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Practicing your French in France with a genuine French person can be harder than it seems, so whether you live in France or you’re on holiday, follow our tips for small talk to help you get started.
If you are taking French lessons or you have done in the past, you will have almost certainly been advised by your teacher to practice speaking with native speakers as much as possible. If you live in France then it’s a good idea to chat to shop keepers, to fellow parents if you have children at school and to people you might encounter in a café or bar. But we think the best people to practice chatting with are right next door…
* The weather– yes this isn’t just a British trait, it’s great common ground to get chatting and most French people enjoy having a good moan or a happy conversation about what the weather is doing. The chances are even if your French is basic you still know how to say simple weather phrases in French. Here’s a few examples to get you started:
Il fait beau/il y a du soleil = It’s nice/sunny
C’est la canicule = It’s a heatwave
Ça caille! = It’s freezing! (this is slang and very common)
* Families- Another great talking point is your families. Ask your neighbour questions and tell them any news about your family. Families are very important to the French who like to visit each other often and enjoy long meals catching up.
Possible questions you can ask your neighbour:
Avez-vous des enfants/des petits enfants? = Do you have any children/grandchildren?
Avez-vous des frères et soeurs? = Do you have any brothers or sisters?
Ils habient où? = Where do they live?
Vous les voyez souvent? = How often do you see them?
* France- Your French neighbours will love being asked for their inside knowledge on anything French, whether it’s what day the local market is, what the speed limit is on motorways or even about the many idiosyncrasies of the French language. Asking people for their advice and opinion on something they know about is always a great way to get them talking. Try some of these questions out for size:
Quel est votre plat français préféré et pouvez-vous me passer une recette? = What’s your favourite French dish and can I borrow a recipe?
Quel est le meilleur fromage local? = What’s the best local cheese?
Quelle est la meilleure région pour skier? = Where is the best place for skiing?
Pouvez-vous recommander des sites touristiques à visiter à Paris? = Please can you recommend places to visit in Paris?
Quand dois-je dis «tu» et quand dois-je dis «vous»? = When should I say “tu” and when should I say “vous”?
Most people are friendly and welcoming and will be happy to help your learn their much-loved language, so take a deep breath and parler français avec votre voisin.
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