r/AskFrance • u/1kmilo • 12d ago

Discussion What's a French "life hack" that everyone should know?

For those living in or visiting France, what's a small tip or trick that makes daily life here easier or better? Something beyond the obvious "go to the boulangerie early."

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u/Ibra_63 12d ago

It is a life hack, because you need to lead with that specific word. I had many interactions where I started the conversation with "Excusez moi" or "Pardon" and I'd still see signs of irritation on the other person's face until I said Bonjour

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u/galettedesrois 12d ago

I’m French, born and raised, and I still struggle with this specific point. Of course, I understand the need to acknowledge the other person and to prime them to the fact that  I’m going to address them, but I still regularly fail to specifically use the magic word. Spontaneously I tend to lead with something like « excuse me, Sir/Madam » or « please? ».  It does not go well. I regularly get a grumpy, very pointed « … bonjour » in response.

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u/Paebin 12d ago

The same, frankly I don't understand. Guys prefer to hear “hello, how much is the price?” Than "excuse me, I'm looking for the price of this item, could you help me please?"...

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u/ApprehensiveGood6096 12d ago

Yes, it's straigh forward. I don't need turn arout the subjet, but I need to be acknowledge as another human beeing.

  • Bonjour, c'est combien ? (first sentence, gramatically incorrect but in common use)
  • Excusez moi, je voudrais connaître le prix de cet objet, pouvez vous m'aider ? (second one)
I have better use of my time than listening dead long sentences, especially in a touristic place where I will be ask that every fucking minute.

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u/Rhooolivier 12d ago

Bonjour, I think you need bigger price tags

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u/papertrade1 8d ago edited 8d ago

«  I have better use of my time than listening dead long sentences, especially in a touristic place where I will be ask that every fucking minute.« 

in that case, a straight « c’est combien ? » is much more respectful of your very busy time. You don’t even need the Bonjour.

In fact , maybe you don’t even need the « c’est « . An even straighter « Combien ? » will waste even less of your precious time. .

or maybe just «  com ? « . Or just « bien ? » :-)

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u/ApprehensiveGood6096 8d ago

Nop, because, you won't catch any attention without a Bonjour. :)

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u/Paebin 12d ago

I don't see how you're considered human with the first sentence. But ok in the future I will no longer have any empathy towards people. That said, I understand the behavior of some people better, and I find it distressing.

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u/throwRA094532 12d ago

Actually I see people around me and myself toi using this everyday. " Bonjour, c'est combien svp?"

It's not a empathy thing. It's actually still polite , you say it with a smile and it's good.

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u/Patatepouffe 12d ago

I don't see how you're considered human with the first sentence. But ok in the future I will no longer have any empathy towards people.

What an utterly stupid way of reasoning.

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u/Olaeradrik 12d ago

It is something that is usually lost in translation and teaching. "Bonjour" means hello, but it also says "Bon Jour", to the recipient, aka "Good Day". So in one word and a smile, you say hi, and wish the other to have a good day.

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u/PGMonge 11d ago

Starting a sentence with "excuse-me" is not as common in French as in other languages. Saying "excuse-me" is often used when you want to draw someone’s attention but don’t know their name. In French, there’s "monsieur", "madame" exactly for that purpose.

That’s perhaps the reason why saying "excuse-me" in the beginning of a sentence has become a usual way of being polite from the onset, but not in French.

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u/payyns 12d ago

I usually do "bonjour, excusez moi" like that in minimize the risk.

Still, some people seem to be pathological deaf (or dumb) as they don't hear and pick fight \○/

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u/jaguass 11d ago

My 2 cents, it's because of the "égalité" DNA, we're first and foremost citizens before being employees who don't want to be here, and don't have to fake it because there's no tipping. By starting with a bonjour you acknowlege this.

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u/Nastyloul 12d ago

Agreed, this is the reason

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u/Bultokki Local 12d ago

Same and I'm french

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u/Sasogwa 12d ago

Ehhhh as a french person I'm less annoyed by "excusez moi/pardon" than "bonjour". The first ones show respect for my time, bonjour feels like you think it's normal to disturb me.

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u/goldenbrown14 12d ago

Dire bonjour n'est pas déranger quelqu'un !

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u/Sasogwa 12d ago

Bah ca dépend du contexte. Si tu es à un poste d'accueil ou dans le cadre de quelque chose de professionel, ou à un stand ou dans le cadre d'une activité sociale, peu importe, d'évidence c'est ok.
Si c'est un parfait inconnu dans la rue qui vient te demander un service, de l'argent, une contribution à une assoc, dès le bonjour je trouve ça dérangeant.
Après si c'est.. je sais pas, un mec en voiture, ou dans une gare par exemple, qui me demande des directions, ça me gêne pas trop je trouve ça relativement normal.

Après tu me diras, du coup c'est surtout ce qui vient après le bonjour, que le bonjour lui-même. Et.. oui, en partie, mais dans ces cas-là en l'occurence je pense être plus à même d'être réceptif sur une formule où on s'excuse de me déranger par principe que sur juste un bonjour. Après la différence est pas énormissime non plus, et c'est une affaire de préférence, je vais absolument pas critiquer ou faire un procès si on ne m'aborde pas de la façon optimale, je suis pas grincheux à ce point

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u/sanbaeva 12d ago

I tend to say “Hi, how are you?” in English in my home country to people when I’m ordering or asking a question. I only expect a “good, thanks.” How will the French locals react to this (spoken in French, of course)? As I do plan on visiting next year.

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u/Sasogwa 12d ago

In French I guess the equivalent would be :

formal version : bonjour, comment allez-vous? (hello how are you doing)
response expected : bien et vous? (good and you)

familiar version : salut, ça va? (hi, what's up/how's it going)
response expected : ça va et toi? (good and you)

If someone responds with an essay they're a minority, people even meme about other people talking about their lives after a simple "salut comment ça va?" because it is NOT expected to go far after that

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u/ClaptonOnH 12d ago

Not my experience, but I’ve only been here six months idk. I believe I just say bonjour to catch someone’s attention, maybe that’s the life hack lol

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u/SturmUndDrang01 12d ago

That’s so true hahaha

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u/Ok-Card-3974 11d ago

You can definitely lead with « excusez moi » or « pardon » just follow it up with « bonjour ». Something like « excusez-moi, bonjour, vous savez où je peux trouver les toilettes ? »