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The Only 4 French Phrases You Need to Enjoy Paris and Feel You Belong
I used to be embarrassed that I don’t speak French well after living in Paris for fifteen years. But I’ve gotten over that. For one reason, worrying about something you can’t do is a waste of precious time. Far better to put your energy toward enjoying what you love.
I also realized that I now have all the French I need to be happy in Paris — that is, to have a social life and to feel connected and as if I belong. Turns out, all I need is four phrases. More on that below.
When friends knew I’d relocated to Paris, they’d inevitably ask , “How’s your French?” I’d illustrate my answer with a shopping anecdote: I walk into a market and ask the clerk, “Où est le lait?” (Where is the milk?)
He or she promptly shoots off an answer, but I have no clue what the words mean. That scene plays out in shops and museums or when I’m lost on the meandering and maddening rues of Paris. (Cross a street, and it likely has a different name!)
Over many years of this, and after taking an intensive French course in 2014, well-meaning ex-pats offered suggestions for improving my ear. Listen to French radio while I’m cooking. Watch dubbed American sit-coms. Practice with an app.
