Sooooo real talk: how real is the work and life setting in Emily in Paris for an American who doesn’t speak French? I’m seriously considering a job in Paris but I only speak English.

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Such a realistic show…

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Ive worked all over Europe, most countries are accommodating for English-only speakers, BUT the only people speaking English in France are the tourists. It will be near impossible to get a job (particularly in Paris, may actually be easier in other cities in France) without being able to speak French. The French are very proud of their language and culture, and actively avoid speaking English (although most can).

That said, if you’ve been offered a job: go for it. You’ll be amazed how quickly you’ll pick up the language and it will help you enjoy the city even more. Immersion is the best way to go!

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Better speak french tbh

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Lol I was struggling to buy pastry at a cafe and the guy on the counter told me to go the the end of the line and wait for French speakers to finish ordering.

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Ah French service

It's hard enough to get a good job in Paris if you do speak French and are not from France, lol.

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Just double down and speak louder in American. Gesticulate if necessary.

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I did a bit of work in the Deloitte Paris office (I’m US-based). My French is very basic, and they were clearly annoyed that they had to speak to me in English / regularly had side convos in French I could barely keep up with.

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Yeah, global project building internal assets and Paris was one of our pilot sites.

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Have you visited France? Have you worked with French colleagues? Seriously challenging and while I think nice to visit, I’d never want to be there full time.

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Fluent in French and came to share insight into the French psyche based on my experience. I lived and worked in a French speaking for 3 years prior to living in France proper. For my MBA I went to a French B-School in Paris on exchange. I was the American Exchange Student and took classes where I was the only non-French student. Outside of class, no matter how many times I initiated in perfect (though slightly accented French mainly due to my word choice vs incorrect grammar) people would always respond to me in horrible broken English. So it is a fallacy (at least in Paris from my experience) that once you learn the language people all of a sudden become nice, welcoming, and engaging. I woke up pissed some days because I worked so hard learning the language and in general it didn’t make things easier. TL;DR in general as a group, the French are special brand of a-holes who will give you an attitude whether you speak the language or not. You need to develop strong relationships 1:1 over time to get a rapport where you can win them over. In a business context your career will be toast by the time this happens.

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D1 I didn’t understand your orphaned pronoun, but I said “word choice versus bad grammar”, not both. Some social situations call for very specific word choice otherwise it takes above average patience to understand the speaker even with good grammar. This quality is rare in Paris.

E.g. In the US context the question “What’s your favorite kind of pop?” could be a confusing question about soft drinks to someone outside of the Midwest. The fact that I worked in French in West Africa prior to going to Paris put me into this type of situation often once there.

@BA 1 the revised TL;DR Even if you learn French fluently, Parisian strangers will still be unaccommodating to foreigners for non-language reasons.

Are you starting your own firm? Then they’ll accommodate with whatever language you speak. Otherwise, as others have recommended, learn French before you go…

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Let’s just say the show gives you a very unrealistic view of work and life in Paris for an American that don’t speak French

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You better look like Lily Collins or else no dice

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Try Montreal or Geneva first

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Whilst we’re on this topic, how realistic is it also that if I move to Paris I’ll have a model looking neighbour who’ll dump his girlfriend for me? If that bits true I might just learn French

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Get a French partner and live with them, i worked in Paris and did this. My girlfriend was a patient loving French

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France does not teach English during primary education unlike many other neighboring countries. So no, would not recommend.

Same pwc3

Lmao good luck without French. If you don't have a lead, good luck with the visa 😂

I speak basic French (I thought) pretty well. Everywhere I went in France I would start ordering/talking in French and they would always immediately respond in English. Immersion is the best way to learn though!

Maybe in the French Riviera… people there seem to speak English more so than in the north or Paris

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_syndrome

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