Friendly French

[Chris]

They do lack a sense of humour.

Many years ago in Normandy I was with my ex wife returning to a hotel a little worse for wear. When we got there the hotel door was locked so we rang on the bell. A few minutes later this French woman started shouting in French and I didn't understand a word of what she was saying. My ex wife was fluent and whispered to me what I should say back which was (excuse my spelling) "Ferme la bouche et ouvre la porte". With that the door was flung open and this old lady was staring daggers at me.

My ex only told me later that roughly translated I had said shut your mouth and open the door.

And so my love affair with the French began

 

[yodeli]

They do lack a sense of humour.

Many years ago in Normandy I was with my ex wife returning to a hotel a little worse for wear. When we got there the hotel door was locked so we rang on the bell. A few minutes later this French woman started shouting in French and I didn't understand a word of what she was saying. My ex wife was fluent and whispered to me what I should say back which was (excuse my spelling) "Ferme la bouche et ouvre la porte". With that the door was flung open and this old lady was staring daggers at me.

My ex only told me later that roughly translated I had said shut your mouth and open the door.

And so my love affair with the French began

Sorry Chris if I take your post as an opportunity to correct this little sentence "Ferme ta bouche"

It doesn't really exist in French . Each word of it does exist but not put together.

We usually say shut your gob

These are the different words we're using

Ta gueule (Your gob)
Ferme-la (Shut it) So you don't have to be rude as you don't say what to shut
La ferme , same thing a tiny better then the other way round
Ferme ton bec. Shut your beak (Just avoiding the rude "GOB" here)
The little ones say : Ferme ta boite à Camembert (Shut your camembert box... and some add : tu l'ouvriras pour le dessert, You'll open it for dessert)
The less rude one is "Tais-toi" and this is what you should say when "shut your mouth" comes to your mind
Taisez-vous if you don't know or very little the person you're talking to.

 

[Jenben]

Many (many) years ago when I was 20 myself and 2 girlfriends went to France on the ferry carrying a tent and a rucksack each . We had plans to hitch around France.

The first chap who picked the 3 of us up obviously decided we were a worry and proceeded to go out of his way, dropping us off at a campsite in Brittany that he knew where he helped us pitch our tent.

Then a couple of weeks later the chap returned with his wife and spent the weekend pitched up by us on our campsite. As they lived near Paris they helped us pack up our stuff and took us back to Paris. We stayed the night with them and did some sight seeing and then he kindly dropped us off for a train back to the ferry.

The kindness of strangers.

 

[Jasz]

It was 26 years ago but learnt the Turkish for thank you very much. In a bar restaurant we were having a drink. Saying thank you in turkish earned us (forced on us lol) two free massive desserts on the house and an invitation to come back in two days when they were shut to join them in a family BBQ. The guy said wanted to say thank you for making an effort and honouring his country, Blimey I thought but after a sign language chat and some laughing he said most tourist come use the place and go and as Turkish is difficult nobody bothered. I don't think it's like that now but it made for a lovley evening that night.

Around the same time, I was on holiday in Turkey and one barman taught us a couple of words every day such that we could order drinks etc. When we went on a boat trip up a river and ordered drinks at a taverna there, the owner was so pleased (and surprised) that we were able to. It really helped to make the holiday. We found the Turkish to be very friendly (even those trying to sell you something!) .

 

[Allanm]

It was 26 years ago but learnt the Turkish for thank you very much. In a bar restaurant we were having a drink. Saying thank you in turkish earned us (forced on us lol) two free massive desserts on the house and an invitation to come back in two days when they were shut to join them in a family BBQ. The guy said wanted to say thank you for making an effort and honouring his country, Blimey I thought but after a sign language chat and some laughing he said most tourist come use the place and go and as Turkish is difficult nobody bothered. I don't think it's like that now but it made for a lovley evening that night.

I think that’s the nub. If you make the effort, you are accepted more and your trip will be far more rewarding.
Those that expect everything to be like at home and don’t try to get on with the locals will be disappointed and probably dislike their “hosts”.
We liked France and the French so much, we moved here.

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[trophychap]

This is Sedge - and it's the very first time I've heard the word 'taisez' used since July 1966 when I left school ! Frankie - the English equivalent of your boite de Camembert, is 'cake hole' so 'Shut your cake hole!' LOL

A fair few Spaniards have taught me various Spanish words and/or pronunciation but I can't say the same for other nationalities really though Pete was taught one by a Dutch employee of a Dutch run campsite last year - the French for the ruddy minute tree mite that was having a banquet on most people where we were sited - looked like Shingles and itched like hell - but was bilateral so unlikely to be that - and what to ask for in the pharmacy.

 

[trophychap]

This is Sedge - and it's the very first time I've heard the word 'taisez' used since July 1966 when I left school ! Frankie - the English equivalent of your boite de Camembert, is 'cake hole' so 'Shut your cake hole!' LOL

A fair few Spaniards have taught me various Spanish words and/or pronunciation but I can't say the same for other nationalities really though Pete was taught one by a Dutch employee of a Dutch run campsite last year - the French for the ruddy minute tree mite that was having a banquet on most people where we were sited - looked like Shingles and itched like hell - but was bilateral so unlikely to be that - and what to ask for in the pharmacy.

 

[Chris]

I think France would be a nicer place to visit if they made more of an effort to speak English.

Some of them don’t even bother trying and their accent is awful.

 

[PeteH]

The PEOPLE anywhere in the world are in the main not the issue. It`s usually their political system that "Stinks". Every society has the local "Jobsworth", who`s only function in life is to make it as miserable as possible for everyone else!.

 

[buttons]

Friend of mine has a French wife, we went on holiday to saint tropez with them and his in-laws, the in-laws didn't speak a word of English and I didn't speak a word of French. Who said the French don't have a sense of humor, I have never laughed so much in my life. Fantastic time was had by all. Even they had trouble understanding the local French dialect spoken in the area. But through translation and sign language it was a hoot...

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[2spritelyislanders]

And if you struggle with a word or a subject you're trying to discuss with him.... I'm here to help! You tell him!

Expect everyone will agree that we have our very own great example in Frankie. She helped to make our first trip to France a very relaxing and enjoyable time We've been back several times and would be there now if it wasn't for life's little surprises that are keeping us here Thanks Frankie, we're looking forward to our next trip and introducing our new pooch to all her French counterparts

 

[tuscancouple]

We have some great French friends who don't speak perfect English as we don't speak perfect French, however there is a desire to communicate and it's a right laugh, especially using realtime voice Google translator!

We have found that our ability to understand each other increases with each glass of wine .

Mick

 

[yodeli]

I think France would be a nicer place to visit if they made more of an effort to speak English.

Some of them don’t even bother trying and their accent is awful.

 

[Chris]

Present company excepted of course