THE FRENCH TRANSCRIPTION CAN BE FOUND BELOW THE ENGLISH TRANSLATION

Hi everyone,

Welcome to “Learn French, Become Français” with Ruben! Welcome, almost-French speakers. Before we begin, I want to thank all my listeners, thank you!

The transcript for this episode is in the description.

Before we begin, I wanted to apologize, my nose is a little stuffy. I'm a little sick, so I'm talking through my nose... Talking through your nose is when you're sick and you talk like that. You literally talk through your “nose.”

In this episode, we'll first talk about the good habits of the French that you should adopt and imitate when you go to France. Then, we'll talk about the bad habits that some French people have that aren't very positive.

Are you ready? Let's go!

I returned to France a little over a month ago after spending more than a year and a half abroad in Asia and Australia. Returning to my country gave me a new perspective on gestures and habits that I found normal before I left. These mundane habits are much more noticeable when you've been to lots of places where they weren't. Where they weren't normal.

One obvious good habit that French people have is saying “bonjour” to everyone and anyone! I think you already knew that, but did you know that French people say bonjour absolutely everywhere!

Sometimes we say hello in the elevator, at the gym, on the street, in small villages, and even in the mountains, we greet each other! Recently, I went to the mountains near Spain with my dad, and all the hikers said hello to us! The only ones who didn't say “bonjour” were the Spanish hikers. I remember walking not far from Germany when I was little, and all the French hikers said hello, but not the German walkers or hikers. I think the French are champions of politeness, or at least we are champions of saying hello. So when you go to France, don't forget to say hello! And pause after saying “hello.” If you say, “Hello, I'd like a croissant, please,” it's a little rude. You should say, “Hello, I'd like a croissant, please!”

A second good habit that French people have, which is a little less obvious, is to always let pedestrians cross at crosswalks! Crossing the street at a crosswalk in Asia or Australia is always a challenge! Sometimes you have to wait a really long time, or it can be a little dangerous. Yeah, it's very complicated to be a pedestrian in many countries in this region. Of course, there are exceptions, such as Japan and Hong Kong, where it's a little easier. Maybe you think that letting pedestrians cross at crosswalks is nothing special because people do it in your country too! But in fact, in France, it's a step above, it's even more than elsewhere. French drivers let pedestrians cross even before pedestrians wave to them. In fact, you always slow down at a crosswalk if you see that someone might be about to cross. If the pedestrian starts to step onto the crosswalk, the driver must stop. It's mandatory, compulsory. If the driver doesn't do so, the police could give them a fine that they have to pay to the government, which costs 135 euros. In addition to the €135 fine, the driver faces more serious consequences, but I'll explain that in a future episode.

In short, if you rent a car, let all pedestrians cross at crosswalks, and you'll see, they'll wave and thank you!

A third good habit, which is a little more subjective I think, is not to talk loudly! In many Asian countries, especially China and Vietnam, people talk quite loudly! The French generally try not to talk loudly in public places such as restaurants, cinemas, or doctors' waiting rooms, for example. If someone speaks loudly, other people will notice and often give them dirty looks, that is, look at them with an annoyed or irritated expression.

Do you think French drivers stop at crosswalks because they are nice or because they don't want to pay a 135 euro fine?

Anyway! Let's move on to the bad habits that some French people have in public spaces.

The French don't usually throw their trash on the ground; they usually throw it in the trash can, which is a good habit. It's extremely rare to see a French person throw trash on the ground, except for cigarette butts! Cigarette butts are what's left of a cigarette after it's been smoked. It's extremely common to see French people throwing them on the ground in the street. However, throwing a cigarette butt on the ground is punishable by a fine of €135, just like not letting a pedestrian cross at a crosswalk. It is said that a cigarette butt pollutes 1,000 liters of water, so if you come to France and you smoke, please throw your cigarette butts in the trash! Thank you!

A second bad habit that some French people have is not picking up after their dogs. Normally, when you own a dog in France, you have to walk it on a leash (a leash is a bit like a rope, and the dog can walk at the end of the leash, at the end of the rope) and pick up its waste (poop) from the ground so that pedestrians don't step in it. If a pedestrian steps in it, it can dirty their shoes, especially if they are white. Imagine you're going to an important appointment, such as a job interview for a new job, and you step in dog poop with your white shoes, let's say your Nike Air Force 1s. I think after that, you won't be too motivated for your job interview. I believe that the majority of pet dog owners pick up after their dogs, but some don't. One day, I saw someone walk away without picking up after their dog had pooped on the sidewalk, where pedestrians walk. I politely asked him to pick it up, but the man immediately got angry and wanted to hit me. This kind of person is very rare, but you still have to be careful; not everyone in France is nice.

A third bad habit, which is a little more subjective, is that French people rarely smile. In fact, French people smile a little more in the south of France than in the north. But in general, French people don't smile much. In some countries, people don't say hello, they smile. In France, it's the opposite: people say hello, but they don't smile. People on the street often seem cold and closed off just because they don't smile. I miss the warm smiles of Indonesians, Vietnamese, and Cambodians now that I'm in France.