First-time posters new to the site and to international travel, and a little nervous. Kids grown, mortgage burned (hooray!) and now we're planning our lifelong dream vacation in France. Neither of us speaks anything except English. You all seem to breeze around the world so freely that we wonder how many languages you speak, whether you know just a smattering or are fluent, whether we can get by OK or not? We would love to hear what you think. Ned and Ann.

If I were you I'd do a quick course in holiday French. If you can just learn enough to greet people, order a meal, ask directions etc. you'll feel much better and the French will appreciate it.

Like you, I believe there are many multi-linguals who post on this site but personally, I speak only a very little French and less Italian...what one might call restaurant Italian. And I have gotten along just fine in Italy, France, Germany, Portugal and Greece on recent trips. I use a lot of pantomine and prepare by picking up a good phrase book to learn the basics which I keep with me at all times. (Buy a small one!)I've never run into serious trouble and rarely encountered overwhelming rudeness. Parisians are the least likely to be engaged by the attempt of Anglos to speak French and seem relieved by an-English only approach. Outside Paris the French are more appreciative of attempts to bridge the language gap as are, in my experience, Italians,the Portugese, Germans and Greeks . A few phrases are easy to master and show courtesy in a visitor of any country.

Dear Ned & Ann, <BR>I was a linguistics graduate student & attended school in Italy for a while. So I speak Italian, French, a very little bit of German & a very little bit of an Asian language called Tagalog. HOWEVER...as I reside in the U.S. & rarely use my foreign language skills, I listen to tapes & watch RAI Italian news on my cable's international station to keep my skills current. <BR> <BR>In terms of your situation, please try to learn very basic phrases like "Bonjour", "merci", etc. Check out your library or bookstore, or online bookstore for the materials you think will help you. (Audio cassettes are great.) Just a few basic phrases go a very long way in terms of earning you respect by the locals. You're not the first English-only (or English-mostly) speakers to arrive in France & you surely won't be the last. Don't get too hung up about the language difference & enjoy yourselves, as you've certainly earned it! <BR>BC

Dear Ned and Ann, <BR>I speak the French of a seven year old, the Italian of a hungry three year old who can count really well, and enough German to avoid eating sheep eyeballs. I've taught myself all of the language I know using tapes and books, especially the "10 Minutes a Day". They're a riot - you get all of these stickers that you put on everything in your home - it's amazing how, after three weeks of looking at the mirror and seeing a label that says "Spiegel" and it begins to sink in. And for numbers, I write them all out (up to 20, and then the 10's to 100, and the 100's to 1000) and tape them to the mirror in the bathroom, and review them while I'm brushing my teeth. Works for me - Italian and French numbers are completely hard-wired into my brain now. Try it - it's pretty easy, great fun, and pays HUGE dividends when you travel!

Bon jour Ned and Ann (aw, I'm just showing off) <BR> <BR>I would just learn "hello", "goodbye", "do you speak English", and "thank you" and "please". It makes everything a little smoother, especially with the French "rules" for politesse. <BR> <BR>I didn't know French before I got here, except for the above, and always, when someone said that the did speak English, replied "thank you" and then spoke to them in English. Works much better than what I have heard -- the shouted, "DO YOU SPEAK ENGLISH" asked as if they had IQs in the single digits. <BR> <BR>You won't have a problem.

I've traveled extensively through Europe for a good many years but have no fluency in any European language other than basic words and phrases of politeness and query. I learned, very early on, that while tapes, phrase books and the like may assist you in learning how to phrase a question, they don't prepare you to understand the answer you get! Do learn the basics: "Good morning", "Good afternoon", "Where is the....", "Please" and "Thank you". Note that in France, when entering a shop, one always greets the proprietor or sales person, not only with "Bon jour", but "Bon jour, madame". Failing to add that "monsieur" or "madame" or "madamoiselle" is considered a slight and social gaffe.

My French is ok; since it's Latin-based, I can sort of read Italian and Spanish...but I do learn the polite words for wherever I go. <BR> <BR>Trust what you know: a stick figure with a little triangular skirt means for girls only; a section of the menu has "coca cola" in the middle of it, you can bet it's beverages; a polite "excuse me" anywhere in the world is more civilized than a foot-stamping demand... <BR> <BR>And don't be afraid to ask for help; the woman sitting next to you reading the paper can be politely asked "where is the nearest metro stop?"; the salesclerk in the tabac will point you to the boulangerie; the farmer in his field will show you on the map how to get to your gite....even if they speak no English, they and you will figure it all out with pointing and sign language and drawing little pictures. <BR> <BR>Put yourself in the opposite position; YOU are the host country, they are the visitors. How would you react to a visitor with a little English, who asked nicely "ATM?"....most of us would kill ourselves to help out the guy.

Elvira is right on the money, as usual. Most people are more than eager to give you a good impression of their country and its inhabitants. I'd add to her suggestion a form of thank you that never fails to win the heart of those I've met on four continents: "Thank you so much for your help. I love your country--it's beautiful, and the people all are so wonderful here!" Quickest road to international friendship there is. Have a wonderful time in France.

NedandAnn, <BR>I am fluent in Spanish and German. I can read and understand some Italian and Portuguese. However, I have tried to learn French but never really succeeded. <BR>When we go to France, we try to learn as many useful phrases as we can. <BR>You should learn how to say "Thank You", "Please," etc in french. Also we try to familiarize ourselves with items on the menu, food and drinks (we love to eat good food). <BR>Also we try to learn a couple of words that we can use when we go shopping (how to ask for your size, what items are called in french, etc). <BR>In general after our attempts at french, somebody is willing to help us and try to speak english to us. <BR>If you at least go with some knowledge of French (polite words), and the attitude that not everyone will speak English, you will have no problem.

I know French fairly well, can get by there without trouble, and a little Spanish and Czech. I can make out Italian fairly well (and the Spanish I don't know) due to the French. I know a little travelers' Arabic, Greek, and German (the Arabic came in handy in Egypt even though they all speak English very well, I could get rid of guys a lot more seriously in Arabic); I studied these last three a little from books/tapes before going and carry around the usual travelers' phrasebooks when I go anywhere except France. The others I took more formal language classes. It is easier to get around when you know a little of the language, that is true--there have been a few places I've been lost and glad I know the language in France and Czech Republic, but I play it safer where I do not; I do have a facility for languages so they are easier for me to learn (also because I know grammar, etc, in English very well), both my parents were language teachers. They are so used to English-speaking tourists in most places in Europe, that it is not a huge problem, you will get by in the major places.

Ned and Ann, <BR>You'll be fine. I would suggest that you pick up a phrase book, especially when trying to figure out food as that always proves to be the biggest challenge. <BR> <BR>Forgive the spelling but remember that Poulley=Chicken, Canard=Duck, Lapin=Rabbit and Beouf=Beef. <BR> <BR>Most people speak in the tourist industry sepak at least some English. A few phrases in French are appreciated. <BR> <BR>Not to sound like an alarmist but one word of caution so that you can fully enjoy your vacation. Please make sure that you keep your wallet in a front pocket and your wife keeps her purse in front of her and keeps it zippered. Pickpockets like to target tourists especially on the Metro. (You might want to search for several posts on this subject over the last few weeks.) <BR> <BR> <BR>Have a great time! <BR>

I speak some German, and that helped in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, but I speak <I>very</I> minimal French, Spanish, and Italian (polite words, and phrases like "where is...") and have had no problems in France, Spain, and Italy. <BR> <BR>The only time I had a problem was during a one day train strike in Nice. It was hard at first to tell what was going on, and none of the people at the station seemed to speak any English, but eventually I found out. <BR> <BR>Anyway, it's always good to try to learn a few basic words and phrases in any language, especially polite ones like "please", "thank you", "excuse me"...and "would you kindly remove your tongue from my gelato?" :~)

Janice -- you made me laugh! <BR>Capo -- I'm STILL in love <BR> <BR>Okay Art and I barely type English BUT -- I speak SOME French -- more than tourist, but not fluently. I speak less Macedonian -- just enough to tell a taxi driver that the idea that his meter isn't working is a *crock* <BR>I have basic tourist hungarian -- don't ask me why. And then I can say hello and thank you in a few other stray languages. <BR>But I still can't type in any language

I speak Italian, know Spanish and when in France spoke Italian, although I understood a bit as it is similar to Italian, just don't expect a vowel ending!

I speak English only, but I have a phrase book. I start conversations with mangled French, and do the best I can. Things work out fine (what's the worst that can happen, really?), and I usually get what I want, or something pretty close. <BR> <BR>Kudos to you both for doing this!

Wow! We never expected so many replies so fast! Thank you all very much for your help.

I fluently speak English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portugeese, Greek, Czech, Russian, Arabic, Hebrew, Mandarin, Hindu, Farsi, Japaneese and several other Europeen and Aisian languages. I have no problems travelling. <BR>Seriously though, I barely speak any language, even though I was successful in communicating in English, Russian, French and Ukrainian. While I do think that getting to know the "basic set" of words (please, thank you, where is.., what is..., knowing how to count, etc.) will go the long way, don't expect by any means that listening to a tape or reading a phrase book will break the language barier. You will NOT be able to understand people talking to you most of the time, you will not be able to fully read a menu (unless it has a translation - most Parisian restaurants have the dish descriptions in both French and English), you would not be able to read a simple sign. Otentimes it's not only the language, it is also the customs and rules which confuse things even more then the language itself. Things like where to get a metro tickets, which door to use to board the bus, where to look for taxi can be read in any descent guide book and will help a lot. <BR>What always worked for me is politeness and open mindness. Don't expect people will always understand your attempts in foreign language, and don't get frustrated by talking louder. Sometimes it's just easier if you politley ask them if they speak English, of some other language you speak. Chances are between two of you there will be enough workds to communicate on basic level. <BR>Try to learn some languge just out of respect, but don't insist on using it if the other person speaks English...

Hi Ned and Ann, I speak fluent German having lived there for some time. I study the language(s) where I am going each year. Currently studying Polish and Romanian. Can ask where things are, ask for a hotel room, something to drink, something to eat etc in Spanish, Polish, Romanian and Italian. I find that if you just make an effort in your host country, most people will bend over backward to be of assistance. They appreciate your effort even if you slaughter the language. <BR>Cheers, <BR>Art

Guten Tag tout le monde! <BR>I am Swiss German, so German (a little different from Swiss German) is my first language. Besides that, I am fluent in French and English. I lived for longer periods in France and England. My Italian is not too bad either and I try to practice whenever I have the possibility. I went to a language school in Florence and find the Italian verbs extremely difficult. <BR>Tante belle cose a tutti e buono giornata. ;-)