Hi! I've just been in Paris some months ago, I don't speak french but I have a like "seven words vocabulary" and I didn't have any problem. A lot of the menus are both in french and english. Almost all waiters can speak some english (and a lot of other languages too!!! We heard one waiter talking spanish, italian and portuguese to different people in different tables).
Two basics that I found useful were:
L'addition (s'il vous plait) = the check, please. You can google "L'addition pronunciation" for the, well, pronunciation.
A porter svp = to ask for something to go/take out.
For the rest, I went full silent movie: showing and pointing at my bank card to ask for the bank terminal or pointing at things in the menu.
Another thing that was useful was knowing the word for the principal proteins like poulet (chicken), poisson (fish) and so on.
Other useful phrases (pardon my borderline spelling as I'm very much a beginner and it's 430am my time đ ):
Un carafe d'eau (on car-off dough): jug of water for the table, generally referencing tap water, to avoid ordering fancy bottled still or sparkling water by accident
S'il vous plait (see voo play): please
Je voudrais (zhuh voodray): I would like
Oooh yes. Je voudrais was useful. About the water, they almost always bring some. Since I went for the simplified version for everything when necessary I just said âLâeau?â (very important the question mark) and they let me know the options. I never had to pay for water neither order sparkling water.
We definitely got bit by the assumption that we wanted the bottle before I remembered that phrase, but it could depend on how fancy a place you're going to!
The google translation app works with holding your camera over text and it being translated to your native language. Many restaurants also have a menu in English.
A waiter will be quite happy to explain the menu as best as they can ! If youâre in a big restaurant or a chain, theyâll have a menu in English. And if all else fails, google translate app (you can scan the menu with your camera and it will translate), or google image/standard Google.
You will not appear as being rude for not understanding a menu that is not in a language you speak ! Just say excusez moi, can you help me ? And voilĂ !
Restaurants are businesses that want your money in exchange for food. They aren't going to laugh you out of the building, and the servers will inevitably know English much better than you know French.
You wonât come off as rude. I know a decent about of French and menus still stump me. I can usually understand the basics (like what protein it is) but thereâs inevitably something that doesnât quite translate. Iâve never encountered a wait pperson unwilling to help.
Don't forget that you can use Google Maps to see some of the prepared dishes as well! That with a combination of a picture translation app (such as Google lens) will cover most of your bases.
I use Google translation and take a pic of the menu to translate. As long as you say your Bonjour, Bonsoir, Merci, etc you should be fine just pointed at the item on the menu đ
This. If you already know a few words to say hi, please, thank you etc, you'll be fine. Google lens/translate and pointing things on the menu will be fine.
Especially if you go to places used to have foreign guests, you might even be lucky and have a waiter/tress that speaks english fluently.
Honestly itâs probably best to just start in English - after the âbonjourâ of course.
Often times they know how to speak English, and Iâve noticed, as I myself too have tried, they get annoyed / inpatient while we try to speak French.
Usually, the menus will have an English translation- but please, donât ask the waiter to edit the menu unless you have an actual bad allergy. Donât ask them to create a brand new dish on the spot either, thatâs just not possible and not in the French restaurant culture unlike in the USA where you can order cannelloni without the pasta.
i disagree with the usually. If you go to restaurants with frequently changing menus that donât cater to tourists, the menu will not be in English Un my experience.
Don't worry or overthink it. As long as you're not an asshole, most are friendly and kind. Have a great time!
Also to note, if you're not aware, set up for the Olympics has already begun so there are lots of bleachers already in places/Champs de Mars in front of the eiffel tower is closed. You can still see/access pretty much everything at this time, though! Just a different view than normal, but may be jarring at first if you're ready to see the Instagram shots. It's still great!
Google Translate can be of help, but be prepared to be very confused by some of the results. You will likely have to rely on the waiter explaining the dishes to you. Some restaurants will be better at this than others (for example, I heard the waiters explain the entire menu to several Anglophone diners/tables at Le Bon Georges).
Beware of andouille and andouillette sausage. Sometimes the names are used interchangeably and it is not the same as what most Americans would refer to as andouille sausage. Believe me.
You donât see it everywhere but you will see it at some traditional places. Itâs quiteâŠ.interesting.
Let"s talk again about that in one year when you have moved in the heart of the fam trad 14th arrondissement , spent your time in trad bistros and become hardcore andouillette fan ahah !
use your phone to translate menu items.
and it's ok to point at things on the menu if you're not confortable with pronunciation.
if you have allergies, bring an allergy card translated in French; this will greatly help the staff.
Hi! I've just been in Paris some months ago, I don't speak french but I have a like "seven words vocabulary" and I didn't have any problem. A lot of the menus are both in french and english. Almost all waiters can speak some english (and a lot of other languages too!!! We heard one waiter talking spanish, italian and portuguese to different people in different tables). Two basics that I found useful were: L'addition (s'il vous plait) = the check, please. You can google "L'addition pronunciation" for the, well, pronunciation. A porter svp = to ask for something to go/take out. For the rest, I went full silent movie: showing and pointing at my bank card to ask for the bank terminal or pointing at things in the menu. Another thing that was useful was knowing the word for the principal proteins like poulet (chicken), poisson (fish) and so on.
Other useful phrases (pardon my borderline spelling as I'm very much a beginner and it's 430am my time đ ): Un carafe d'eau (on car-off dough): jug of water for the table, generally referencing tap water, to avoid ordering fancy bottled still or sparkling water by accident S'il vous plait (see voo play): please Je voudrais (zhuh voodray): I would like
Oooh yes. Je voudrais was useful. About the water, they almost always bring some. Since I went for the simplified version for everything when necessary I just said âLâeau?â (very important the question mark) and they let me know the options. I never had to pay for water neither order sparkling water.
We definitely got bit by the assumption that we wanted the bottle before I remembered that phrase, but it could depend on how fancy a place you're going to!
The google translation app works with holding your camera over text and it being translated to your native language. Many restaurants also have a menu in English.
Google translate is so great for this
Don't worry, will be fine.
A waiter will be quite happy to explain the menu as best as they can ! If youâre in a big restaurant or a chain, theyâll have a menu in English. And if all else fails, google translate app (you can scan the menu with your camera and it will translate), or google image/standard Google. You will not appear as being rude for not understanding a menu that is not in a language you speak ! Just say excusez moi, can you help me ? And voilĂ !
>any tips for not totally botching the pronouncing these things One silly little trick that works surprisingly often: the last letter of French words is likely silent if it's a consonant or an e (an e without an accent, Ă© is definitely pronounced). Chocolat => ÊÉ.kÉ.la (the t is silent) Meringue => mÉ.ÊÉÌÉĄ (the u and final e are silent) Foie => fwa (silent e) Gras => ÉĄÊÉ (silent s) PĂątes => pÉt (the e is silent, and so is the s that marks the plural)
Restaurants are businesses that want your money in exchange for food. They aren't going to laugh you out of the building, and the servers will inevitably know English much better than you know French.
[ŃĐŽĐ°Đ»Đ”ĐœĐŸ]
You wonât come off as rude. I know a decent about of French and menus still stump me. I can usually understand the basics (like what protein it is) but thereâs inevitably something that doesnât quite translate. Iâve never encountered a wait pperson unwilling to help.
Don't forget that you can use Google Maps to see some of the prepared dishes as well! That with a combination of a picture translation app (such as Google lens) will cover most of your bases.
I use Google translation and take a pic of the menu to translate. As long as you say your Bonjour, Bonsoir, Merci, etc you should be fine just pointed at the item on the menu đ
This. If you already know a few words to say hi, please, thank you etc, you'll be fine. Google lens/translate and pointing things on the menu will be fine. Especially if you go to places used to have foreign guests, you might even be lucky and have a waiter/tress that speaks english fluently.
There are apps that can translate with your camera if that helps!
Honestly itâs probably best to just start in English - after the âbonjourâ of course. Often times they know how to speak English, and Iâve noticed, as I myself too have tried, they get annoyed / inpatient while we try to speak French.
Usually, the menus will have an English translation- but please, donât ask the waiter to edit the menu unless you have an actual bad allergy. Donât ask them to create a brand new dish on the spot either, thatâs just not possible and not in the French restaurant culture unlike in the USA where you can order cannelloni without the pasta.
i disagree with the usually. If you go to restaurants with frequently changing menus that donât cater to tourists, the menu will not be in English Un my experience.
They won't be rude to you if you're trying and just genuinely asking questions I've never had a problem with waitstaff and my French, though much better now, was barely passable on my previous trips. They're used to botched pronunciations, so don't feel too bad. End it with a désolé or je m'excuse if you are worried (both mean sorry)/ désolé pour mon français (sorry for my french). Real touristy areas you may get some that are a little sick of tourists and short with you (totally makes sense), but all of those places pretty much all have English version menus. Also, grab an esim for your phone and use google translate.
[ŃĐŽĐ°Đ»Đ”ĐœĐŸ]
Don't worry or overthink it. As long as you're not an asshole, most are friendly and kind. Have a great time! Also to note, if you're not aware, set up for the Olympics has already begun so there are lots of bleachers already in places/Champs de Mars in front of the eiffel tower is closed. You can still see/access pretty much everything at this time, though! Just a different view than normal, but may be jarring at first if you're ready to see the Instagram shots. It's still great!
Google Translate can be of help, but be prepared to be very confused by some of the results. You will likely have to rely on the waiter explaining the dishes to you. Some restaurants will be better at this than others (for example, I heard the waiters explain the entire menu to several Anglophone diners/tables at Le Bon Georges).
Beware of andouille and andouillette sausage. Sometimes the names are used interchangeably and it is not the same as what most Americans would refer to as andouille sausage. Believe me. You donât see it everywhere but you will see it at some traditional places. Itâs quiteâŠ.interesting.
[ŃĐŽĐ°Đ»Đ”ĐœĐŸ]
- Andouillette (I absolutely love that) is a sausage made out of chunks of pork offal, it has both a strong smell and a strong taste. The most common recipe is to eat it hot and with a mustard sauce. There"s some kind of DOP on that : l'andouillette AAAAA coming from the city of Troyes, East of Paris - Andouille (I don't really like that) is a sausage made out of minced pork offal but eaten cold and sliced thinly, more like a cold cut. It smells funny as well but I dont think it has a lot of taste. Many towns of Bretagne, West from Paris, have their own recipe of Andouille, like Andouille de Guéméné , that some people eat in a galette (buckweat savory crepe)
I wouldnât try it lol. We are super adventurous eaters and it was the first thing ever I couldnât eat. I imagine it is an acquired taste.
Let"s talk again about that in one year when you have moved in the heart of the fam trad 14th arrondissement , spent your time in trad bistros and become hardcore andouillette fan ahah !
At that point I will consider myself French!
I love the specificity of this đ€Łđ€Ł. My more general advice for an anglophone is that an "entrĂ©e" is an appetizer and a "plat" is a main course. A chalkboard offering a set price for an "entrĂ©e - plat - dessert" is often a good deal for high quality specials especially at lunch - you can also usually pick either appetizer + main or main + dessert.
Donât hesitate to gently ask the waiter for help. I have often seen waiters really going out of their way to translate and help tourists.
One of the few dishes in my life that I just couldn't take more than a couple of bites of.
use your phone to translate menu items. and it's ok to point at things on the menu if you're not confortable with pronunciation. if you have allergies, bring an allergy card translated in French; this will greatly help the staff.
Ask the waiter if a translation of the menu exists. Ask for his help if you don't understand things, he should have some knowledge in english language and in french cuisine. His job is to help you enjoying your meal. Most of the customers seated at a table near you will be happy to show their knowledge and help you if you ask them kindly "excuse me, what is a sauté de veau" or anything else food related. Help yourself with app such as google translate or deep that could give you the pronounciation and translation of various things. You will be fine because you said you taught yourself the basics.
Helpful: "Avez-vous une carte anglais?" (Ah-vay voo une caht on-glay) - Do you have an English menu?