Lesson Transcript

Welcome to Fun &Easy French by FrenchPod101.com!
Do you know how the French way of conducting business differs from the American way?
Salut, je suis Lya.
Hi everyone! I’m Lya.
In this lesson, you’ll learn 7 do’s and don’ts when visiting France.
Any seasoned traveller knows that each country has its own culture, customs and etiquette for social interaction.
"Dos" and "Don'ts" comprise of unspoken rules that people adhere to almost instinctively.
These rules are highly specific to each country and culture, even if there are overlaps with others.
In this video, you'll learn how to observe etiquette when dining, in public places, when greeting, and also when visiting people.
Then I'll explain good social conduct when using public transportation, when you’re at the shops, and also when conducting business in France.
Let’s start with French etiquette at the dining table.
Savoir-vivre simply means "good manners".
Practice saying it with me!
Savoir-vivre
"Good manners"
[SLOWLY] Savoir-vivre
Savoir-vivre
Good!
These refer to French etiquette and table manners, and they aren’t things you can improvise.
But there are also some misconceptions and exaggerations about the importance of social etiquette in France.
You won't, for instance, go to prison for placing your fork on the wrong side of the plate!
The truth is that it depends on what you’re doing in France and who you socialize with.
Often, eating at a kebab joint with your friends won't require the same etiquette that's expected when fine dining with your boss.
Also, some rules are just common sense, such as complimenting your host on their cooking.
If the food is gross, don't be too vocal about it.
Also, don't splash the sauce everywhere while you're eating.
And refrain from stealing the silverware or sticking your fork in anyone's eye!
These rules are obvious. But there are still some serious don'ts when eating or dining in France that you should know about!
First - don't start eating or drinking before everyone is served.
Trust me, this is an important rule, no matter where you’re at or who you’re eating with!
At home, you can speed up the process by serving the people around you.
At the restaurant, you should wait until everyone gets their plate before you jump on yours.
In a bar, you should wait until everybody’s holding a drink before raising your glass for a sip or a toast.
By the way, a common French toast is:
Santé!
“Cheers!”
[SLOWLY] Santé!
Santé!
The next "Don't" at the dinner table is common to many Western countries.
No matter where or who you’re with, eat quietly and with your mouth closed.
Do not slurp, burp, gargle or chew so your food is visible to others, it's just not acceptable!
The one big "Do" when eating is to have a lot of time available, especially for bigger meals and gatherings.
French meals are slow to start and even slower to finish.
Unless you’re with close friends at a casual event, it’s usually considered rude to leave the table before the meal ends.
Of course, if you have a reasonable excuse to do so, nobody will throw rocks at you!
But, it's generally better not to be in a rush.
Now you’ll learn how to behave respectfully in public places.
You’re likely to spend a lot of your time in public places such as parks, squares, and halls.
Some manners are very important to observe in these places.
The first "Don't" is to not sniffle loudly and repeatedly when you have a cold.
Just blow your nose as quietly as possible in a tissue or handkerchief.
In some countries, blowing your nose is considered rude and disgusting, like in South Korea, for instance.
There it wouldn't be a problem to sniffle as much as it takes to keep the mucus inside your nose.
Not so much in France.
You’ll definitely irritate someone very quickly if you keep sniffling back the mucus.
So just blow your nose already!
However, don't do this while sitting at the dinner table. That would be bad etiquette.
Wiping your nose with a tissue would be fine.
If you need more relief, just excuse yourself and find a private corner to blow your nose quietly.
Your friends will most likely prefer one short blow to a sniffling concerto!
You should gather by now that the quieter you do things in France, the better.
This is an important custom, no matter where you find yourself.
Do you know how to greet French people in the proper way?
It's OK if you're not sure.
Greetings in France can be a confusing experience if you’re not prepared for what we call
la bise
"kiss"
[SLOWLY] la bise
la bise
This is a very, very French custom!
It simply involves placing your hands gently on the other person's shoulders, leaning forward towards them, and placing your right cheek close to theirs while miming a kiss in the air.
Do this on both sides.
If you know them well, a bear hug would be in order.
When you join a group of French, it's considered good etiquette to greet everyone this way.
Introduce yourself by simply saying your name.
At business meetings, shaking hands with everyone present would be the best greeting.
The French handshake is brief, one up and down movement, with a firm grip and eye-contact.
With friends and acquaintances, a short handshake is common among men.
Air-kissing is more common among women and between men and women.
There's etiquette involved in using the formal Monsieur and Madame. Let's first practice the pronunciation.
Monsieur
"Sir"
[SLOWLY] Monsieur
Monsieur.
And now:
Madame
"Madam"
[SLOWLY] Madame
Madame
And finally:
Mademoiselle
"Miss"
[SLOWLY] Mademoiselle
Mademoiselle
Good!
Now, the rule is not to overuse them.
These are terms of address that show respect.
But they can be stiff and overly formal with friends and coworkers of the same rank.
It's not wrong to use Monsieur or Madame when addressing shop or restaurant staff, but the same applies - it may be a bit solemn.
Mademoiselle has an old-fashioned ring to it.
But, it’s lost a lot of its appeal because of its overuse in cheap pickup lines.
If someone is young enough to be called Mademoiselle, you probably don't need to use this formal term with them.
Next we’ll have a look at the do’s and don'ts for visiting people..
When invited for dinner, it’s polite to thank your host with a gift of some sort.
There’s no strict rule about what you should bring, but for formal occasions, flowers or a bottle of wine are safe bets.
In more casual company, any liquor or delicacy will do.
Among friends, it’s common in France to make the meal a collaborative experience.
This means that someone brings the starters, others are in charge of the main dishes, while someone else brings dessert and so forth.
Punctuality is another "Do" that's highly appreciated in France.
This is customary especially in business, but also among friends.
It's OK to be a bit late, but try to arrive on time, or let your host know that you'll be running late.
Always inform your host if you can’t make it, preferably ahead of time.
You’ll now learn how to behave properly in public transportation.
All the rules about behavior in public places apply, but there are a few recommendations for making things run smoothly.
For instance, if you have to wait for a bus or a train, be sure to patiently take and keep your place in line.
Be respectful to the people around you.
If you're in a serious rush, you could ask them politely if they mind you moving ahead of them, but accept it if they refuse.
When boarding your train or bus, don’t act like you’re in a barbaric mob!
Some commuters might rudely push to board, but in general, most will wait in a somewhat orderly line.
Another "Don't" on public transport is to listen to your music on speakers or have loud phone conversations.
If you want a soundtrack to make your ride more entertaining, you should keep it private by using headphones.
Playing music on your phone’s speaker or giant boombox is considered tasteless and rude.
As for loud conversations, your friends probably won't mind, but keep your voice down when you're among strangers.
On the city bus, tramway, or metro, it’s polite to offer your seat to the elderly, to pregnant women, or those with disabilities.
Most public transports have priority seats dedicated to these people.
Yet, offering them your seat if there's nothing available for them is good etiquette.
You’re free to use any priority seat as long as it's not taken or needed.
Finally we have etiquette for conducting business.
If you're on the other side of the transaction, don't use aggressive selling techniques.
French business etiquette demands that customers be handled with tact and patience.
We just don’t respond well to pushy, aggressive tactics!
We also don't like to make hasty or impulsive decisions, especially in business.
Deals are rarely finalized in the first meeting, and high-pressure sales tactics won't work.
In fact, it may provoke enough reluctance to ruin your chances of an otherwise good sale.
The next rule of etiquette in French business might sound a little counterintuitive, but it’s nevertheless very important!
When presenting your ideas, don’t get upset if you’re interrupted by friends, colleagues or business partners asking questions or giving opinions.
They’re not being rude!
It's just that constructive criticism is highly regarded in France.
Therefore, you should be ready to openly discuss the merits and flaws of your ideas.
This is how the French show their interest in your ideas and opinions!
In this lesson you learned how to observe etiquette when dining, in public places, when greeting, and also when visiting people.
I also explained good social conduct when using public transportation, at the shops, and also when conducting business in France.
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That’s it for today! See you next time!
A la prochaine!

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