Imagine this:

You just finished a French dinner. It’s not even Christmas or Easter with never-ending dishes. Just a normal dinner with French friends, on a Friday night. You’re probably full. And it was delicious. How do you compliment the cook, in French? How do you ask for more? How do you say in French “I’m full” without making THE classic expat mistake?

This is what you’ll discover in this episode of Comme une Française TV.
Click to watch “How to compliment your French host about the dinner”:

Et toi ?
How do you compliment your hosts in French after a great dinner?

Did you know these expressions? Which one will you use at your next dinner?

Share your story so we can discuss in the comments area below the video.

A la prochaine !

Géraldine

Many readers sent me the question: how to go to the hairdresser in France? What to say, what to ask so I don’t enter brunette and leave blond (or the opposite) or shaved.

I see what you mean as I personnaly had a panic attack when I first went to the hairdresser abroad. The lady who was going to cut my hair has awesome tatoos on both full arms. She was so blond her hair was almost white. And her cut was completely asymetrical. Which was absolutely awesome. I’m a huge fan of people who take their personal style so seriously.

BUT I was TERRIFIED and none of this helped. I have to confess, I almost left as I had NO idea what haircut I was looking for.

So when I read your emails “what do I ask for in French?” I GET IT. I have a huge empathy for panic attacks at the hairdresser abroad.

In today’s episode, you’ll learn the essentials to go to the hairdresser in France.
Click to watch “How to go to the hairdresser in France”:

Et toi ?
Have you been to the hairdresser in France?
How did it go? Any funny anecdote to share with the community?

Share your story so we can discuss in the comments area below the video.

Do you like the new look of Comme une Française.com ?
Feel free to share your thoughts on the contact page!

A la prochaine !

Géraldine

Finding a flat in France is difficult.
Even for French people!

And you don’t speak French so well.
And you know how red tape works…

So you google your search: “2 bedroom flat in Paris”.
And you waste time. And money. And time. Again.

What about some help? From a real estate expert?
An expert that can handle all the paperwork, and talk to the landlords for you.

Today, my friend Virginie, founder of Mademoiselle Immo gives you her tips
to find your dream home in France. By yourself. Or with her help.

Click to watch “How to find your dream flat in France”:

What about you?
Have you ever had to find a flat by yourself?
Did you find it? Which difficulties did you face? Did you ask for help?

Tell us in the comments how it went. Share your story so we can discuss in the comment area below the video.

CLick here to download your PDF: French words to find your dream house in France.

Don’t forget to tell me Virginie found your dream flat in France, so I send you a special Comme une Française gift for your new home!

Disclosure: When you ask for Virginie’s services coming from Comme une Française, I’ll perceive a commission on her work (at no extra cost to you).

A la prochaine !

Géraldine

When you have a problem at a store but you don’t manage to resolve it like you would have done in your country just because you don’t know what to say. You’re not a twit! It’s just that you don’t know how to speak French fluently!
Result: You stomp out furious and frustrated. And with a problem.

You could chain yourself to the counter until you grab the attention of a customer service executive worth his salt. But, let’s be honest. That not the way things are done.

So to help you deal with the stubborn French salesperson, here are few expressions.

Click to watch “How to solve a problem in a shop… in French!”:

What about you?
Have you ever had a problem in a shop in France
How did you solve it? Did you feel frustrated because you didn’t have these phrases? How did it go?

Tell me in the comments how it went. Share your story so we can discuss in the comment area below the video.

A la prochaine !

Géraldine

Do you know how to write emails in French? And at the end what you should you say? Should you say “Bisous” (kisses) to your mother in law? Or is “Cordialement” (kind regards)
a good idea for friends?

You can always copy expressions used in the emails you are answering to, a great strategy. (I do that!) But when you have to write one on your own… Ouch!

We are going to see which expression to use and to whom. Let’s go!

Click to watch “How to end an email in French”:

What about you?
How do you write your emails in French?
Do you pick one greeting randomly? Do you copy what the sender uses? Do you skip them?

Tell me in the comments how it went. Share your story so we can discuss in the comment area below the video.

A bientôt !

Géraldine

Today’s topic might not be the sexiest on Earth but girls, let’s be honest, we’ve all been through it.

Think about this:

Oh no! You have your period and only ONE tampon left! You will have to go out and buy a box. In France. In French.

Where? Which brand? How? That’s what we’ll see together.

Click to watch “How to buy towels and tampons in France”:

What about you?
Have you ever been short of one of these and needed to ask for one? How did you ask?
Any fun story to share? What differences did you notice with your own country?

Tell me in the comments how it went. Share your story so we can discuss in the comment area below the video.

Géraldine

Today’s episode of Comme une Française TV come from a question from Mickey. How to buy fish the Sunday Morning market in France. And mostly how to avoid having to take the scales, bones and guts YOURSELF in the kitchen. pouah.

Why? Because you didn’t know what to ask, to have it cleaned. Next time, you might not want to try again, and you’d end up buying frozen fish at the supermarket.

It’s ok to be scared to waste the fish merchant’s time trying to communicate and in the bargain annoying the customers standing in line behind you.

We’ve ALL been there.

Breathe.
Today, in Comme une Française TV, you’ll learn the exact phrase you need to buy fish for a delicious bouillabaisse. A Mexican cevice. Or barbecue.

Click to watch “How to buy fish at the market in France”:

What about you?
Have you ever bought fresh fish at the market?
Did the fish merchant prepare it for you? How did you ask for it? Or are you afraid to do it?

Tell me in the comments how it went. Share your story so we can discuss in the comment area below the video.

Géraldine

PS: Do you have burning questions you can’t solve in France? You can now hire me for private consulting by going here.

Last week, we talked about how frustrating it was to only be able to say « Oui » and « Non ». In English, you can answer yes, no and all that’s in between. In French, you feel like 5 year old.

So following last week’s episode of Comme une Française TV on « oui », you’ll discover 10 ways to nuance your « Non ».

Click to watch “How to say “non” in French”:
[video type="youtube" clip_id="8pkmWRfJlsI"]

What about you?
How do you say « non » when a simple « non » doesn’t fit the situation?
How do you say non politely/categorically/nicely?

[highlight type="light"]Tell me in the comments what nuances in English you can’t find in French?[/highlight]

Oh, by the way, if you missed last week video on « oui », click here to watch it now. I shared 10 ways to say « oui » in French.

Géraldine

PS: Do you have burning questions you can’t solve in France? You can now hire me for private consulting by going here.

Ca va? La forme?

Sometimes, when I record Comme une Française TV episode, I’m frustrated because I realise my English vocabulary is very limited. It makes my speech weaker as I can’t express nuances.

A bit like trying to paint La Joconde with your fingers…

You know this feeling of being like a 5 year old when you speak?
In English, when asked a question, you can answer yes, no… And everything that’s in the middle : Yes I’d love to. Not really. No way…
But in French, you lack these shades.

ARGH. SO frustrating. I feel this in English so I imagine you do too, in French.
Do you?

Want to have your own toolbox of “oui”?
Want to be say “Yes indeed” and “Oh yeah” in French?
Want to agree politely with your boss in French and enthusiastically to a friend?

Click to watch “10 kinds of Oui”:

What about you?
What nuances do you miss when you speak French?
Do you also feel like a 5 year old? What kind of vocabulary do you want to master in French?

Tell me in the comments how it went. Share your story so we can discuss in the comment area below the video.

If you are not yet a member, click to join the community on Comme une Française.com and leave your email to receive my weekly video tips to master unwritten society rules and speak Real-life French. It’s free!

Géraldine

PS: Do you have burning questions you can’t solve in France? You can now hire me for private consulting by going here.

Ca va super ?

Do you have a boyfriend? a partner? A husband? A wife?
Whether he’s (or SHE) French or not, it’s kind of useful to be able to include him in the conversation.

In English, you use “my husband” or “Michael”. But in French, you hear your friends using lots of other words.

How to use them without sounding vulgar? Is it ok for couples married? Or not married? Will you sound like a teenager with some of them? So many questions!

Here are your answers, with explanations. So you can use them. I’ll quickly cover women as well. (hi guys!)

Click to watch “How to talk about your husband in French”:

What about you?
What words do you use to talk about your partner in French?
Tell me in the comments how you talk about him depending on the situation: your neighbour, your friends…

Tell me in the comments how it went. Share your story so we can discuss in the comment area below the video.

If you are not yet a member, click to join the community on Comme une Française.com and leave your email to receive my weekly video tips to master unwritten society rules and speak Real-life French. It’s free!

Géraldine

PS: Do you have burning questions you can’t solve in France? You can now hire me for private consulting by going here.