What do you do about speaking French in DLP?
I've just got back from my first trip there, and my French is really bad (I did GCSE French 20 years ago), but I think it's only polite to have a go, and I enjoy trying. :)
I started every conversation in French but almost every time got an answer in English. Clearly my French really is that bad. However on a few occasions I must have managed to sound fluent enough to get a response in fast and fluent French. Which I then didn't understand because it was so fast, and I then had to clarify, which spoiled the illusion a bit!!
And once, in the new York hotel, one very lovely concierge had a fifteen minute conversation with me in French, which probably would have only taken five minutes in English, but it was really nice that he let me practice, and he even said that it was really good that I understand a little, I speak a little, and that's enough to start.
So do you speak a lot of French, a bit or non whatsoever?
I was amazed at the CMs and how effortlessly they switched from French to English to Spanish and Italian. Amazing. Wish I could do that.
Pretty much 'Bonjour, au revoir, merci beaucoup' and thats about it tbh lol
I did french at school for 5 years but I have't studied it for 3 years and it's gone completely out of my head! I can pick up on a few words when having a conversation but I just have the basics!
Je parle un peu de francais, i wish i could be fluent in languages like the cast members. I think its one of the best skills you could ever learn, i love learning them but have a hard time remembering. I am much better at writing french than speaking it.
That was great the cm let you practice. I always try to speak french to them, i think its only polite rather than not bother.
I made the same point on my trip report. My French is extremely limited but I always have a go. I would never go up to someone and just start speaking at them in English. Even if there is no way I could tell them what I needed to in French, I would at least ask them - in French- if they spoke English first.
It's so rude not to even attempt a little French. I did all of the food and drink ordering etc for our group of 9 people, which I hate doing, purely because I was so horribly embarrassed when my friends didn't even attempt a sil vous plait, or merci. It wasn't just my friends though, who in fairness had never been to France before, but I never heard one other English person try French while I was there. It is quite humbling that all of the staff there in parks, hotels and the Village are so fluent in so many languages. We have vowed to have French lessons as a family because I would love to be bilingual.
Our waiter in Planet Hollywood seemed to be quite impressed with my limited French and even helped me with a few words I was struggling with. They must appreciate everyone who makes even the smallest effort1
Quote from: "RachelN76"I started every conversation in French but almost every time got an answer in English. Clearly my French really is that bad.
I've forgotten all of the French that I've learned, but I can relate to that. xD When I tried it, it's like it's that obvious that we're Brits with bad French skills.
But like most people here, I just try to be polite and say "Merci". I don't say "Bonjour" when introducing myself to cast members, though, so that they know which language they need to use.
As a CM in a store its the same but the opposite for me..! Like if theres an english guest, but I dont realise they are English until they say 'goodbye' at the end, I feel really bad for speaking french at them though out the sale! Its just so difficult when someone comes up to the till, gives you and item and doesnt say a word, we like to try and attempt abit of whatever language with whoever it is but when I say "hello, bonjour, hola" and get no response its like.. what shall we speak!! Hahaha but all the workers here appreciate any effort in french/another language even if its really bad.. just as I do with french guests when I dont understand what they ask and they try in english! I think its sweet how at Disney (CMs or guests) we don't let language barriers stop us :D
and when all else fails... charades is a life saver... ;)
<3
i know the basics so its not that bad for me, like if they announce something in french i can more or less make it out or if the signs are in french i can translate it .. even though 9 times out of 10 its got the english translation underneath lol
my mom can speak and even think in french if she wanted to lol so if we ever do get stuck she can translate for us anyway lol
i noticed CMs do like us to try and speak french aswel.
the once my mom had to go to the first aid place cos she felt really ill and she tried to explain in french what was wrong but obviously knew she was english lol then later on i had to go out of the place to find the rest of the group so i had to ask if i could just wonder in and out but just asked in english, theres no way i could say that lol and the CM understood me fine .. later on the same CM come over to my mom to ask how she was and how she was getting home but asked it all in french and my mom replied in french .. so i think like i said before i think they like it when you speak in french
I think I obviously LOOK very English, so most of the time I actually got greeted with hello rather than Bonjour. Quite embarrassing! :lol: But to be fair, I DO look English. I'm SO fair skinned, freckly, red headed. Short, plump, and I just don't have that "fall out of bed looking stylish" that french people seem to have!
Mais, je parle un peu de francais, et je comprends un peu, si les CMs parles plus lentements!
However,could I remember the word for spoon during my whole stay there, no I could not!! I constantly needed to ask for a spoon for the kids. For reference, in case you need it, it's a cuillere. :lol:
We tried bits, and bobs of French, and I think it made a real difference in the interaction we had with the CMs . All the CMs we spoke to , were friendly and helpful.
I try most of the time to start with French. It's my only chance to practice what little is left from school
(oh my god nearly 20 years now, SHOCK) I like the language and the CMs are always very polite and helpful
if you try speaking French.
I can understand French quite well and can use single vocabs. But when it comes to holding conversation, I'm busted. Never know what tense to use and how to properly conjugate the verbs I need and how to make proper syntax. That donkey of a French teacher I had during secondary school ruined everything. I use French in the resort mainly for asking around or just buying a snack (preferably Pop Corn ^.^).
Having been both a guest and a CM at DLP I'm fluent in French and a few other languages. :thumbs: The CMs have no problem speaking to you in french, or english, or spanish or any other language as long as you say "Bonjour, parlez-vous xxx?" then they are happy to help :)
One phrase I always find helpful is "ca ne marche pas", be it for shwoing the hotel staff the TV in our room which the reception had accidentaly set on searching mode or to tell other geuts inside the park that something is broken/not accessible to save them from the disappointment
We're planing on teaching the kids a couple of words in French for when we go, like you all say merci is a must IMO. Granted will only be my son who will use it as my daughter won't talk to any strangers in French or English lol. But worth the effort I think :)
I always try, I think it is polite as you are in their country and I think that they always appreciate it. As such I have never found the French to be rude, probably as they can see I'm making the effort, (but I have seen plenty of rude English people in France!).
If I need to say something too complicated I can always use 'En anglais?' and then they are fine. you can also use 'Qu'est-ce-que c'est (English words) en Francais' and then put it together yourself. Also 'Je dois appendre' (I need to learn) if you don't want them to take over the conversation in English.
We also try to speak French when talking to CMs. I think it's rude to start talking in English. My French isn't that good anymore, but I still know the most importatnt phrases. Most of the time the CMs are friendly and offer to talk in English. I think it's rude in general to visit a country and to don't know anything of the culture.
I know just enough French to get by everywhere.
I do feel like, years ago when I first went to DLRP it seemed like CM's would easier speak to you in English.
My past 2 trips, the only thing I really heard was French, if I compare with trips much longer ago.
But that's good, I need to brush up on my French anyways, so it can only help me to speak it better ^^
i studied french for 5 years in school.... and going to Disney through out those 5 years and then on beyond that has helped me keep it up.... i wouldn't say i am fluent by any means but i can hold a very basic conversation (eg. saying hello, asking how someone is, thank you, goodbye etc.) i can also count pretty high in french as well so that kinda helps a little... the only problem with me is i know basic conversation pieces in Spanish and Japanese as well as quite often speak simple words (yes, no, thanks and others) within my normal speaking style (what i mean there is that i quite often answer people in different languages eg. rather than saying what in English 9 times out of 10 i will say it in Japanese) so there has been a few times while at Disney i have spoken french at the beginning of the conversation and ended it in Japanese.... there was this one CM serving me once who i did that to, he was amazing he didn't look at me strange or anything just continued the conversation when i moved from french to Japanese, he finished by saying in English that my pronunciation in both languages was good.... then we both had a bit if a laugh when i noticed just what i had done =] :oops: kudos to the CM though for being able to hold that convo with me
I always think it's polite to speak a little bit of French if you can but my skills are quite limited so I only really know "Bonjour", "Merci beaucoup", etc, quite basic stuff, and I try to ask "Parlez-vous Anglais?" so I'm not just presuming that they speak my language, which I always think is a bit arrogant. But I did notice that when I approached a CM and said "Bonjour!" they would often then continue in French and then I would have to say "Pardon, Anglais" which was a bit embarrassing.
I feel bad for the CMs sometimes - it must be hard knowing what language to speak. My boyfriend always just said "Hello!" which did seem to actually work better, because at least that way they knew we were English :oops: I'd quite like to learn some more French so I can have a conversation in a shop with a CM :) I can do a basic shop purchase when it's just saying hello, thankyou, understanding how much the items cost, etc, but a couple of times a CM asked if I wanted a boxed item, or if I wanted the special offer (you know when they have something on offer for 4.99 or something if you spend 10 euros, that sort of thing) and then I had to say "Sorry!" and explain that I wasn't very fluent :)
A term I just learned last year and found rather interesting is "pourboire", which )literally translates as "for drink" and means a tip (like if you give the helpful guy from the luggage 2 euros)
Quote from: "Thaliel"A term I just learned last year and found rather interesting is "pourboire", which )literally translates as "for drink" and means a tip (like if you give the helpful guy from the luggage 2 euros)
it's actually 2 words, hehe "pour boire"
boire = drinking
pour = to/for
How well do the cast members respond if you speak in French? I am going on a year abroad to France in September as a requirement to my university course and I am planning on spending a couple of days in Disneyland near Christmas. On earlier trips I always spoke English since my family couldn't really speak French well, but this time I would like to use my French as much as possible. If anyone could give me some advice then that would be brilliant, thanks.
Well, they respond really well, as it's the first language they will great you in ;) or when you are bying something in a store they will tell you what you need to pay in French.
It's only when you look at them with this vague expression on your face (haha), that they will start talking to you in English.
Thanks - or merci I should say. I'll try not to look gormless.
De rien (no problem) ;)
Well, that's what I did, haha, mainly because some of them don't have French as their first language but they speak it anyway, and I just couldn't understand someone, and I just stood there like this o_O haha
This whole thing is actually hard to call because I know some of you say you don't like not attempting any french, but then when you come up to the till and say Bonjour the CM speaks in French which you then don't understand.. :lol: What i've started noticing with my friends and what i'm trying to do myself, is say Bonjour straight away.. and if they reply with a french bonjour I carry on in French, but if the accent doesnt sound french or they dont say anything, ill go "parlez-vous francias? english? espagnol?" :L at least to get the guest talking or knowing that im trying to make an effort in any language :D I guess the best thing to do if you want to attempt abit of french, is say bonjour, parlez vous anglais? or the minute you dont understand what you need to, just say "anglais s'il vous plait?", so the CM knows to switch :D ahh language boundaries are so difficult!! <3
oh and if anyone wants to know a sentence they want to use on holiday in french, i think theres enough people here to help you so ask away! :p
I'm Belgian (from the Dutch/Flemish side) but I speak English, French, German and Spanish too. So I always speak French at the resort. But I know from experience the CMs are very fluent in English and some even prefer conversing in English rather than French because it's supposed to be a common language that nearly everyone understands.
Quote from: "Thaliel"I can understand French quite well and can use single vocabs. But when it comes to holding conversation, I'm busted. Never know what tense to use and how to properly conjugate the verbs I need and how to make proper syntax.
It's not needed to conjugate verbs properly like you'd do in school-French. Most frenchmen don't even know how to properly conjugate themselves. They use a passé simple instead of a passé composé and vice versa. And commonly, in most languages, natives pay more attention to vocabulary rather than grammar... I know I do. ;)
Like many of you have said; I'd try my best to start off in French and say simple things like "Merci" at the end of a conversation. Even those who don't speak French at all could still thank them with a simple word. :)
I reckon I'm going to go with Parlez vous l'anglais? and then speak English :)
You're safe with 'parlez vous anglais' because in 9/10 cases they'll say "yes" and then you get your english AND you've made the effort with french :D
Just remember the merci at the end and they'll think you're charming! :')
:D x
i always say bonjour or bonsoir to the CMs and every one of them say,s hello back,and when i ask them how they know i,m english they laugh and say it,s my accent,i have noticed that they do this with most british people.I personaly think it,s polite to try and talk the language of the country you are visiting,after all,if someone came up to you in britain and spoke in their language you wouldn,t be too happy.
I was in the mustard shop in Dijon before (no, really!) and I held a conversation in French. I was so proud! As I left the assistant said 'Bye bye' and I realised I hadn't fooled anybody! I also tried to ask for a cork screw when I was checking in at the Cheyenne in January.. Poor girl went bright red and didn't realise it was a perfectly innocent request! :oops: I do like to try though, I'm in that persons country, I'd be pretty bewildered if a French person came up to me in Glasgow and expected me to know what they were saying!
My native language is English but for the last year, being in France, I am now fluent in French also :)
At the parks I LOVE speaking in french with the cast members, and I trouve most of them really lovely. But now that I'm a little bit francaise I feel sorry for english/other people because they can't joke as much with the cast members ! I went with my french sister and we had a great time chatting with pretty much everyone along the way. :)