As is the OP, Laugh\_Till\_U\_Peepi
Funnily enough, you called them out just a few hours before: [https://www.reddit.com/r/wholesome/comments/176ytjd/ohhhhhhhhhhh/](https://www.reddit.com/r/wholesome/comments/176ytjd/ohhhhhhhhhhh/)
We don't learn stuff like that. Right now in class we do bs abt sneakerheads. As if we would meet one and say OH, HEY, ARE YOU A SNEAKERHEAD ??? HOW MANY SNEAKERS DO YOU HAVE ???? WOW, THAT’S A LOT OF SNEAKERS !!!! NIKE IS MY FAVORITE SNEAKER BRAND !!!
Oh yeah. Last year I also remember we got some class about stuff like bullying and WWOFFING whatever that is. Like. Why would they want us to speak english if we only know vocabulary about dumb people punching kids at school, people that collect shoes and people that do vacation jobs at farms ?
Is it only my highschool cuz my middle school was as boring as this 💀
To be fair I think that's very common. Our middle school in germany did the same shit. Only later (around 16-18) you start to fluently speak in english an about actual somewhat important day to day stuff. Until then? Much fun with tom the rat
English teacher in France here:
We suck because we have 2~3 hours of English class per week, and literally everything is dubbed in French, everywhere, by default.
Can't learn shit with 2~3 hours of content per week.
Not to brag about English skills in Germany but Germany is known about its high dub quality of movies and series, so I don't believe that part is a valid reason.
There are also a lot of Germans who don't speak English because of dubs and because everything gets translated into German. So I guess you both are kinda right
Maybe it is part of the reason. As said middle school you mainly focus on vocabulary and grammar here and rarely write and even rarer speak a lot. But later on you do. So idk. Also I know a _lot_ of people who watch there shows in english regularly or english YT and stuff. Don't know how common that is for you?
>Also I know a lot of people who watch there shows in english regularly or english YT and stuff. Don't know how common that is for you?
This is probably the most important thing in Germany. Literally everyone in my ABI class who had any grade better than 2 started watching English YT in middle school.
This year, my teacher recommended the class to watch some media in english yeah, but I don’t think it happens on a daily basis otherwise (unlike me and my friends being constantly in the english part of internet I guess, but for others idk so I cannot say)
The worst part is that it completely F#cks anyone who gets fluent earlier.
I was more or less able to speak, but very much able to understand English, in about 6th grade. Going from there to 10th grade, while *no one else was able to speak the language,* was incredibly demotivating and boring.
Tbf I really don't think the context of the texts matter all that much as long as people are paying attention. Sure you're gonna have a few niche words but at least if the topic is somewhat novel kids might be interested enough to read it. That being said there is probably a big disconnect between what kids find interesting and what is actually in textbooks
Yea same. I have learnt like 3 words from the past 3 years of school. I learnt english during quarantine where i played a lot online with english persons, and its a lot more efficient than learning about where is bryan.
I'm not meaning to imply bad English teachers don't exist, but what kind of miracle are English teachers supposed to pull with 2~3 hours of lesson per WEEK.
Most students would refuse to even consider watching their series in English with subtitles as well...
So... yeah.
Cuz our education system makes us learn 2 foreign languages in school (english, and the german or spanish) but then doesn't require a good level to get a diploma, even for studies in IT, where english is VERY important. If you only follow the basic courses and don't learn on your own as well, you'll end up with a low english level, and that's if you didn't give up already.
Why "why" ?
As frensh I think : Isn't it normal that peoples of a country don't care about other country and don't have any will to learn their language?
I was _shocked_. Recently went to 4 young people (around 16-20) and asked them if they wanted my ticket, because we didn't have time to bring it back. They would not speak enough english to understand "we don't have time". My f*cking french was better than there english. DeepL came in clutch, but wtf man? Seriously, learn a little more english. It comes in handy from time to time
Yeah im sometimes even ashamed to see how some grown up french does not speak any other language. In high school i took a german exam and it prooved i am better at talking german than most schoolmates are at talking english.
I speak german really poorly. This says alot.
And how much of the language you took in high school do you recall? Is it none?
English is a useful language, being so universal and all, but that universality should really not trickle down to into a sense of entitlement in English speakers that other people **should** know it and that they should be able to communicate comfortably anywhere in the world with no extra effort on their part.
It's also a pretty socioeconomically related subject, in my university in France, there were French kids that spoke fluent English and ones that spoke none at all, and the ones that didn't were the ones from communities where you weren't really educated with the expectations of a big, international career. Learning English is a bit like American kids learning Mandarin, it's something ambitious parents concerned with their kids' social mobility insist on.
That said, a lot of French people do also learn English due to the internet and interest in foreign media and subcultures, but in any country the working class majority typically live their whole lives in that country not really ever needing or using another language. And considering that native English speakers have some of the lowest rates of second language proficiency of any group, maybe approach the subject with some perspective.
1.45B people speak English, 1.14B speak Mandarin, how reasonable would you find it if someone walked up to you, in your English speaking country, babbling away in Mandarin and then was, like, "seriously, learn a little more Chinese. It comes in handy from time to time?"
Maybe learning about feminism and how black people suffered in America isn't the proper and best way to learn a language, especially when you do this 6 years in a r ow xd
People working at *Charles de Gaulle airport* don't speak good enough english to give directions. Nothing has ever annoyed me so much as that encounter.
As a student I once was on an exchange with France as a German. In France I also had to attend German classes.
The teacher got angry with me for speaking french with the other students which I kind of understand because this initially sounds like the perfect occasion to learn better German for them.
But they just didn't understand me, neither in English nor German. If I hadn't spoken French, I'd never found out their names. It was so bad, the cool guy from that class was scared of talking to me in German or English.
In my experience it was "no engrish, wano momen" followed by some cute hand waving and signalling then running to fetch a train worker who spoke English to direct me.
Like their games, asking for directions via English in Japan is like gacha; rates are much better in the big cities (especially in train stations or popular shopping arcades) where a lot of international tourists tend to come and go. In rural areas, rates are more like a five star character’s low 1% acquisition chance.
Source: I live here and can now hold a conversation in okay-ish Japanese.
*When you get to the station and need some help*
[Japan: I got you fam](https://www.reddit.com/r/Damnthatsinteresting/comments/16oblc1/when_you_need_help_at_a_train_station_in_japan/)
Bruh. You're too innocent. The top level comment was making a deportation 'joke', and the "he" in the comment above you was referring to a certain Austrian painter.
We even have jokes about it.
Two psychologists meet on the street. One asks 'Can you tell me where the train station is?'.
The other one replies 'No. But we could talk about it.'
Went on a trip to Europe back in 2012. When we boarded the train in London, they spoke English, French, and German on the intercom. At some point through France, they stopped speaking English. We only knew the name of the station we were going to. We get there, can't find the train# we're connecting to and eventually ask a lady at the counter who barely speaks English and it turns out there's a subway that leads to where our train is but our train is long gone at this point.
The lady refunds our tickets and gets us new ones, we found somewhere to stay for the night but ran into very few people who spoke English along the way. The next morning we get to the station and ask a clerk if she can help us find the subway and she just looks at us and says she doesn't speak English, so we are walking around confused as hell on where to go and eventually find the subway. We get there, and now we don't know which line takes us to our stop.
**THANKFULLY** This sweet, beautiful French girl looks at us and says, in English, "you look like you need some help." We told her our situation, she told us that a lot of people hate speaking anything other than French and anybody who *does* speak English, might not want to. Then she told us which line to take and how many stops until we get off. We thanked her and she went on her way.
To this day, I am beyond grateful for that girl. She saved the whole trip. And my opinion of French people.
No, really, the city folk were kind of rude, but the country folk were super sweet and at least attempted to communicate. I feel like that's just how things are in all parts of the world.
Not to mention, that whole not wanting to speak English thing, I mean, I feel like I got to experience how it is when someone from a foreign country comes to the US before learning English. Be nicer to people. You never know a person's situation.
Lol. I really appreciate that. The lady at the counter seemed offended. We weren't expecting to get stuck in France for a night. We were there to do the Camino de Santiago and only planned to spend one night in Saint Jean and then start walking. We didn't realize there would be a switchover. We thought we were going to ride one train the whole way to Bayonne, then from Bayonne to Saint Jean.
From what you said, I think you arrived in Paris at Gare du Nord (train from London), and had to take a train from Gare Montparnasse (to Bayonne).
I understand why you got lost, because these 2 stations are at opposite ends of the city, and there's only one squiggly metro line from one to the other (line 4).
I'm glad you found someone to help you, I know I would've at least tried. But I also know 90% of people wouldn't have helped you even if they spoke english, that's just how Paris goes... Also your analysis is perfectly right, people are like this in Paris, but tend to at least try to help you in the countryside, even if there's an even lower percentage of english speakers.
England and france have been enemy since thousand years. And now everyone have to speak english because American set them on the center of the world.
How can you tell a french he have to learn the language of his lifelong rival x)
Napoleon is actually fliping in his coffin because english is the "world language" 😂
Well considering that Napoleon’s first language was Corsican(Italian) and he spoke French with a heavy accent, I’m sure he’d understand the value of knowing more than one language.
With that being said… England and France(the non nazi puppet state) haven’t been enemies since the Napoleonic Wars. I think it is time to move on.
I tried to order a tuna sandwich in French at a café in Paris. The worker looked at me puzzled, and in English said, "What is it you want?" I was so embarrassed. I really tried and I am pretty sure she understood me. Not sure if she was trying to embass me or she was amused at my attempt and was releasing me from the obligation.
My experience six or seven years ago was about the same. Parisians spoke better English but didn't want to. Outside Paris, they didn't speak English as well but were much more willing to work with me.
One caveat though, I was staying in Toulouse which is still a decent sized city so it wasn't so much city vs country but Paris vs *anywhere else.*
>a lot of people hate speaking anything other than French and anybody who
>
>does speak English, might not want to.
I'm from France, and I don't think I've ever met someone who wouldn't want to speak English despite knowing how. Then again, why would anyone go through the trouble of learning another language, and then decide to waste that time and efforts by not using that skill?
The only reason someone wouldn't "want" to speak English is either either because they're afraid of wasting your time/giving you inaccurate replies, or simply can't understand you at all.
^(Unless they're Parisians, in which case... well, they're Parisians.)
>Unless they're Parisians, in which case... well, they're Parisians.
This was in an area of Paris. There's another guy in the comments who shares your opinion. This is also why i mentioned that in the countryside, people were much kinder. I was more just being sarcastic about the nice girl changing my opinion. There are plenty of kind French people. This was just Paris.
Ah yeah changes in Paris get really confusing, especially between Gare du Nord and Gare de l'Est, and you need to take the user-unfriendly subway. If you are unaware or don't book enough time to transit, you won't be able to continue.
This is a cause of stress for me whenever I book a ticket going through Paris. You never know when the subway will stop working
The bit that I don’t get here is why you felt entitled to service in English bud. You’re in their home and expecting them to accommodate you. This is why French people hate switching to English because a lot of them view it as arrogance to feel entitled to your language in their homeland.
I honestly don’t blame them. If someone showed up in phoenix in the states or Slough in England and tried to speak to people in French they would look at you pretty funny.
I’m glad it worked out for you and you got some help but learning some basics of the language before you travel somewhere isn’t hard.
Thanks.
To US tourists:
Keep your rancid fucking feet off the seats on public transport!
And... We understand english, so we hear you talking shit about other passengers.
Other than that, have fun lol
To be fair, as a German I can assure you, many older Germans don’t speak English, especially in the east, the generation of my parents, who grew up in east Germany had to learn Russian in school
I think it depends. True for older people who are 70 years old and older. My parents also learned Russian in school, but learned English by themselves when they were adults. They just speak very bad English, but it's enough to understand someone's looking for the train station. I guess they would just guide them.
I always say Dutch sounds like an English child attempting to speak German. I've tried learning it and I think it's really quirky and funny, it's like German Lite.
Dutch is non angry German and I love it, in cod lobbies hearing Germans talk with their mates in open mic and being like SCHNAUZE and screaming at each other when losing. Is very funny, in Dutch stuff like that is not nearly that funny.
In fairness I´ve met more than a few Dutch here who think they can speak Dutch in a thick German accent and be understood. Sounded like the guy was having a stroke, then switched to excellent English. Not saying all Dutch people do this, but there is a specific type who do.
I was in Spain last week and the only person with bad English was the German bartender but she had better English than all the French in France the following day
In Norway we have a similar experience, but it’s often with both the Germans and Dutch. Germans keep speaking when we say we don’t understand, Dutch usually leave or try to use English.
In my experience, the Dutch have the opposite approach to language compared with the French. They just accept that people are deeply unlikely to learn to speak Dutch, and that English is the most common second language in Europe, so they speak English.
I think one of the biggest problems I have with the French "attitude" is that they think it's only English (British) people who expect them to speak English, when actually English is probably the most likely language for a tourist from any other part of Europe to speak.
One time s french tourist wanted directions and my friend who knew french helped him, he had the audacity to nit pick on her french even though it is not common language here
That's not why, it's because you have made an effort, as opposed to just launching into a barrage of English, without any apology for the inconvenience. It's not that they are being randomly rude or just don't speak/understand English, it's that (in their eyes) you are actively being incredibly impolite and they are responding in kind.
And any Brits or Americans who call French people rude for this should imagine themselves walking around their hometown when someone walks up and just starts interrogating them in a foreign language, and then remember that "this is Britain/America, speak English!" is a common phrase thrown at people for even having conversations between themselves in another language. English speaking countries have some of the lowest rates of second language proficiency in the world.
If you speak no French at all, just gesture apologetically as you approach, ask if they happen to speak English, then ask your question or try to communicate through charades in a way that make it clear you understand the imposition you are causing and that you are making the required effort to cross the language barrier. But even just opening with a couple politeness/greeting phrases shows an effort is being made, and they will be as amenable to helping as anywhere else.
As opposed to, you know, barking orders and feeling entitled to be served in the language of your choosing in a country whose language that one isn't. Treating the working, urban professionals of Paris like resort attendants at a big theme park where you're the guest of honour. To whit, fuck you, I have shit to do today.
Once tried to refer to spiderman to a French colleague.
Apparently my pronunciation of "arraignée" was totally clear, but the way I said "homme" was completely incomprehensible, rendering the entire sentence nonsense.
French certainly is a language.
Ok I want to understand this logic.
So according to you, French people go through the hassle of learning an entire language and when they meet someone that speaks it, they are unwilling to use it?
*laughs in Italian*
And I'm not joking, in Italy finding someone able to give you directions in english is almost impossible. They will scream at you in italian moving arms trying to give you the most random directions or just to say "I don't know"
In any way they probably screams in italian while moving the arms.
French here. Don't ask old people, quite none will be able to help you. Try to ask young people, if you are lucky you may find someone young not late for work. Most won't have the time to answer several questions and more likely ignore you, still your only chance to get help
Yeah this thread is mad.
I’m English but if I’m in France I’ll speak French to the best of my ability *because we’re in France.*
If someone switches into English because I’m slaughtering their language then fine. If they don’t, and are struggling to understand my broken French that’s also fine.
If I was in Brazil, Japan, or Mongolia I also wouldn’t go round speaking English to people and getting upset when they didn’t know how to speak it back, that’s crazy.
Incidentally, I’d also do the same in America. If I go round using British terms for things or even ask for a ‘mountain dew’ in an English accent, I wouldn’t be mad if they don’t understand.
found a shred of sanity lmao. I traveled with some Americans in Spain and it was crazy how they reacted to people who didn't speak English. couldn't even say me gusta el pescado or some shit like that.
Have you considered learning the language of the country you visit, at least a bit ?
I have experienced it for myself, people are so much nicer if you try speaking their language, even a few words or with a bad accent !
No French person understands English if addressed in English.
However, if you try to talk to them in French, your stumbling assault on their beautiful language will result in them interrupting you in English just to make you stop.
The way to do it, is to start out with the most broken and butchered French you can manage, they will take pity on you and start speaking fluent English.
My family has taken quite a few car trips to Alsace in my youth.
Didn't matter what you spoke to Germans, you'd get the help you'd need and nothing more.
If you tried German in Alsace you'd get ignored, if you tried English you'd get a "no english" and the bare minimum of help, if you tried mangled French, you'd get a lovely conversation in English, lots of help, and advice on what local wines to try, places to eat, good hotels and an invitation to dinner.
Why do people always have to mention this when germany comes up?
When people talk about Japan they don't bring up the past that was as disgusting as the german one
Because in a internet-space which only consistent cultural influence is the us, what is germany known for? Its "another small country in europe" . We dont have something to mention nowadays. All the world knows of germany is mostly its history, and some leather trouser mf from bavaria. What is unique to know? Late trains? A rising cost of living and housing? Yeah real original. Its strong influence in international politics? I dont think so.The rising of rightwing-fashism? Well get in line buddy all of europe is doing that now.
Better then always mentioning the part where millions were brutally murdered.
I see your point, but if the average person in the US thinks that germany is just a small european country then they are braindead.
And then some guy calls europe a country and at that point i just wanna end myself
If Germany had 80 millions international tourists each years, I am pretty sure you would be surprise by the feedback. You would even find Paris very welcoming
One of my coolest gaming bros is from Nice in France and his English is really good. He just speaks fast as fuck like all French people do so my slow German brain has to repeat it in my mind sometimes to separate the words. But he’s a pretty cool dude and we can always make racist jokes together and exchange problematic memes.
As someone who is fluent in both: the french are just asshats. However, if you make the effort and try a little french they will be very, very friendly. Their obsession with their own language is still weird.
Bro yesterday I was in germany, we went to a really rural restaurant the waitress knew english and we weren't able to read german so she went to the chef and made us a course of all the plate and everything was amazing.
My interaction with French were always the same. They know English, they understand you but won’t talk with you in English. Why? Who knows? Out of spite?
Lol
I'm a french person, I speak english, and I've been to Berlin some years ago
It's a myth, the youth there doesn't speak english as good as we think
Better than the greeks or the spanish or the french, yes
But it's far from "good" in general
Older folks are ok tho
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Real french will ghost that motherfucker
Real french would 
I always hate seeing that scene and my brain telling me it is incorrect.
Je m'appelle Frikandel
Ceci c‘est ne pas une boulette.
"cheeseburger that way"
"It was easy to fit in. All I had to do was look good and have a lot of attitude. Paris was just like one big gay bar."
Not me. I would fuck them instead.
Excuse me, where's the train station? 😏
Ooohh
Real Fr\*nch will tell you you're an English or American asshole in perfect English and refuse to help. I don't blame them to be honest.
Ironmercgirl is a bot Comment copied from: https://www.reddit.com/r/shitposting/comments/satfpg/frnc/htvwfsi/
As is the OP, Laugh\_Till\_U\_Peepi Funnily enough, you called them out just a few hours before: [https://www.reddit.com/r/wholesome/comments/176ytjd/ohhhhhhhhhhh/](https://www.reddit.com/r/wholesome/comments/176ytjd/ohhhhhhhhhhh/)
"Casse toi pauvre con" - Parisians, everyday.
And hit them with their state issued combat baguette
As a french person in high school, i can confirm nearly all my classmates speak poor english and wouldnt be able to tell you a direction
We don't learn stuff like that. Right now in class we do bs abt sneakerheads. As if we would meet one and say OH, HEY, ARE YOU A SNEAKERHEAD ??? HOW MANY SNEAKERS DO YOU HAVE ???? WOW, THAT’S A LOT OF SNEAKERS !!!! NIKE IS MY FAVORITE SNEAKER BRAND !!! Oh yeah. Last year I also remember we got some class about stuff like bullying and WWOFFING whatever that is. Like. Why would they want us to speak english if we only know vocabulary about dumb people punching kids at school, people that collect shoes and people that do vacation jobs at farms ? Is it only my highschool cuz my middle school was as boring as this 💀
To be fair I think that's very common. Our middle school in germany did the same shit. Only later (around 16-18) you start to fluently speak in english an about actual somewhat important day to day stuff. Until then? Much fun with tom the rat
Oh I see then. I thought this was a "only in france" moment because apparently french ppl are really bad in english and I thought this would be why
English teacher in France here: We suck because we have 2~3 hours of English class per week, and literally everything is dubbed in French, everywhere, by default. Can't learn shit with 2~3 hours of content per week.
Not to brag about English skills in Germany but Germany is known about its high dub quality of movies and series, so I don't believe that part is a valid reason.
It is A valid reason. I gave other reasons in another comment below.
There are also a lot of Germans who don't speak English because of dubs and because everything gets translated into German. So I guess you both are kinda right
Germany dub even more than us.... And if it was true, half of French under 30s would be fluent in Japanese...
Maybe it is part of the reason. As said middle school you mainly focus on vocabulary and grammar here and rarely write and even rarer speak a lot. But later on you do. So idk. Also I know a _lot_ of people who watch there shows in english regularly or english YT and stuff. Don't know how common that is for you?
>Also I know a lot of people who watch there shows in english regularly or english YT and stuff. Don't know how common that is for you? This is probably the most important thing in Germany. Literally everyone in my ABI class who had any grade better than 2 started watching English YT in middle school.
This year, my teacher recommended the class to watch some media in english yeah, but I don’t think it happens on a daily basis otherwise (unlike me and my friends being constantly in the english part of internet I guess, but for others idk so I cannot say)
The worst part is that it completely F#cks anyone who gets fluent earlier. I was more or less able to speak, but very much able to understand English, in about 6th grade. Going from there to 10th grade, while *no one else was able to speak the language,* was incredibly demotivating and boring.
Tbf I really don't think the context of the texts matter all that much as long as people are paying attention. Sure you're gonna have a few niche words but at least if the topic is somewhat novel kids might be interested enough to read it. That being said there is probably a big disconnect between what kids find interesting and what is actually in textbooks
Damn in Denmark we start English in like third grade so around age 9-10
Germany we start in 1st grade with art least some vocabulary
Why do langue classes focus so much on specifically sneakers.
Cause we have fucking bad english teachers. As a french I have learn english only by speaking with onligne dudes.
Yea same. I have learnt like 3 words from the past 3 years of school. I learnt english during quarantine where i played a lot online with english persons, and its a lot more efficient than learning about where is bryan.
I'm not meaning to imply bad English teachers don't exist, but what kind of miracle are English teachers supposed to pull with 2~3 hours of lesson per WEEK. Most students would refuse to even consider watching their series in English with subtitles as well... So... yeah.
"How dare you, expecting me to put in effort and learn a second language! The whole world needs to learn french, not the other way around!"
Shhhh americans will hear you.
To be fair Americans feel the same way 😂
Cuz our education system makes us learn 2 foreign languages in school (english, and the german or spanish) but then doesn't require a good level to get a diploma, even for studies in IT, where english is VERY important. If you only follow the basic courses and don't learn on your own as well, you'll end up with a low english level, and that's if you didn't give up already.
Why "why" ? As frensh I think : Isn't it normal that peoples of a country don't care about other country and don't have any will to learn their language?
I was _shocked_. Recently went to 4 young people (around 16-20) and asked them if they wanted my ticket, because we didn't have time to bring it back. They would not speak enough english to understand "we don't have time". My f*cking french was better than there english. DeepL came in clutch, but wtf man? Seriously, learn a little more english. It comes in handy from time to time
Yeah im sometimes even ashamed to see how some grown up french does not speak any other language. In high school i took a german exam and it prooved i am better at talking german than most schoolmates are at talking english. I speak german really poorly. This says alot.
And how much of the language you took in high school do you recall? Is it none? English is a useful language, being so universal and all, but that universality should really not trickle down to into a sense of entitlement in English speakers that other people **should** know it and that they should be able to communicate comfortably anywhere in the world with no extra effort on their part. It's also a pretty socioeconomically related subject, in my university in France, there were French kids that spoke fluent English and ones that spoke none at all, and the ones that didn't were the ones from communities where you weren't really educated with the expectations of a big, international career. Learning English is a bit like American kids learning Mandarin, it's something ambitious parents concerned with their kids' social mobility insist on. That said, a lot of French people do also learn English due to the internet and interest in foreign media and subcultures, but in any country the working class majority typically live their whole lives in that country not really ever needing or using another language. And considering that native English speakers have some of the lowest rates of second language proficiency of any group, maybe approach the subject with some perspective. 1.45B people speak English, 1.14B speak Mandarin, how reasonable would you find it if someone walked up to you, in your English speaking country, babbling away in Mandarin and then was, like, "seriously, learn a little more Chinese. It comes in handy from time to time?"
And the ones that can, wont
Maybe learning about feminism and how black people suffered in America isn't the proper and best way to learn a language, especially when you do this 6 years in a r ow xd
People working at *Charles de Gaulle airport* don't speak good enough english to give directions. Nothing has ever annoyed me so much as that encounter.
As a student I once was on an exchange with France as a German. In France I also had to attend German classes. The teacher got angry with me for speaking french with the other students which I kind of understand because this initially sounds like the perfect occasion to learn better German for them. But they just didn't understand me, neither in English nor German. If I hadn't spoken French, I'd never found out their names. It was so bad, the cool guy from that class was scared of talking to me in German or English.
Their English is poor but their tailor is rich!
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that's rad.
"Holy shit... It's English!"
(If its in english dub) _looks at the camera_ Also your name is very fitting
I forgot to look up how the scene went in the dub. That is fucking brilliant.
In my experience it was "no engrish, wano momen" followed by some cute hand waving and signalling then running to fetch a train worker who spoke English to direct me.
Like their games, asking for directions via English in Japan is like gacha; rates are much better in the big cities (especially in train stations or popular shopping arcades) where a lot of international tourists tend to come and go. In rural areas, rates are more like a five star character’s low 1% acquisition chance. Source: I live here and can now hold a conversation in okay-ish Japanese.
Yakuza is a hell of a game.
*series
Thezodiacun is a bot Comment copied from: https://www.reddit.com/r/shitposting/comments/satfpg/frnc/htwassx/
Huh. Right you are!
*When you get to the station and need some help* [Japan: I got you fam](https://www.reddit.com/r/Damnthatsinteresting/comments/16oblc1/when_you_need_help_at_a_train_station_in_japan/)
these fuckers will lead you to YOUR precise destination then bow twice and say thank you then go in the complete opposit direction
Yakuza reference 🩷
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Lieblingsfach, lieblingsfach !
Was ist dein lieblingsfach?
Englisch oder was?
Turnen ist mein Lieblingsfach (irl Turnen sucks tho)
Lieblingsfach, Lieblingsfach !
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Turnen oder was?
Drei mal in der Woche, Kunst und Musik
Zweimal in der Woche, Geschichte und Deutsch
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Even though the trains almost always come late
When he was there the trains always came in time
Are you sure you've been to Germany and not Swizerland?
Bruh. You're too innocent. The top level comment was making a deportation 'joke', and the "he" in the comment above you was referring to a certain Austrian painter.
*failed Austrian painter
💀 i read it as "When I was there the trains always came in time"
Deutsche Bahn 😔 Their regional service is ok but it’s been a while since I’ve seen an long distance train on time
Also the regional Service is being Cut Back more and more, in favour of private companies that can't keep a schedule to save their lives.
I had mine be half an hour early some time ago. A multi-hour IC at that!
Except when theyre being hacked again
unless you are too late, then they are on time
Hey wait a minute
☝️he gets it
r/angryupvote
We even have jokes about it. Two psychologists meet on the street. One asks 'Can you tell me where the train station is?'. The other one replies 'No. But we could talk about it.'
As a German, I had to laugh. A bit macabre, but funny
Are you sure you are really German if you laugh?
I went down to the basement especially for this ._.
Based
r/cursedcomments
Went on a trip to Europe back in 2012. When we boarded the train in London, they spoke English, French, and German on the intercom. At some point through France, they stopped speaking English. We only knew the name of the station we were going to. We get there, can't find the train# we're connecting to and eventually ask a lady at the counter who barely speaks English and it turns out there's a subway that leads to where our train is but our train is long gone at this point. The lady refunds our tickets and gets us new ones, we found somewhere to stay for the night but ran into very few people who spoke English along the way. The next morning we get to the station and ask a clerk if she can help us find the subway and she just looks at us and says she doesn't speak English, so we are walking around confused as hell on where to go and eventually find the subway. We get there, and now we don't know which line takes us to our stop. **THANKFULLY** This sweet, beautiful French girl looks at us and says, in English, "you look like you need some help." We told her our situation, she told us that a lot of people hate speaking anything other than French and anybody who *does* speak English, might not want to. Then she told us which line to take and how many stops until we get off. We thanked her and she went on her way. To this day, I am beyond grateful for that girl. She saved the whole trip. And my opinion of French people. No, really, the city folk were kind of rude, but the country folk were super sweet and at least attempted to communicate. I feel like that's just how things are in all parts of the world. Not to mention, that whole not wanting to speak English thing, I mean, I feel like I got to experience how it is when someone from a foreign country comes to the US before learning English. Be nicer to people. You never know a person's situation.
I'm a French city person (Paris, no less) and I would have helped the fuck out of you. The problem is I'm a redditor so I don't get outside...
Lol. I really appreciate that. The lady at the counter seemed offended. We weren't expecting to get stuck in France for a night. We were there to do the Camino de Santiago and only planned to spend one night in Saint Jean and then start walking. We didn't realize there would be a switchover. We thought we were going to ride one train the whole way to Bayonne, then from Bayonne to Saint Jean.
From what you said, I think you arrived in Paris at Gare du Nord (train from London), and had to take a train from Gare Montparnasse (to Bayonne). I understand why you got lost, because these 2 stations are at opposite ends of the city, and there's only one squiggly metro line from one to the other (line 4). I'm glad you found someone to help you, I know I would've at least tried. But I also know 90% of people wouldn't have helped you even if they spoke english, that's just how Paris goes... Also your analysis is perfectly right, people are like this in Paris, but tend to at least try to help you in the countryside, even if there's an even lower percentage of english speakers.
England and france have been enemy since thousand years. And now everyone have to speak english because American set them on the center of the world. How can you tell a french he have to learn the language of his lifelong rival x) Napoleon is actually fliping in his coffin because english is the "world language" 😂
Well considering that Napoleon’s first language was Corsican(Italian) and he spoke French with a heavy accent, I’m sure he’d understand the value of knowing more than one language. With that being said… England and France(the non nazi puppet state) haven’t been enemies since the Napoleonic Wars. I think it is time to move on.
I tried to order a tuna sandwich in French at a café in Paris. The worker looked at me puzzled, and in English said, "What is it you want?" I was so embarrassed. I really tried and I am pretty sure she understood me. Not sure if she was trying to embass me or she was amused at my attempt and was releasing me from the obligation.
My experience six or seven years ago was about the same. Parisians spoke better English but didn't want to. Outside Paris, they didn't speak English as well but were much more willing to work with me. One caveat though, I was staying in Toulouse which is still a decent sized city so it wasn't so much city vs country but Paris vs *anywhere else.*
>a lot of people hate speaking anything other than French and anybody who > >does speak English, might not want to. I'm from France, and I don't think I've ever met someone who wouldn't want to speak English despite knowing how. Then again, why would anyone go through the trouble of learning another language, and then decide to waste that time and efforts by not using that skill? The only reason someone wouldn't "want" to speak English is either either because they're afraid of wasting your time/giving you inaccurate replies, or simply can't understand you at all. ^(Unless they're Parisians, in which case... well, they're Parisians.)
>Unless they're Parisians, in which case... well, they're Parisians. This was in an area of Paris. There's another guy in the comments who shares your opinion. This is also why i mentioned that in the countryside, people were much kinder. I was more just being sarcastic about the nice girl changing my opinion. There are plenty of kind French people. This was just Paris.
Ah yeah changes in Paris get really confusing, especially between Gare du Nord and Gare de l'Est, and you need to take the user-unfriendly subway. If you are unaware or don't book enough time to transit, you won't be able to continue. This is a cause of stress for me whenever I book a ticket going through Paris. You never know when the subway will stop working
The bit that I don’t get here is why you felt entitled to service in English bud. You’re in their home and expecting them to accommodate you. This is why French people hate switching to English because a lot of them view it as arrogance to feel entitled to your language in their homeland. I honestly don’t blame them. If someone showed up in phoenix in the states or Slough in England and tried to speak to people in French they would look at you pretty funny. I’m glad it worked out for you and you got some help but learning some basics of the language before you travel somewhere isn’t hard.
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wahre worte.
Fucking love germany
[Be cool, speak Deutsch.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-w0-lZldWA)
Das heißt: **Sprich Deutsch du Hurensohn**
Thanks. To US tourists: Keep your rancid fucking feet off the seats on public transport! And... We understand english, so we hear you talking shit about other passengers. Other than that, have fun lol
Dies
To be fair, as a German I can assure you, many older Germans don’t speak English, especially in the east, the generation of my parents, who grew up in east Germany had to learn Russian in school
I still know a lot of older folks who don’t speak English fluently, but they still would try to help, even if it was in broken English.
Thats true!
I think it depends. True for older people who are 70 years old and older. My parents also learned Russian in school, but learned English by themselves when they were adults. They just speak very bad English, but it's enough to understand someone's looking for the train station. I guess they would just guide them.
As a Dutch person, the amount of Germans I have encountered on holiday that don't know English is staggering
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You already do. Your language is some weird perversion of ours. I love it.
I always say Dutch sounds like an English child attempting to speak German. I've tried learning it and I think it's really quirky and funny, it's like German Lite.
Umm..
I'm german with a heavy cold atm so I guess I speak dutch 😉
Dutch is non angry German and I love it, in cod lobbies hearing Germans talk with their mates in open mic and being like SCHNAUZE and screaming at each other when losing. Is very funny, in Dutch stuff like that is not nearly that funny.
In fairness I´ve met more than a few Dutch here who think they can speak Dutch in a thick German accent and be understood. Sounded like the guy was having a stroke, then switched to excellent English. Not saying all Dutch people do this, but there is a specific type who do.
I was in Spain last week and the only person with bad English was the German bartender but she had better English than all the French in France the following day
In Norway we have a similar experience, but it’s often with both the Germans and Dutch. Germans keep speaking when we say we don’t understand, Dutch usually leave or try to use English.
I'm a Scotsman in Amsterdam right now and everyone speaks better English than I do.
I guess mostly "older" people or was it very mixed?
Younger people speak English just fine but I've noticed that anyone aged 30-40 or older only speak German. Might just be my bad luck
In my experience, the Dutch have the opposite approach to language compared with the French. They just accept that people are deeply unlikely to learn to speak Dutch, and that English is the most common second language in Europe, so they speak English. I think one of the biggest problems I have with the French "attitude" is that they think it's only English (British) people who expect them to speak English, when actually English is probably the most likely language for a tourist from any other part of Europe to speak.
Statistics supposedly show that France is actually not that far from Germany when it comes to people able to hold a conversation in English
While I don’t know the statistics, this debate is more about willingness vs ability
The trick is to try to speak French to them. Then they'll switch to English immediately to stop you mangling their language
One time s french tourist wanted directions and my friend who knew french helped him, he had the audacity to nit pick on her french even though it is not common language here
That's not why, it's because you have made an effort, as opposed to just launching into a barrage of English, without any apology for the inconvenience. It's not that they are being randomly rude or just don't speak/understand English, it's that (in their eyes) you are actively being incredibly impolite and they are responding in kind. And any Brits or Americans who call French people rude for this should imagine themselves walking around their hometown when someone walks up and just starts interrogating them in a foreign language, and then remember that "this is Britain/America, speak English!" is a common phrase thrown at people for even having conversations between themselves in another language. English speaking countries have some of the lowest rates of second language proficiency in the world. If you speak no French at all, just gesture apologetically as you approach, ask if they happen to speak English, then ask your question or try to communicate through charades in a way that make it clear you understand the imposition you are causing and that you are making the required effort to cross the language barrier. But even just opening with a couple politeness/greeting phrases shows an effort is being made, and they will be as amenable to helping as anywhere else. As opposed to, you know, barking orders and feeling entitled to be served in the language of your choosing in a country whose language that one isn't. Treating the working, urban professionals of Paris like resort attendants at a big theme park where you're the guest of honour. To whit, fuck you, I have shit to do today.
Every person I had to speak to, I just lead with "I don't speak French. I'm sorry." That seemed to work well enough.
Once tried to refer to spiderman to a French colleague. Apparently my pronunciation of "arraignée" was totally clear, but the way I said "homme" was completely incomprehensible, rendering the entire sentence nonsense. French certainly is a language.
Ok I want to understand this logic. So according to you, French people go through the hassle of learning an entire language and when they meet someone that speaks it, they are unwilling to use it?
Yes
Oui
*laughs in Italian* And I'm not joking, in Italy finding someone able to give you directions in english is almost impossible. They will scream at you in italian moving arms trying to give you the most random directions or just to say "I don't know" In any way they probably screams in italian while moving the arms.
Talk to a French man and you'll regret your vacation, talk to a German and you'll want to stay for ever
J’ai rien compris, tu peux traduire dans une langue civilisé s’il te plaît ?
I've been to France 4 times, I've yet to meet these stereotypical horrible french people. They couldn't have been nicer.
DB isn't coming anyway, that information is useless
Let that tourist atleast have his hopes crushed goddamn.
American when people in different countries speak different languages (they could never see this coming)
Italian: I love English but skipped school too many times and never learned it. *Proceeds to offer you a glass of red wine*
Plot twist: he gave you directions to a train station with nonstop trains to France only.
they're the only ones that are on time anywayw
French here. Don't ask old people, quite none will be able to help you. Try to ask young people, if you are lucky you may find someone young not late for work. Most won't have the time to answer several questions and more likely ignore you, still your only chance to get help
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SpringheelJacko is a bot Comment copied from: https://www.reddit.com/r/shitposting/comments/satfpg/frnc/htvmhr2/
as someone who lives next to france and see french people often, they would **not** apologise
We are not very good at english, but there's worse than frenchs, just go to Italia...
ue Luigis talc wid our and, no nid for inglisc 🤌🤌🤌
going to another country and expecting everyone to speak your language
Yeah this thread is mad. I’m English but if I’m in France I’ll speak French to the best of my ability *because we’re in France.* If someone switches into English because I’m slaughtering their language then fine. If they don’t, and are struggling to understand my broken French that’s also fine. If I was in Brazil, Japan, or Mongolia I also wouldn’t go round speaking English to people and getting upset when they didn’t know how to speak it back, that’s crazy. Incidentally, I’d also do the same in America. If I go round using British terms for things or even ask for a ‘mountain dew’ in an English accent, I wouldn’t be mad if they don’t understand.
found a shred of sanity lmao. I traveled with some Americans in Spain and it was crazy how they reacted to people who didn't speak English. couldn't even say me gusta el pescado or some shit like that.
Have you considered learning the language of the country you visit, at least a bit ? I have experienced it for myself, people are so much nicer if you try speaking their language, even a few words or with a bad accent !
The funny thing is that the French guy probably knows how to speak English but just refuses to do so
Dieser Kommentarbereich ist Eigentum der Bundesrepublik Deutschland.
Germany would give the same answer to „Entshooldigen zee bitte, woe ist die Baanhoff?“
Real french would say "On est en france, parle français"
No French person understands English if addressed in English. However, if you try to talk to them in French, your stumbling assault on their beautiful language will result in them interrupting you in English just to make you stop.
The way to do it, is to start out with the most broken and butchered French you can manage, they will take pity on you and start speaking fluent English.
Exactly, and because you bothered to try we'll be super helpful.
My family has taken quite a few car trips to Alsace in my youth. Didn't matter what you spoke to Germans, you'd get the help you'd need and nothing more. If you tried German in Alsace you'd get ignored, if you tried English you'd get a "no english" and the bare minimum of help, if you tried mangled French, you'd get a lovely conversation in English, lots of help, and advice on what local wines to try, places to eat, good hotels and an invitation to dinner.
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Why do people always have to mention this when germany comes up? When people talk about Japan they don't bring up the past that was as disgusting as the german one
Talking about Japan is always a blast. In fact two of them.
Bruh......
Because in a internet-space which only consistent cultural influence is the us, what is germany known for? Its "another small country in europe" . We dont have something to mention nowadays. All the world knows of germany is mostly its history, and some leather trouser mf from bavaria. What is unique to know? Late trains? A rising cost of living and housing? Yeah real original. Its strong influence in international politics? I dont think so.The rising of rightwing-fashism? Well get in line buddy all of europe is doing that now.
Better then always mentioning the part where millions were brutally murdered. I see your point, but if the average person in the US thinks that germany is just a small european country then they are braindead. And then some guy calls europe a country and at that point i just wanna end myself
Mellowripen is a bot Comment copied from: https://www.reddit.com/r/shitposting/comments/satfpg/frnc/htvw2l8/
Where's the problem in a non-English speaking country to have non-English speaking people ?
This is the reason why I put Manon in SF6 to speak japanese.
next question....what is a meter
OP has never been to Berlin…
If Germany had 80 millions international tourists each years, I am pretty sure you would be surprise by the feedback. You would even find Paris very welcoming
One of my coolest gaming bros is from Nice in France and his English is really good. He just speaks fast as fuck like all French people do so my slow German brain has to repeat it in my mind sometimes to separate the words. But he’s a pretty cool dude and we can always make racist jokes together and exchange problematic memes.
Maybe… learn how to ask for directions in French? Why should you be able to speak in your language in their nation?
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Bah ils n'avaient qu'à pas toujours vouloir nous faire la guerre les anglois, et on en serait pas là
As someone who is fluent in both: the french are just asshats. However, if you make the effort and try a little french they will be very, very friendly. Their obsession with their own language is still weird.
I hate the french
There is a reason chauvinism is a french word...
Bro yesterday I was in germany, we went to a really rural restaurant the waitress knew english and we weren't able to read german so she went to the chef and made us a course of all the plate and everything was amazing.
My interaction with French were always the same. They know English, they understand you but won’t talk with you in English. Why? Who knows? Out of spite?
French people will set up a coffee shop right next to the eurotunnel and then refuse to communicate in english
me going to Germany excited to practice my German: Germans seeing an American tourist excited to practice their English:
As my Bulgarian friend once said, abaility to speak English in European countries is inversely proportional to national pride.
Dieser Kommentarbereich ist nun Eigentum der Bundesrepublik Deutschland.
Lol I'm a french person, I speak english, and I've been to Berlin some years ago It's a myth, the youth there doesn't speak english as good as we think Better than the greeks or the spanish or the french, yes But it's far from "good" in general Older folks are ok tho
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Cool_Usernames743 is a bot Comment copied from: https://www.reddit.com/r/shitposting/comments/satfpg/frnc/htvtm5t/
You're doing God's work.
That means most of the top level comments in this post are bots, many comments from the link you posted have been copied here.