I'm not one to brag about my French language skills (let's face it, I'm still not fluent..) and yes, it's my fault that those skills are not undeniably incredible. However, one factor that contributes to this reality is the plain and simple (nerve-wrecking) feeling I get when I speak French to any French person: "hey Nadia, try NOT to butcher the language, because they will judge you, and you will go home crying"...Which leads me to tell you why I'm super excited for this post.
Many French people in Paris speak English. And most are pretty good at it. Others are passable but hey, I'm proud of them nonetheless. After being here for almost a year and haven spoke to French people in English, I can confidently say that no matter how fantastic their English is, French people will most likely make these mistakes. Just a foreword-- these are not meant to be grammatical mistakes, they are just words or expressions that French people use while speaking English because of translation issues. Normally, an English speaker will get the sense of what they are saying but it's still WRONG...(bitter? maybe..)
Anyway, let's go for it: (French mistakes in italics, English corrections in bold)
1) as you want: whatever/whatever you want.
For example, a conversation may go like this:
"Hello French friend, I'm hungry"
"Of course you are, you're American!"
.....
(just kidding)
"Would you like to make some food at home or go out?"
"As you want"
Now..that's very cute, but we don't say that.
2) joggings: sweatpants
No need for an example, joggings is not even a word. We GO jogging and we WEAR sweatpants.
3) doing sports: exercising/working out
For example:
"Wow, you lost weight! I think you may have broken a record and now wear a size -4!"
"Oh thank you, I have been doing sports"
This is the part where English speakers ask which sports (assuming they will answer with soccer, rugby, tennis, etc...) but the French usually mean working out, as in running, biking, weights, etc...
4) take away: take out
....I'll take you away if you don't start calling it take out
5) take a coffee: have/get a coffee
Example:
(around 2:00PM) "Hello French friend, I'm bored, what ever shall we do?"
"Let's go take a coffee?"
No. Let's say we did and don't
6) nearly: almost
Okay okay, this one isn't that bad because British people use it and I assume that the French learn British English..but it still sounds funny. And literally, every French person I've spoken to says "nearly" in place of "almost"....which Americans do not.
7) at/to yours: at/to your place
Example:
"Oh no French friend! I can't find my sunglasses!"
"I think you left them at yours"
MY WHAT?
8) propose: suggest
This one isn't bad either, but again, we don't propose plans for the day or ideas for dinner. We suggest them.
To any French readers out there, I meant no offense to your English skills. You've obviously studied very diligently (yeah look that word up) and have learned a lot. All I'm doing is helping out!
bisous: kisses
xoxox
I am Lebanese, and like you I have many pet peeves when Arabic-speaking or French-educated folks speak English. However, I have to take issue with you on "take out" and "take away."
ReplyDeleteIn the United States, food picked up at a restaurant and eaten elsewhere is takeout. In the U.K., the word is takeaway. Neither is right or wrong. It is simply a dialectal difference.
Canadian writers favor takeout, though takeaway appears occasionally in Canadian publications. Australians and New Zealanders use takeaway.
Both takeaway and takeout are one word when functioning as a noun (e.g., let’s get some takeout) or an adjective (e.g., let’s get some takeaway sushi). As verbs, the phrases take out and take away are two words.
Takeaway is sometimes pluralized—takeaways—to refer to multiple takeaway meals or establishments that sell takeaway food. Takeout is always singular; it’s a mass noun.