HOW EMBARRASSING! My Embarrassing Stories as an Expat in Paris

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  • Опубліковано 10 вер 2024
  • What is it like to live in France as an expat? Well, full of embarrassing moments for one! It's natural that when you are learning to navigate the French culture and the French language, you're going to put your foot in it from time to time! Feel free to laugh out loud at my embarrassing moments in France, I did!
    From embarrassing mistakes to make in French to French culture blunders and social faux pas, humiliating yourself just part of the downsides when weighing up the pros and cons of living in France. Your embarrassing stories soon make up part of your collection!
    But hey, life in Paris and the big move to Paris would have never been the same for this expatrié without it! Enjoy these dos and don'ts of the French culture at my expense!! Faux pas is a French word after all right?! How Embarrassing!
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КОМЕНТАРІ • 461

  • @chloe147
    @chloe147 6 років тому +187

    You just can’t avoid these embarrassing moments. I’m french in the US. My biggest one was while at the Chicago zoo with a friend. Obviously surrounded by kids. We were talking about our choice of careers, and I wanted to ask him: what would your parents say if you had chosen a manual labor. But instead I said: what would your parents have said if you had chosen a hand job... (métier manuel)
    one can imagine my friend, looking at me, like WTF did you just say, seeing that I was clueless and then crack up.

  • @CounterCultureCantCount
    @CounterCultureCantCount 6 років тому +41

    "Does every single word in France have the potential to become a sexual connotation ?"
    The answer is yes, which aside from making French awesome, is the reason why we're so naturally talented with bathroom humor.

  • @MrClockworkHeart
    @MrClockworkHeart 6 років тому +39

    As a french person, I found "Jambe noire" one hilarious! As much as you felt embarassed in these kind of situations, know that even tho people might laugh, it's more of a friendly laugh than anything else. In the sense that people would most likely find it cute rather than ridiculous, knowing that you're trying your best to learn and speak french. Keep up your work! Loving it.

  • @CurlyAndNerdy101
    @CurlyAndNerdy101 6 років тому +20

    Haha! This story is actually the other way around. My French boyfriend was in Australia. To this day he still comes across as a bit of an aloof asshole in Australia just because of his Parisian upbringing, but there were some moments when I just wanted to whack him upside the head.
    We were getting groceries at Woolies, and when we got to the lovely, warm looking cashier, she started asking us how our day was in the most friendly and motherly way possible. My boyfriend looked up, completely startled, and asked, "Why are you talking to me?"
    I quickly apologised and explained to the lady when we left.
    It took a LOT of explaining to my bf that people here are just more friendly and it's polite to have conversations as opposed to ignoring people. He still doesn't quite get it and insists that I would be the most easiest person to kidnap, but he accepts it.

    • @pagethreemodel
      @pagethreemodel 6 років тому +7

      CurlyAndNerdy101 lmao @ 'why are you talking to me?' That's cold blooded.

    • @CurlyAndNerdy101
      @CurlyAndNerdy101 6 років тому +3

      He is like that with MANY things in life, but I piss him off by being the bubbliest and give it right back to him :)

  • @attrapehareng
    @attrapehareng 6 років тому +134

    A foreign colleague (woman) was at the office and went to see her boss (she had two) and they were both in the office when she entered, she already greeted one that day but not the other so she smiled at him and said "Salut, ça va? On a pas encore baiser aujourd'hui!!" She obviously wanted to say that they haven't kissed on the cheek yet today... but that's not what she said means! Her two boss started laughing but didn't told her what she actually said, so when she came out of the office she went to her other colleagues and explained what happen bc she didn't understood why they laughed. The whole office had a nice laugh that day!

    • @Annlucyful
      @Annlucyful 6 років тому +2

      Haha

    • @loloverlord1664
      @loloverlord1664 6 років тому +36

      For those who may ask: "On n'a pas encore baisé aujourd'hui!" litteraly means: "We haven't fucked already today!"... She tried to say "We haven't kissed today", but in french the word "baiser" can mean "a kiss" or the verb "fuck" depending on the context... Yeah, we're perverts.

    • @RazmOnnen
      @RazmOnnen 6 років тому +3

      we never really use the word baiser to mean a kiss anymore either, i think 'un bisou' has almost completely replaced that word. at least i never hear baiser to mean anything other than having sex, except from older people.

    • @arixfurette7310
      @arixfurette7310 6 років тому +6

      we actually says "embrasser" with people that aren't close to you (that used to mean hugging, but it has now other meaning: - to kiss (like a love) -to "faire la bise" (a way to greet women or close friend, touching the cheek of the other with yours (some people does the kiss sound, as a tradition)

    • @holkangel
      @holkangel 6 років тому +4

      I have had such a hard time understanding the difference between bisous, baiser, embrasser!! What an enlightening thread! It very much reminds me of when I was little and could not find out if "oral" or "prophylactic" were dirty words or not.

  • @jakou31
    @jakou31 6 років тому +106

    I'm French and diying of laught 😂
    My favourite ones are "j'etais bloqué dans un gros cul" et "nous sommes très gourmande 😉"
    LMFAO 😂

  • @esterellefrancois144
    @esterellefrancois144 5 років тому +24

    A foreign friend told me last week that she loves "le sumo à poil" (naked sumo) instead of "le saumon à la poêle" (salmon cooked in a pan). That reminded me of this video. And I'm still laughing...

  • @simonbienvenu527
    @simonbienvenu527 6 років тому +101

    Jean-Benoît -> Jambe noire excellent ahahah

    • @thierryf67
      @thierryf67 6 років тому +1

      you forgot the terminal "r"... yes, it's not strongly heared in french, but need to be there. That's make the difference !

    • @LivieCaroline
      @LivieCaroline 6 років тому +8

      Rosie, blame Jean Benoit's parents, not yourself, it's not easy to have this name 😂😂

  • @ameliemelo92
    @ameliemelo92 6 років тому +36

    In the uk I wanted to say how I love salmon but instead of pronouncing salmon I said semen (sperm), my co workers and my boss could not stop laughing.

    • @cmolodiets
      @cmolodiets 6 років тому +1

      semen is pronouced like seaman anyway

    • @ameliemelo92
      @ameliemelo92 6 років тому +1

      cmolodiets I know I told them they were the pervert and not me hahha

  • @dollszee4942
    @dollszee4942 6 років тому +27

    You have no idea how much I laughed at “I’m replacing Miss Arsehole”! 😂🤣

  • @0MrJesus0
    @0MrJesus0 6 років тому +9

    I get you. As a frenchman, in a vocabulary test in english, for the word "stage" (internship), I responded "Training intercourse". I don't know why. But my english teacher laughed pretty hard !

  • @Cocoytb-24
    @Cocoytb-24 6 років тому +98

    Oh mon dieu l'histoire du saucisson... Tu bossais pas dans un environnement très tolérant aussi ;) Le pire que j'ai fait c'est dire à un élève (j'étais prof de français en angleterre) "CAN YOU FOCUS please" but of course my pronunciation was "fuck us" he laughed at me for 10minutes haha

  • @Heimdall409
    @Heimdall409 6 років тому +27

    When I was in Brighton for a language course, on the first days I would try to "'faire la bise" to my female classmates because it seemed natural to me, but one time I saw a look of pure horror in the eyes of one of them... That felt really embrassing because it felt like I had done something reaaaaaally inappropriate.

    • @toged8279
      @toged8279 6 років тому +2

      It happened exactly the same thing to me in a boarding school in england xD

    • @francois-louiscautel4392
      @francois-louiscautel4392 6 років тому +1

      Same for me !

    • @Nalojuntu
      @Nalojuntu 6 років тому +3

      Maybe I'm strange but I'm a french guy and I can relate to British people feeling kissing too intimate.
      Somehow, we have a double standard in France : we handshake between mens and everybody cheek-kisses women.
      But it's getting to the face of the other person, it's really close to the mouths. And call me crazy but I've always felt like it was kinda "forcing to get pleasure out women's cheeks" - and that's not because girls would push me away : that's me who'd rather not go for this.
      Be sure I don't like it because I'm a creeeeeeepyyy virrrrgin dude living in my mom's basement !!! 😂😂😂
      Ah ! Can't be helped !! Mdrrrr 😉😄

  • @kickaha9843
    @kickaha9843 6 років тому +15

    Hello. I'm french so sorry for my English. I am touched by your videos because you like frenchs and France. You speack about faults and qualities, but always with kindness and respect. Thank you, because today many peoples critics constantly the french customs and the french story. Thank you very much for that.

    • @kickaha9843
      @kickaha9843 6 років тому +2

      PS : and thank you for the traductions !

    • @kickaha9843
      @kickaha9843 6 років тому +1

      PPS : if you come in the South of France (Var), you can to eat in my house with your boyfriend and have good holidays. At home is the countryside, people are simple and naturel ;)

  •  6 років тому +48

    Hahaha omg I died with Miss Connard! I can totally relate to the boot problem unfortunately.

    • @PainterVierax
      @PainterVierax 6 років тому +1

      The boots shape is very weird because it's not asia. France is very multi-ethnic and it's one of the top ten country to have obesity problem so there are a lot of diversity in morphologies. So you rarely encounter this problem except in the luxury shops that think twiggy is the standard or if you really are a plus-sized woman (but that is slowly changing).

  • @Wander_and_flow
    @Wander_and_flow 6 років тому +16

    I’m sorry you had those experiences but this had me cracking up so bad, especially the first one! I’m married to a Peruvian, and earlier on in my Spanish studies, I accidentally wished my father-in-law a Happy New Anus instead of Happy New Year and told my mother-in-law I was trying not to eat food with condoms (meaning to say preservatives). Live and learn!

  • @nattr612
    @nattr612 6 років тому +9

    OMG I loved this!! Normally "screwing up" in UA-cam means silly, ordinary things. But THIS! Honestly you've gave me so much encouragement and now know that this things do happen to everyone ❤️

  • @iysg7543
    @iysg7543 6 років тому +15

    Saucisson is really that typical peasant food here in France lol, something you'd eat at home or in your backyard in general. I'm sure those classy people like saucisson too but in secret ;)

    • @Coleaubo
      @Coleaubo 5 років тому +4

      I wonder why they served it if it was so low class? Like serving a hotdog at a fancy party and then looking down on whoever eats it. Don’t serve it!😂

  • @chachou1514
    @chachou1514 6 років тому +22

    I have a good one ! So my mom is american, has been living in France for 30 years, where I was born and raised. So one day she was really mad at me, I was about 15 years old, she started scolding me. And the more she went on, the angrier she got. At some point she yeld "TU DEPASSES VRAIMENT LES BURNES" and at that moment I just burst out laughing, which made her even angrier. So yeah, even after 30 years in France she still does things like this on regular bassis, pour le grand plaisir de mon père et moi !

    • @leylabakan3075
      @leylabakan3075 6 років тому +8

      and people like me who know no french did not understand a single thing.

    • @Jaude
      @Jaude 6 років тому +12

      Adem Oglu her mother try to say "tu dépasse les bornes" what means "you exceed the limits" but instead she said "tu dépasses les burnes" what mean " you exceed the balls" ( sorry for the mistake )

    • @giovanna722
      @giovanna722 5 років тому

      @@Jaude Thanks for the translation :)

  • @DanicaChristin
    @DanicaChristin 6 років тому +33

    Omg 😂😂😂😂
    I wonder how many times I have unknowingly embarrassed myself in French 🤔😁
    Big yes to a part 2 video as you're saying there are more stories 😁👍

    • @DanicaChristin
      @DanicaChristin 6 років тому +2

      Not Even French that's fair enough. French is definitely a tough language and it's easy to make mistakes 😶

  • @sarahtissot3698
    @sarahtissot3698 5 років тому +3

    Swiss-French Expat in the U.S.. Rosie, I so love your videos!
    So one of my first jobs here in the U.S. was as a French teacher in a private Catholic High School, and come their first exam, and I tell them they need to take out supplies to take their test, that they need to clear their desk and that the only items that will be allowed for the exam are a pencil and a rubber! THey all start laughing and I can't understand why!
    Yeah... I was not aware of the meaning of "rubber" in America, my English teachers in Switzerland were British, and I learned the word "rubber" as "eraser". Oooops.... and in front of a class in a religious school no less.
    Apparently work is the one place where embarrassment is endless, so not long after, we were reading a text from Senegal and I was explaining to my students that it was a folkloric tale for children in Africa. So I tell them "This story is a tale for African kids".... and my students made this horrified face and I couldn't understand why. Turns out that as a non-native I never knew where to stress the syllables correctly on long words in English, and I stressed the wrong syllable and pronounced it " a-FRI- can kids" instead of "A-fri-can-kids" with the stress on the first A.
    So what my students heard was me saying ""This is a story for freakin' kids!" Ouch!

    • @noefillon1749
      @noefillon1749 3 роки тому

      So what does rubber mean in the US ?

    • @elipotter369
      @elipotter369 3 роки тому

      @@noefillon1749 in some countries, it means condom.

    • @noefillon1749
      @noefillon1749 3 роки тому +1

      @@elipotter369 oh ! I understand better now.

  • @Jcrams
    @Jcrams 6 років тому +10

    Haha, joining you in the cul/queue confusion!! I was at a party a few weeks ago and there was a guy waiting for the toilet, and I walked up and said to him "t'es là pour le cul?"...He didn't quite know how to respond!!
    I now get so confused that I just say "file d'attente" every time :)

  • @sigh47
    @sigh47 6 років тому +83

    saucisson: cheap and yummy= not classy.
    oysters: expensive and gross= classy.
    that's how it goes.

    • @boutineaulouis2838
      @boutineaulouis2838 6 років тому +1

      Yes of course but I'm sure this time it was a real huge saucisson !!

    • @AlainNaigeon
      @AlainNaigeon 6 років тому +3

      Where are you living ? Here in the east of France oysters might be a little expensive at some moments of the year, but on the coasts they are not, not at all.

    • @christianbarnay2499
      @christianbarnay2499 6 років тому +4

      Any food item can be prepared and served either the cheap way or the fancy/expensive way.
      Very often the expensive way is tastier and rich people can brag about it.
      But with saucisson it's a completely different story. Saucisson is so perfect that the only way to deal with it is the cheap way. Any other treatment would ruin it.

  • @RikyuMntRl
    @RikyuMntRl 6 років тому +145

    Le saucisson c'est la vie !

    • @sophiemolard4985
      @sophiemolard4985 6 років тому +7

      Tout est bon dans le cochon!!!!!!!

    • @cacahouetteuh
      @cacahouetteuh 6 років тому +3

      Ah, je crois deviner que vous avez donc essayé l'andouillette? ^^

    • @octopuscpl9187
      @octopuscpl9187 6 років тому

      Psy bonsoir ! Je le pense aussi ! (Perso j'adore ! )😂🐙😂

    • @pierrotdu53
      @pierrotdu53 6 років тому +1

      et la mort...d'un cochon" accessoirement"

  • @Elenitalovesit
    @Elenitalovesit 5 років тому +4

    Rosie you actually made me laugh out loud for the first time watching UA-cam with your "ass story". Thank you for that! I love the way you relate your stories :)

  • @touptiboudchou
    @touptiboudchou 6 років тому +8

    ahaha ! you are so hilarious ! don't worry the French embarrass themselves majorly living abroad as well. I will never get over the time my former boss said to a (lady) business partner on the phone that he "was hard". And he kept repeating it .. He actually meant he was "tough", as in "a tough" negotiator ! and another time he asked a (lady) colleague if she needed his magic fingers ... because her fingerprint wasn't working to get through the office's door ! Maybe it is the French in me that see a very sexual connotation here ... but really just thinking about it I burst out laughing !

  • @clemteff6476
    @clemteff6476 5 років тому +2

    I'm super late but that reminds me of an erasmus student I met during my first year of college, one day we decided to go and buy pizza. When we arrive to the place, she wants to ask whether the food countains preservatives, so she asks the guy ''est ce qu'il y a des préservatifs à l'intérieur ?'' (are there condoms inside)
    THE LOOK HE GAVE US, I'm still dying every time I remember that moment, the poor girl was so embarassed x))))

  • @ahoj7720
    @ahoj7720 6 років тому +8

    I remember in the US an ATM that translated in French the instruction "Enter your PIN" by "Entrez votre PIN"... The ATM didn't seem embarrassed, though! (In French, ATM = guichet automatique de banque)

    • @christianbarnay2499
      @christianbarnay2499 6 років тому +1

      At least it's less painful than "Tapez votre PIN"

    • @dfpCMH
      @dfpCMH 5 років тому

      déjà vu Entrez votre broche à Londres

    • @lijohnyoutube101
      @lijohnyoutube101 4 роки тому +1

      This needs more explanation, as a native English speaker this one lost me ...

  • @dglavin96
    @dglavin96 6 років тому +5

    Well done, as always, and very funny. I heard a tip somewhere along the line that the pronunciation of “queue” in French is essentially the same as “que.” This now comes in to my head every time I say “queue.” Hope it helps you. Keep the videos coming!

  • @stormz4040
    @stormz4040 6 років тому +9

    Funny video! 😂😂 (I'm French btw)
    Some French people like "sexual" jokes. So, when somebody says something 'ambiguous', they tend to interpret that as a sexual thing.
    Most of the native English speakers that learn French often don't know that the meaning of a sentence changes depending on whether you use the verb AVOIR (to have) or ETRE (to be). For example, "Je suis chaud" is mostly interpreted as something sexual ; it means "I'm horny". Sometimes it also can mean "I'm impatient (to do something)". It depends on the context, but generally has a sexual connotation.
    Another example. If you say "J'ai fini" (verb 'to have') it means "I finished (what I was doing)". But if you say "Je suis fini" (verb 'to be'), it means that you're about to die or you realize you have no future in your life (you're about to lose your job/wife/etc and become a homeless, etc).
    English people learning French shouldn't worry about making mistakes. People will not be mad at them. They know that French is not their mother tongue and that it's not easy to learn another language. Making mistakes is important to improve.
    (Sorry for my bad English ^^)

  • @elsafridl7437
    @elsafridl7437 4 роки тому +1

    Thanks for your stories! I have 2 stories I can think of. First, when I accidentally said "Bonsoir!" at 10 AM. The look on the French woman's face was priceless. During that same visit to France, I was staying in a hostel with a kitchen that we had access to. I went in and burped from my gazeuse. I said "Excuse me" in a low tone of voice because my mother taught me to always say it, since you never know who's around. Well, a chambre maid was close by, and she came in wide-eyed, looking for the mysterious person I was speaking to. I tried to tell her what my mother said, but I don't think she got it. I had a really good laugh, though. :)

  • @mamaoudi15
    @mamaoudi15 6 років тому +12

    That was so funny ! especially the "queue" story haha.
    I think we want more !

    • @margotlucet1763
      @margotlucet1763 6 років тому +1

      Actually, I'm not sure that it would have been better to say it right, because "queue" is also slang for pe*is, sooooo "une énorme queue" would have been even more awkward :'D

    • @PainterVierax
      @PainterVierax 6 років тому +1

      Adding context would certainly avoid the confusion. But it may not stop people mocking the mispronunciation if they are childish or too ethnocentric (average people especially around Paris likes to mock other accents because the one they have is over-represented in national medias).

  • @gaeldelomenie8003
    @gaeldelomenie8003 6 років тому +14

    my girlfriend is american and is learning french, i'm doing my best to help her but thoes akward missuse of some words always make me laugh. it actually made me realise, as you said, that many french words are doubled with dirty meanings...

    • @gaeldelomenie8003
      @gaeldelomenie8003 6 років тому +2

      haha! well, that's embarasing... i am now living in china, learning chinese, wich make me realise how much culture and language are related and influence each other. so i guess it is true for us french to. not so romantic after all...

    • @elthairselanim9177
      @elthairselanim9177 6 років тому

      Quite funny one. One thing that you never ever talk about in your videos ;)

    • @sylvainm7822
      @sylvainm7822 6 років тому +3

      EXACTLY !!! Thats why I'm convienced that's the reason why French is a very complicated language. Indeed very single word may have totally different meaning depending on the situation, on how the sentence is build... (C'est tout son charme). As a Frenchy I LOOOOVE using allusion when I speak so only my friends can really undersood what I'm thinking at the moment. And yes in french you can find dirty meanings everywhere !!

    • @PainterVierax
      @PainterVierax 6 років тому +1

      I guess those sexual allusions are an effect or a cause of the fact that in France we don't openly talk about our sexuality. French American dialects seems to have less synonyms and less sexual (or poetic) metaphors. Communication is not so ambiguous or flirty (so-called "romantic") and more straight to the point like in Anglo-Saxon or Germanic cultures. Bretons are a bit like that too.

  • @candytwiggytwist3506
    @candytwiggytwist3506 6 років тому +28

    Yeh, these are the stories for others to laugh at :); so embarrassing when you live it. My worst was when I said to the taxi driver: "Vous pouvez me descendre ici", which actually means: you can MurdeR me here. I'm still in trauma :DD

    • @shinkuannm
      @shinkuannm 5 років тому

      Omg so dramatic!

    • @CarlaLciel
      @CarlaLciel 5 років тому

      Honestly I don't see where the error is in this frase? Can you help? I think it makes totally sense? º-º

    • @ezechiel1315
      @ezechiel1315 5 років тому +1

      @@CarlaLciel "Vous pouvez me descendre ici." = "you can kill me here"
      The correct way of saying this would be "Vous pouvez me déposer ici" or "Vous pouvez me faire descendre ici" (but not really usual).

    • @denaauguste5332
      @denaauguste5332 4 роки тому

      Hahahahahaha too funny

  • @mariavn89
    @mariavn89 6 років тому +9

    Coucou Rosie! I really like your videos! As an argentinean living in the south of France, I can totally relate to your embarrassing moments! I was once shown a picture of a puppy at work, and was trying to compliment it by saying "aww il est tellement mignon ce chiotTE!!" (instead of pronouncing "chiot").. I didn't understand when everyone started laughing 😂.. on the positive side, it makes for a good story :)

  • @LLKarla
    @LLKarla 4 роки тому +1

    This video is amazing, it cracked me up so much. I totally get you, my boyfriend is french and works at a french educational organization here, and he invited me to have drinks with some of his friends. I asked a girl in the group what part of FRANCE does she comes from, and she stared at my boyfriend like... ughhhh really? I was so beyond embarrassed. He later explained that because of my culture he understood the question, but she was from many parts of France, still I think there was something underlying there haha.

    • @TheFrederic888
      @TheFrederic888 3 роки тому

      Nothing wrong with your question, it’s one of the common questions any French would ask to engage a conversation with a stranger.
      I’m also from several parts of France and would be glad to name them.

  • @fluxboyant
    @fluxboyant 4 роки тому +1

    Funny! To be fair, it always happen with anyone practicing a new language as an expat. Like I know people were mocking me when I was new in Ireland for saying "I did some window licking today" which was an awful literal translation of "faire du lèche-vitrines" which means "window shopping" or going shopping for a look around.

  • @michelplion2079
    @michelplion2079 5 років тому +2

    Very funny ! French language has so many traps !! I remenber the first time I went to the US and at my arrival every would ask me : hello how was your flight ? And I said : terrible instead of terrific . Because in french terrible means "great " as well. I realized my mistake only later on. Keep telling us your experiences in France ! We all love it

  • @nofancypants
    @nofancypants 6 років тому +2

    I once missed a train in France and smugly thinking I was using the tricky 'manquer' verb correctly, went up to the ticket desk and said 'Le train m'a manqué'. This meant 'I missed my train' (as in emotionally). She gave me a reaally strange look....

  • @k.monteil...asalon9357
    @k.monteil...asalon9357 6 років тому +2

    I've recommended your channel before, but tonight I 'shared' you on all my French pages on fb! You are adorable, funny, smart, and an inspiration! Keep up the good work, congrats on getting engaged, and I'm sure you're going to reach your subscriber goals!! Salut

  • @sylvainm7822
    @sylvainm7822 6 років тому +2

    Embarrasing moment happend every time you want to learn a new language. For exemple, as a French student, I learn English. And last year, as we where doing Film critics presentation, I wanted to say "I enjoyed the beauty contest" but as a good Frenchy I have a very strong accent when I speak : so I said "I enjoyed the booty contest". When I ralised what I just said in front of my teatchers, I couldn't stop laughing for at least 10 minutes !!

  • @cindyjanusz8336
    @cindyjanusz8336 6 років тому +8

    The last time I was on Holidays I wanted to order waffles in english (I´m from Germany). But the waiter said they are out of waffles. So I wanted to ask for crêpe. But because of my pronunciation I asked for crap. :D

  • @theghit
    @theghit 6 років тому +5

    Actually you're right, almost everything has a second (sexual) meaning in french. It's pretty funny to play with words with colleagues trying to embarrass them :)

  • @loloverlord1664
    @loloverlord1664 6 років тому +6

    Verry funny! In French, if a woman says "Je suis très gourmande" to a man, with a smile on her face, it means "I'm enjoying oral sex, I'll blow you." That's basically making eye contact while you're slowly eating a banana.
    You're perfectly right, a LOT of words can have sexual underlines. Constant jokes are made with sexual play on words, ruining serious meanings of conversations with bad sex puns. We named this "gauloiserie", and it's considered as an embarrassing, but very enjoyable art of conversation. Not classy at all and a bit outdated by recent feminism consciousness.
    Also, you should know that "queue" also means "cock"... In formal conversations, we invented the expression "file d'attente", to replace "queue", to avoid the obvious and tempting sex pun: "la queue était très longue..."

  • @SlackSlackSlackSlack
    @SlackSlackSlackSlack 5 років тому +2

    Ahaha. Look during my Erasmus I was sharing house with guys only (I am french girl) and my door handle broke so I went around shouting that I was looking for a screw.... Yes 😂😂😂

  • @dominiqueliard7194
    @dominiqueliard7194 6 років тому +1

    Love your embarrassing stories, hilarious! I'm French living in Australia, and I experienced so many awkward moments as well

  • @mosiozorkk
    @mosiozorkk 6 років тому +9

    The black leg kill me 😂

  • @mariet9075
    @mariet9075 5 років тому

    Ahah ! MERCI, j'ai beaucoup ri (pas de vous bien sûr mais des situations marrantes) ! Vous avez illuminé ma journée. J'imagine que ce sont des gaffes qui arrivent souvent quand on apprend une nouvelle langue mais le contexte particulièrement chic où les faits se sont déroulés renforce singulièrement le comique de la situation. Il faut dire aussi que vous êtes particulièrement douée pour raconter les histoires. Mme Connard et le saucisson m'ont beaucoup amusés. Encore merci.

  • @themunch
    @themunch 6 років тому +25

    That's my favorite video so far ahaha. I couldn't stop laughing :D The best one is definitely "je suis désolé il y avait une énorme queue, un très très grand queue" ^^ And by the way if you had pronounced it correctly that was also a sexual connotation because "queue" can mean, well what you said in the story after ^^ My god we do have a problem with that. We love to put sexual meanings everywhere. You should ask your boyfriend what a "chanson paillarde" is ;p

    • @debordelful
      @debordelful 6 років тому +8

      themunch That's what I was thinking !!!! It would be worse if she had the right pronounciation. As a general rule stay away from the use of the word "queue". I use "file" instead. It's easier and there's no pun.

    • @nicolasprivat
      @nicolasprivat 6 років тому +6

      Clearly don't use queue at all to avoid any problem haha. "file d'attente" is better. Or use "queue" only as a verb "faire la queue".

    • @irina-ty1336
      @irina-ty1336 6 років тому +3

      Or you can say "Il y avait beaucoup de queue". But "Il y avait une grosse queue" really have a sexual connotation

  • @sanafromodessa3203
    @sanafromodessa3203 6 років тому +6

    I'm a Russian living in Australia. The amount of times I embarrassed myself is not even funny :) there are so many stories, I'd have to start a UA-cam channel just to tell everyone about every situation

    • @marilouhuille4578
      @marilouhuille4578 6 років тому +1

      Sana From Odessa Please do tell!

    • @sanafromodessa3203
      @sanafromodessa3203 6 років тому +8

      ok, i just left the library and was waiting for the bus to go home. at the bus stop an australian guy started talking to me. he quickly realised that i was a migrant and asked me where i came from. i simply answered - from the library! no more words were exchanged after that...

    • @marilouhuille4578
      @marilouhuille4578 6 років тому

      Sana From Odessa Teehee! That's excellent and very very funny... From my point of view though, you didn't embarrass yourself, it's just the case when a question has several meaning...

    • @Albatrosspro1
      @Albatrosspro1 6 років тому +2

      I would interpret this as very dry Slavic humor, and actually I would be quite impressed.

  • @BarthelemyLesaint
    @BarthelemyLesaint 6 років тому +12

    Environnement LVMH + PARIS... je comprends mieux le coup du "les français mangent leur sandwiches à la fourchette".

  • @racheldiehl3005
    @racheldiehl3005 6 років тому +1

    It was really funny but it goes both ways so don’t worry. My best friend grew up France (she is American but never lived here til College “University”) & when we met in college she was still very much learning English well. She didn’t know that in public & always for men you refer to underwear as underwear. But she was talking about men’s underwear in a group in public & referred to it as panties. We all laughed so hard.

  • @neuroticmoose
    @neuroticmoose 6 років тому +4

    I don't even think about it any longer. My French inlaws say I'm a verbal Pierre Richard... so much that they simply call me Pierre.

  • @JoannaHenwood
    @JoannaHenwood 5 років тому +2

    Great stories! Made me laugh. I used to pronounce merci beaucoup, "merci beau cul " (thanks, nice arse!) when I first learnt French, something to do with the English accent I think! I also once ordered 'bouillabaise' instead of bouillabaisse in the middle of a posh restaurant, which has a very rude meaning - I only realised when the place went silent!!! Also once on a business trip a colleague and I had a meeting with Clarins head office in summer. It was a boiling hot day and we were in formal suits, and had arrived several hours early, so we were all hot and shiny by the time we were ushered into the sleek, air-conditioned office where everyone was unspeakably chic. Beneath a cool exterior though, the buyer was really lovely and placed an order! :)

  • @sophiemolard4985
    @sophiemolard4985 6 років тому +4

    One of the best video so far! Not that your embarrassment is funny, it is more that you have done very good ones. The Jean-Benoit is my favorite, I feel for you this must have been hard to take. Glad you enjoy your time there! Kiss from Sydney

    • @christianbarnay2499
      @christianbarnay2499 6 років тому +1

      I would have loved to see the faces of Jean-Benoît and his family in front of that young lady that was seriously asking them about some weird amputation and wooden leg story.

  • @abu-ayyubcedric-ali4041
    @abu-ayyubcedric-ali4041 6 років тому +20

    John-Benedict aka Black Leg the pirate

  • @LeMecanoDuDimanche
    @LeMecanoDuDimanche 6 років тому +16

    one very common embarrassing moment is when one says "j'ai mal au cou" which is pronounced just like "j'ai mal au cul". Obviously, "cou" et "cul" are not exactly the same part of the body.

    • @fennecfox2366
      @fennecfox2366 6 років тому

      So how do you say neck ache without it sounding rude? Do you point to your neck, lol?

    • @MissBubbl3wrap
      @MissBubbl3wrap 6 років тому +2

      Actually it is not pronounced the same way... But it happens to French people to make the mistake as well. When you are thinking "I should not say cul instead of cou" then of course you do.

    • @narmsemca7765
      @narmsemca7765 5 років тому +1

      He says that foreigners can pronounce incorrectly "cou". they sometimes pronounce it "cul", trying their best accent and then...ahem.

    • @raffaellavitiello1762
      @raffaellavitiello1762 4 роки тому

      @@MissBubbl3wrap it is not prononce the same way at all, if you speak French that is....

  • @olivierlibouban8408
    @olivierlibouban8408 5 років тому +1

    Boy that was funny! I've had my share being a French guy in the US, it's good to hear your stories :)) You crack me up!

  • @raymondklutse
    @raymondklutse 6 років тому +1

    This was very fun to watch, I wont lie. I was laughing the whole time. You really have learnt from your mistakes and have given us some head-ups on possible mistakes we may make. I follow your channel and I must say it is very informative and interesting. Keep up the good work. Bonne chance.

  • @grenouillemorgane2408
    @grenouillemorgane2408 6 років тому +1

    Bonjour Rosie,
    I love your videos so much that I created an account just to be able to subscribe!
    I am a frenchy living in the US, and I find your view on my own culture both accurate and refreshing. It also helps me to put my own blunders in perspective. Here is a recent one :
    Last summer, I brought two souvenir erasers for my friend’s sons (9 and 12) from “les grottes de Lascaux”. Since I learned British English and had only been in the US for a couple years, I told her “hey, look, I brought two rubbers from France for your sons”. Well guess what, a rubber in America is not meant to erase... It took my friend a little while to understand what I was talking about🤭

  • @xtof1er
    @xtof1er 6 років тому +37

    "tu veux une "bite"?" Ah ah ah I can imagine the face of your boyfriend when you said that!!!
    and to tell your boss that Kiwi girls are "très gourmandes" ... I imagine him booking a plane ticket right away :p
    I have a story to make you feel less alone on this topic: It was my German teacher in Germany. Germans seem to use some french word in common language, and to say that someone is dressed casual they can use the word "salope" (you can imagine my surprise)... He has is girlfriend living in Paris at this time, and he told us that he tries to use that expression to make compliment to some french women ... and surprisingly he didn't get the expected result :D

    • @imrehundertwasser7094
      @imrehundertwasser7094 6 років тому +4

      The word you mean is "salopp". Which does come from French "salopé" as in "sloppy, slovenly", but now normally means "casual, informal".

    • @xtof1er
      @xtof1er 6 років тому +7

      Nop. Mon prof de langue a bien insisté sur "salope" (forcément j'ai demandé plusieurs fois confirmation) après l'orthographe Allemande des mots (d'origine) français varie beaucoup d'une personne à l'autre (il y a les versions originales, les versions adaptées phonétiquement et des interprétations libres... et ça je l'ai vue pour pas mal de mots ou expressions d'origine française)
      Après il nous a présenté un autre mot comme synonyme à "salope" dans l'usage et aussi d'origine française: "légère"! pour moi c'est aussi à connotation sexuelle! Après la question à se poser c'est par qui et comment sont arrivés ces mots dans la langues Allemande. Et bien quand on pense qu'ils ont été amenés par des militaires de passage (qu'ils soient napoléoniens ou suite à la 2nd guerre mondiale...) et bien d'un coup le problème de sens et la connotation sexuelle devient vachement plus évidente.

    • @petereggers7603
      @petereggers7603 5 років тому +2

      @@xtof1er As a francophone german guy I would like to answer to the topic of french words used in german language rather in english.
      Even more, living in the rhineland (la Rhenanie), the influence of french origin words is really strong. Leger and salopp (it's the german spelling and the french pronounciation!) are common allover Germany...same with many many other words like Affäre, Broschüre, Champignon, Delikatessen, Etage, Facette, Garage, Portemonnaie, etc.
      In my region Cologne you hear from older people the words trottoir for pavement or sidewalk (pronounced Troddewar), pläsir from plaisir, Pootz (which means door and comes from la porte). The Cologne dialect is full of those so called Gallicisms.
      But the real french-german classic is: "Mach keine Fiesimatenten!" which means don't do any bad things...and should come from the french sentence "Visite(z) ma tente". The origin is kind of a myth and one say it dates back in napoleon time and was to understand as a warning from moms to their innocent daughters not to follow strange invitations from french soldiers. Another story goes that young girls used as an excuse to date her lover the expression "Visit ma tante" (lit. going to visit my aunt) because in 18th/19th century french was spoken by the german high and middle class.

  • @warmestglow
    @warmestglow 6 років тому +1

    😂😂😂 I haven't even made it past your first one-- I know enough French to be laughing hard at your pronunciation of the woman's name. DYING ROSIE!! 😂👌🏼 Can't wait to hear the rest.

  • @warmestglow
    @warmestglow 6 років тому +1

    😂😂😂😂😂😂 Okay, finished your stories and I have to thank-you-- I haven't laughed so hard all week!! Don't worry, I'm prepared also to leave my pride at the door when I visit France. No but seriously; I'm a petite Canadian and when I was in Switzerland I was a size Large?? I feel you. 🤷🏼‍♀️

  • @levrainicolas687
    @levrainicolas687 6 років тому +5

    Il est inévitable de faire des erreurs de ce genre quand on apprend une langue tout en la pratiquant au quotidien. Mais quand on y repense après un certain temps, c'est toujours drôle. D'ailleurs "Jambe Noire", c'était plus mignon que ridicule comme confusion. Mais ça m'a bien fait rire. Merci.

  • @cellan67
    @cellan67 6 років тому +68

    Actually, "queue" is quite an embarrasing word: mispronounced is like "cul", and wellpronounced is " queue" -an other name for the"male proudest part"- I would advice you to use "file d'attente" instead.
    I really laughed at your video, also because I met once a real Ms Connard (in USA) who told me proudly that she had a french name. But when she asked me what her name meant in french, I was embarrassed and lied, saying it has no meaning.

  • @Arkayjiya
    @Arkayjiya 4 роки тому +2

    "No one would admit that they enjoyed it"
    I mean as a French person I'll confirm saucisson isn't really classy at all in France, it feels more like a popular dish, that's true, but if people take themselves seriously enough that they wouldn't admit to liking saucisson, you're not the one embarrassing yourself, they are xD

  • @aissm8282
    @aissm8282 5 років тому +1

    Thanks for making me laugh. Very funny.

  • @Redgethechemist
    @Redgethechemist 6 років тому

    This "gourmand" anecdote is epic indeed! In fact, it's not the word itself but the way you told it that might be very suggestive depending on the context! :-D

  • @anessamo5011
    @anessamo5011 6 років тому

    Omg! I can’ t stop laughing! You are so symphatic Rosie! Like to watch you! I lived in Paris for 9 years, so many of your stories are very common. Please, don’ t become too french, You are perfect as You are!

  • @abyliveicanfly8187
    @abyliveicanfly8187 6 років тому +1

    OMG your stories are hilarious ! 😂😂
    Btw I have an other great book to advice about babies, it's called " French kids don't throw their food" it's in English, written by an American mum married to a British guy, living in France with their three children. It is very easy and interesting to read as there are obviously three differents cultures involved in this family and a lot of understanding about french one 😊

  • @andr386
    @andr386 4 роки тому +1

    Yes it's true that every word in french can potentially have a sexual connotation. It's the reason why many people don't use some words at all or change their words very specifically to avoid it.

  • @cs7725
    @cs7725 5 років тому

    I’m from the US and I love your videos! They are so interesting.

  • @bmpvw
    @bmpvw 6 років тому

    OK, these stories honestly made me laugh out loud. I'm sitting in my office at work listening to you, laughing. Once, while I was in Switzerland with my Swiss boyfriend, I greeted a former professor of his and instead of using "Bonjour," I said, "Salut" and my boyfriend scolded me later on about that one. I screwed up and didn't realize it till he pointed it out later. I didn't know to be embarassed at the time. I admire your bravery!

  • @Neofabien37
    @Neofabien37 6 років тому +1

    Super chaîne. j’enchaîne tes vidéos depuis quelques jours, c'est toujours marrant de voir des expat raconter leurs expériences :) En plus tu nous permets desfois de nous rappeler tous les côtés positifs de la France que même nous, français, oublions parfois ! Et pour ma part, j'espère partir en Australie ou NZ pour quelques années prochainement. Merci pour tes vidéos ! :)

  • @timaeby
    @timaeby 6 років тому +4

    To tell you the truth... yes we can pretty much twist any word into some kind of sexual connotation 😂

  • @vivalila123
    @vivalila123 5 років тому

    I laughed so hard at this that I cried! Thanks for sharing your experiences. It helps us all remember that making language mistakes is just part of the process :)

  • @r.z.608
    @r.z.608 5 років тому +1

    You are adorable! So funny! Made my day!

  • @fitnessfeverpt
    @fitnessfeverpt 6 років тому +1

    I'm terrified to try to speak now...(I did not watch this for a laugh...I'm taking notes! haha)

  • @graysonthewolf8088
    @graysonthewolf8088 6 років тому +4

    Omg you killed me XD that true that in France people are really...pervers and turn out words into sexual references and it’s annoying but ur embarrass moments are so funny XD the bite killed me of laught good one !

  • @catchoupiote
    @catchoupiote 7 місяців тому

    Very funny, thanks ! For the "gourmand" story, it really depends on the way you're saying it. If you say "je suis très gourmande" in a very casual way, it's ok. In fact, we simply don't have any other word to say that we like food in general. "Gourmet" means that you like quality rather than quantity in food, so it's not the same thing.

  • @o.lworldwide6313
    @o.lworldwide6313 5 років тому

    One of the funniest videos I’ve seen and I don’t laugh easy. Thank you for sharing your experiences. Love your content!!!

  • @Owen2256
    @Owen2256 5 років тому

    Much fun! Thank you.. especially amusing was the introduction at Vuitton, as well as your being made late by the giant ass encounter. So very funny. I can just imagine the LV execs all tres chic being appalled! The best visual!
    You asked for stories...
    I was early 20s, from Texas working in Brussels and Amsterdam on computer installations. It was decided by my dear boss, the CEO of an international petrochemical company that I could stay at the home of our lead salesman in suburban Amsterdam. When I arrived, his little kids 7 and 8 years of age, brought me from the airport to their classrooms at school for show and tell! I was the tall lanky Texan from Dallas - just like on TV! These little Dutch children sat there with their eyes agape soaking in my boots. LOL. During the first few days we went out for lunch and decided to bring the kids - weekend probably - while their dad, our salesman, was at the bank, I took the kids with me for a stroll through a grocery store. I caught the little girl getting wide eyed in front of a candy display, so I thought for fun I’d but them sweets. They each were very pleased... of course. The rest of the day was kind of magical as we toured the countryside and I got my first exposure to Holland. Later that evening, the salesman had invited me to dinner in A-dam, at a great Hungarian restaurant. During dinner he had too much wine and began to confide that he was quite fond of the prostitutes and had contracted some venereal disease. My facial reaction must have betrayed my disgust, as he reared back and spit out a spew of vitriol - basically “well, excuse the f*** out of me, if I do not like running around f****ing little boys in the ass!” Needless to say I was shocked, taken aback and ends the evening pretty quickly - to go be with my handsome ADULT + NOT A PROSTITUTE boyfriend. I had naively assumed odious salesman was not a bigot, when 8n fact he turned out to be a diseased, bigoted toad.
    Upon return to Texas, my boss, the CEO asked my impression of the salesman and I said “he’s okay...you should give him a chance.” I did so because I felt sorry for the wife and children. I couldn’t imagine how hateful he’d be to them if he got fired and was looming around the house unemployed and bitter.

  • @grumpyrabbit1934
    @grumpyrabbit1934 6 років тому +14

    to me,these things are not sounds like embarrasion at all ,more like really cute mistake i think haha

  • @edytaeddakiwi8578
    @edytaeddakiwi8578 3 роки тому

    You are amazing 🤍💐 thank you for sharing your experiences .

  • @aioliconviction
    @aioliconviction 6 років тому +1

    You're right, everything can become sexual in French, I have a Spanish friend learning to speak French and I'm always saying to her "no, don't say that, you will have a strange surprise" because everything she says sounds sexual, like really all the time

  • @therealmlw
    @therealmlw 5 років тому

    I am laughing so hard at this video lol. You are so funny :)

  • @MiaouNounchakou
    @MiaouNounchakou 5 років тому +4

    one day, when i was 16 yars, i said to an really handsome boy that i love his corpse (i mistake between french corps and english body) i never saw him after that

    • @Arkayjiya
      @Arkayjiya 4 роки тому

      Ok, that's pretty hilarious xD

  • @elisalukasik6334
    @elisalukasik6334 5 років тому

    Omg I’m dying watching this. I’m glad you shared your embarrassing moments! Now I can’t wait to embarrass myself 😂 I’m sure it’ll happen.

  • @olaasem9086
    @olaasem9086 6 років тому +1

    OMG when you said you are free to laugh I was like there's no way I'm gonna laugh every one makes mistakes. Then I lost it at 3:00 😂 😂 and I'm not even done yet with the video!
    Edit: 7:53 I CANT!! I'm done 😂😂😂😂
    I'm sorry I don't mean to make fun of you but the stories are so flipping funny mdrrr

  • @Nalojuntu
    @Nalojuntu 6 років тому +1

    Kinda reverse funny misword : I once dated an australian girl here in France and, one day, texting her, she was listening to music and telling me how much she was enjoying it. She was super happy about the song so I genuinely wanted to say "Wow ! Music really gets you into a great mood ! You enjoy it so much this is fantastic !" and actually believing that's what it would mean I said "Wow ! Music really turns you on !" cause I though - I don't know, from some lyrics I think ? - I definitely though "to turns someone on" meant "it make him/her really happy" !!
    I had no clue about the sexual connotation at all !
    She got schocked-surprised for a few seconds... and suddenly exploded in laughs to tears at my unclueness ! 😳😅
    She right explains me that it definitely wasn't the meaning I was looking for !! And the imaginary case where it would be true... would have been quite embarrassing since she was at work, sitting at her desk !! 😂

  • @lucie442
    @lucie442 5 років тому

    you are hilarious. I love your videos:0 you are not the only one with embarrassing stories!!

  • @AntoinetteEmily
    @AntoinetteEmily 6 років тому +2

    You had me laughing so hard!

  • @babykids4172
    @babykids4172 4 роки тому

    I was in England working for my studies. The boss asked me to make photocopies but the paper got stuck in the machine. Instead of saying the sheets are stuck in the machine, i said 'the shit is stuck in the machine '. Everybody was laughing at me during several days 🤣

  • @justmxkael
    @justmxkael 5 років тому +1

    I'm out breath;this video has me deceased💀

  • @sarahrobyn6119
    @sarahrobyn6119 6 років тому +2

    Sooo funny! I️ have definitely experienced some embarrassing moments while learning a language haha! I️ am learning German in Switzerland!!! Love your channel! New subbie 😊

  • @paulinekub8155
    @paulinekub8155 6 років тому +1

    L'histoire de saucisson c'est abusé ! Ta responsable a l'air d'une personne "prout-proute" comme on dit chez nous 😂
    J'aime toujours autant tes vidéos !

  • @douslimanemeriem2596
    @douslimanemeriem2596 6 років тому +4

    🤣🤣 ! C'est marrant ! Rosie, good luck in France !

  • @leacafe8479
    @leacafe8479 3 роки тому

    Super chaîne ! J'enseigne le français par vidéo depuis 2013, et souvent je conseille tes vidéos à mes étudiants.

  • @samanthap5998
    @samanthap5998 5 років тому

    Ahahah ahahah l’histoire de la queue est trop drôle 😂 j’ai explosé de rire ! Je crois que j’aurai eu un fou rire en réunion 😂

  • @amylou584
    @amylou584 5 років тому

    ah ah ah ..you've made my day Rosie !!! You're so nice and coool ! Thanks a bunch!