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French is considered a romantic language, and since I have been here I have learned more about what that means. The liaisons, lush vowel combinations, and lack of accent on certain sounds creates a melodic delivery. Sentences are spoken in one breath. This is one of the reasons I love French and also one of the reasons that can sometimes drive a french learner mad. They communicate so much, so quickly, and look at you expecting an immediate reply! For example, in class we learn “Je ne sais pas” to say “I don’t know”. More informal is “Je sais pas”. On the street you may hear, “Chez pas” or even shorter than that: “Chpa”. Sometimes it feels like the French we are learning in class is an entirely different language than that of casually spoken French. Learning French is more than memorizing grammar rules, it is a way people engage with one another. The tone and rhythm is like music. It can sometimes be frustrating feeling like you are making progress in class, only to step outside and feel so lost. However, you can’t give up! So, how do you approach this beautiful, complex language? 

Before anything, French conversation starts with la politesse. La politesse is the practice of good manners and etiquette and it is a culturally defined phenomenon. It is a simple social code that must be respected. There are certain magic words that must be deployed before any depth of conversation can be had. These words include bonjour, s’il vous plaît, merci, au revoir, pardon, etc. When you enter a magasin, boucherie, patisserie, etc. you must always greet the store clerk by saying bonjour or bonsoir if it’s after 6pm roughly. If you use these magic words, you will unlock the key feeling accepted by a French speaker! Of course, there’s more to learn from there, but this is step one. 

I’ve noticed the French conversations feel more direct and argumentative than an agreeable, American conversation. I’ve observed this within my host family. Their conversations are by no means hostile but can be described as more passionate and energetic, with people’s thoughts spilling on top of each other. At the beginning, being a fly on the wall and listening to my family’s conversations among themselves felt like whiplash. I would think they were angry, talking so incomprehensibly fast at each other, only to see them smile and laugh. Another aspect of French conversation is the rhythm. The topic of conversation might be something that had happened to one of them that day, something in the news, something about a family member, etc. My host family is very kind, and always tries to make sure I understand what they are discussing, even if it is not relevant to me. Sometimes, I am very focused on my comprehension of what they are saying, and other times I let myself float away from what they are saying so I can feel how they are saying it. French speakers often break up their thoughts with interjections like bah, bof, enfin, en fait, etc. Another aspect of conversation is their vulgarity. A french speaker’s stream of thought can sound so eloquent while meaning something entirely vulgar. And there can be a lot of vulgarity to be heard daily! 

I would like to conclude with a reflection of a moment of growth that I had in conversation with my host family. My host father and I were talking about the history of slavery and he was trying to get me to comprehend the verb affranchir, meaning to enfranchise. It was a long discussion that used a lot of physical gestures and long-winded ways to explain something. He described it as the difference between growing up and your parents giving you more independence versus the act of freeing yourself from, for example, slavery. I considered this moment a moment of growth for me because we were able to talk about a complicated subject, and I was able to express my thoughts regarding it. This was a moment requiring patience and persistence. 

Pauline Bailey 

Furman University 

CIEE-Rennes LA FALL 2025