. Most of the parisians have more than two hours of transportation a day in overcrowded trains to go at work and come back. It's stressful. I know it's not an excuse, but i read comments here and see that New York happens to have the very same issue. Now to be honest, learning one word to go in a foreign country is not much to ask. One word, not a full language.
You know what Francois. I've been to Paris before, I loved the explanation. I actually do want to learn the French language as I can visit again as it would be a far richer experience that way and to be able to talk with people!
From another French point of view, not saying hi is not rude for foreigners because they never had to consider it rude. They're travelling to France as tourists dammit, they're not here to be bound by useless unspoken rules they have no reason to care about. Now if they themselves want to follow those, sure, but we can't consider them rude for not doing so, cause then we're the real assholes.
Hello Ena, do you mean Americans should teach themselves before going there? As for learning French, many schools do not have the resources, but those who do, emphasize Spanish more than others.
What a fascinating conversation !
Like walking on egg shells with these french
It’s so silly to generalise a whole nationality
There are rude and polite people in every country and I’ve personally always found french people pleasant and very welcoming when I’ve been to France
Also this video is a bit ridiculous with all the rules and all, just be polite and people will usually be polite to you.. they’re not going to judge you for not knowing about their traditions etc...
Eh, I don't know. The French are particularly well-known for their arrogance.
FierceONeill That’s usually because of the chefs and all. They’re kind of famous, and they’re arrogant. But not all French people are arrogant.
As a French, I can agree.
But out of experience... the french people actually do judge you... its damn weird
@@SomethingSomethingg clichés, have you ever been to France ? Probably not, and if you go in one day, don't go in Paris. Go to Nancy or Lilles, and all
Ask Paul Taylor for the étiquette 😎
Come to France on holiday! Experience our culture! Spend your money here! In return we will treat you with contempt!
i think it's the ignorance and entitlement.
This video was up few days ago and now again. Pretty rude behavior if you ask me.
So Parisians are Judgemental people?
All people on this planet are Judgemental people. We are all actually the same, except we divide ourselves up with all this nonsense of political, racist, sexist, economic, and nationalistic divisions.
THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY As to answer... Some, yeah. Not everyone of course. There are cool people there too don't worry but some are like... Really pretentious.
That's mostly what idea French people have from Parisians.
Those WWII tanks in the museum weren’t French.
If you roll your eyes at a visitor for mangling French a bit. That's rude. Pushing ahead in line is rude. Refusing to cook meat to the customer's preferred level of doneness is not very nice.
Four months of bureaucracy to do simple things is not nice. Ignoring visitors who mangle your language a bit is VERY rude.
Foreigners do not have the muscles in their face to pronounce like a native speaker.
Insisting that I say 'Good Day'in French to strangers in elevators makes me feel like a psycho. I have heard all these things on videos about France.
I've been to France and more specifically Paris. I thought Paris was great. I knew who the native French were as opposed to who were not. I found that the non native were rude and sharp in their undertones especially when addressing a visitor from another country. But the French especially in the corporate business were polite and had this easy attitude about them. So the perception about the French being rude is not true..it applies only to some...and those some aren't even French.
TV : "seven years of bad luck"
Real french meaning : " seven years without sex"
You're all welcome
Jokes on you, it’s 15 years without sex for me.
Once I got into the centre of Paris at Gare de Nord, the people were ok. Not overly polite but not incredibly rude, however, the woman at Passport Control at Charles De Gaulle aurport was the rudest woman I have ever met in my entire life and scolded me simply for asking her if I could have my passport stamped when I arrived in Paris.
Arrogant or stuck up is the word.
Okay, those diner rules are stupid ! I'm French, and we say bon appétit and we eat pizzas, shrimps and hamburgers with our hands
Hi,could you help me please,i have been wondering how French people learn to conjugate verbs, you guys just learn by heart? I'm having a hard time in conjugating verbs
Respect their language, stop being ignorant... I ave never been to France, but met a couple of Frenh ppl back here in India.. I fell in love with the culture, the history and the FRench ppl, and thus its been 6 months i have been learning French..! Vive la France! ♥
I said bonjour and now crown as France new king. XD
i have french teachers in my high school teaching foreign languages, they're nice & friendly & 1 of the teachers can be firm but fair
Omg, being a danish viking, it may be difficult to follow the french etikete. 😅
Well yeah😂
I think it's a big misunderstanding that relies on one thing only: the definition of politeness. In the US and in a lot of countries, politeness means making the other person feel comfortable, whereas in France, politeness means giving the other person space, and not intruding into their "bubble". As a french person who has lived in Canada and in the UK, I got extremely uncomfortable when people I don't know hugged me or got too close to me. Because in France we ALWAYS keep our distance with people we don't know until we get to know them better and have a stronger relationship. The rest of the world might view the French as rude, but a lot of the time the French view the rest of the world as fake. Because to us it's just weird to be smiling and hugging someone you don't know. And it doesn't mean either one is right, it just means we have a different culture!
(sorry for my english as you can tell I am not a native speaker)
we should have left the to the germans.
Finally, a wise one ! That is also one of the many reasons I want to get out of France ASAP (i.e. when I'll have a reliable source of income abroad).
Justine Lives Abroad The more you explained the more you endorsed what was said in the video , people who live in a bubble (your words , not mine ) are generally weird and are not welcoming to anybody no matter what nationality . All nationalities have a proportion of rude people and the French are no exception and can be quite arrogant at times . They definitely don't like queuing either.
Jack Whitson «They definitly don’t like queuing» except we do. I don’t know where that cliché of yours come from. Even the word “queue” is French (it means tail/line) you guys simply borrowed it.
G-man du lendemain It's not a cliche G-man it's a fact and it does not matter whose language the word queue comes from certain nationalities are renown queue ( oops I've stole the word again ) jumpers , so if they don't like being accused of doing it - don't do it .
my mother is French and yes they are rude and down right mean if your A mean person your a mean person no trying to give excuses for it nothing to get it is what it is .at least they are out right about it no hiding it I will give them 1 honesty point.
4:10 well understood, you should always use our "Fork and Knife" while eating 😆😆
This video is full of bad information. Oh the french are so difficult they have different greetings for different times of the day! Er, like in English where you use Goodmorning in the morning but not after midday? Also all the be careful how you speak to French or they will ignore you stuff is mainly only applicable in Paris where most of them have a superiority complex, just like people in New York. French outside of Paris are much more friendly
Thank you. I did comment saying kind of the same. She obviously has stayed only in Paris...but even then many other things she claims to be ( eating pizza with fork and knife, complete nonsense ) are just complete lies...
I know a lot of people eating pizza with a fork and a knife. It’s what’s called to be well behaved ...
@Thaleis I think it depends on the setting. If you are in an expensive restaurant I can understand the peer-pressure of not using hands else you may look like a poor ill-educated peasant. But, when I see people eating pizza with a knife and fork in the comfort of their own homes where there is nobody around to judge them, my immediate thoughts are they are anal. Using a knife and fork for fast food isn’t wrong, however it can be out of place in some circumstances. Asking for a knife and fork in a McDonalds for example. How come it is OK to eat toast with your hands but not pizza? :P
But when it's baguette time you use your knife and fork?
Lol, that reminds me of a long time ago being at the Olive Garden restaurant in Times Square, and getting a snotty waiter who rolled his eyes at me using change for his tip! Who does that?? And at the Olive Garden of all places??
I am a foreigner who lives in France for several years and I haven't seen a rude person, maybe only a few exceptions. I visited Paris, Corsica, Brittany and Normandy, so it's not even at some specific place, people are super nice everywhere here. Weirdly enough, this stereotype about French people being rude is sometimes shared by French themselves. This always makes me feel embarrassed, because I've never seen better people.
Grigorii Medvedev I trust you haven't seen many other people then. I've been to Germany and Canada and found people to be so much sweeter and friendlier in both those countries than here in France. I can guarantee you that a LOT of French people are indeed quite rude.
As a former resident of several post-soviet countries, I've seen enough to form my opinion and enjoy being in France. In some places people can be even nicer, but that would be too much sweetness for me)
Grigorii Medvedev I'm not trying to change your mind about how much you like living in France, I just want to say French people are rude in general. You might have had the chance to run into mostly nice people in France (in which case you are quite lucky), but this is a fact.
I don't see how a derogatory stereotype became a fact so suddenly. I don't think that most people, to whom an average French person might seem rude, have ever encountered real rudeness or malevolence.
Maman Where did you get this "fact", that's just a stereotype
Maybe the fact that you have so many rules is why you are so rude guys
hahahahahahahaha I like how the french lady give her the eyes when ever she is offended
Depuis que j'ai appris à les tenir avec ma fourchette, j'ai été nommé "mangeur d'huîtres le plus poli de France"
👏👏👏👏👏 French bravo
All I see isn't that french are rude, it is the anglo-saxons who can't understand that other countries may have a different culture. Americans and in a minor way the brits come in France and don't even change a bit their maners. For them everyone should speak english and they don't even try to speak french, they never say hello because as they don't nobody should say hello. They act just like they were rulers of the world. Make an effort, try to speak french. To conclude, when you go to anglo-saxons countries you'll never see signs written in french or somebody trying to speak french. And French may seem rudes, but it's way better than american hypocrisy where every relations are superficial. Everyone smile at you, but they don't care. In France, when you have a friend, it is a réal friend. Relations are stronger than in these superficial, materialistic anglo-saxons countries.
Roger Destouches great comment btw the Brits often speak French in at least a degree where you're able to communicate in French
+Roger Destouches "For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren[friends] only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?" --Matthew 5:46-47
I'm not sure how French people would look at these Bible verses but I believe wholeheartedly that if you only stick to your friends, you could never truly win others as friends. But I would not go out of my way to willingly offend a Frenchman/Frenchwoman. I'll mind my "Bonjours/Bonsoirs". It doesn't mean I have to like it or agree to it.
Lol nice cope.
"Here in France we have REAL friends, unlike you friendly Americans!"
Even if in France, you’re also going to have fake friends sometimes. Some French people are really like that. But it’s not everyone. I’m French.
Why should English speaking country speak French . English is world language and french people also have to learn English they deny it thats why they consider as rude .
As a Tourist, I never said Wai in Bangkok. Thai People were Friendly. Most of them didn't know English, but helped us understand them. French People are not Rude, but they don't change their behaviour, for anyone including Tourists. They are Fiercely Independant People. Their outlook on Life is totally different than in USA or Canada. This is not a Problem, but a Stereotype. French speak in English when they come to India. French People know very well, that Most Asians don't speak French, but have less time in Paris to stop and think what Countries are those which don't speak French. I am sure, one will have a different Experience in Clermont Ferrand where my Teacher was from, or Provence. Hope this Helps !
*Bottomline:*
Don't change anything. For the people who judge you, ignore them.
Don't worry, they will come around.
One day I'm going to try to go to New York and speak to everyone in french, I'm sure they'll respond in a lovely and polite manner. Actually I spoke to new yorkers in english and they were complete jerks so I'm really aching to try the french angle, can't be any worst!
my point is if you go to a different country and you don't even try to speak their language chances are they won't be so welcoming.
News Flash: Americans think New York is the birthplace of rude asshats.
yep, but fewer people think americans are ruder than french despite Paris being the same case as new york. Both countries have a city with people with no manners and no civility, but the french are the ones who get the fame of being rude for the doings of, mostly, people from 1 city.
juan altredo Because, New-Yorkers speak English which is the current linga franca so French people stick out more when they travel when they speak French travelling.
But we were taught english in Finland because so many people in other countries speak so if we decide to go in another country we could talk to them no matter what country it is but i guess i have to learn a new language every time i decide to travel to a new country.
We're mostly rude with our fellow French speakers, but with foreigners we kinda tend to be welcoming, comprehensive and eager to make them feel at ease among us.
For us it takes more time to say hello because we know we make more meaningful conversations.
Moi quand je dis "Bonjour" et qu'on me répond pas, je juge la personne de ouf