en francais, how do you use excusez, pardon, desole...
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,496
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
en francais, how do you use excusez, pardon, desole...
What are the differences in using these terms of apology or regret?
When approaching a stranger for directions: ______________, madame, pouvez-vous nous aider?
When apologizing for something minor, like bumping someone accidentally.
As in regretting that you cannot do something (like speak French well!).
Any clarifications will be appreciated.
Thank you!
When approaching a stranger for directions: ______________, madame, pouvez-vous nous aider?
When apologizing for something minor, like bumping someone accidentally.
As in regretting that you cannot do something (like speak French well!).
Any clarifications will be appreciated.
Thank you!
#3
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 13,194
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If you leave off "monsieur" or "madame"...
i.e., "excusez-moi, monsieur"
or "pardon, madame" or "pardonnez-moi, mademoiselle"...
...then the "etiquette" of choosing the right word/verb will be the lesser of the two problems!
Best wishes,
Rex
i.e., "excusez-moi, monsieur"
or "pardon, madame" or "pardonnez-moi, mademoiselle"...
...then the "etiquette" of choosing the right word/verb will be the lesser of the two problems!
Best wishes,
Rex
#5
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 34,875
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I think what Mike says is pretty good, although there are many different ways to say the last one (as well as the first), and I wouldn't necessarily use desole in that case. It would be okay, though, and since you don't speak French, no point in getting too elaborate. Don't believe Rex (or what he is implying, I believe, although I don't really understand what he's trying to say), lots of French people say simply "pardon" when bumping people, and leave off honorifics. Most French people aren't as fanatical and rigid about some of these things as some Americans think. Several French people bumped into me in crowded stores in Paris a few weeks ago, and none of them said anything other than "pardon".
#8
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
so i sound weird when i say, to get thru a crowd 'scuse-ez' ( i also say pardon)
but would you ever say 'scuse-ez (en lieu de excusez-moi or 'scuse-ez-moi - or do i sound just silly when i say scuse-ez even if i step on someone?
thanks for making apparent to me the difference between pardon and excusez-moi
but would you ever say 'scuse-ez (en lieu de excusez-moi or 'scuse-ez-moi - or do i sound just silly when i say scuse-ez even if i step on someone?
thanks for making apparent to me the difference between pardon and excusez-moi
#10
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 49,560
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If I'm asking a question of a stranger, yes, I would always begin with S'il vous plaît, Madame.... or Excusez-moi, Monsieur, j'ai une question....or Madame, s'il vous plaît......
It's not exactly formulaic....
It's not exactly formulaic....
#12
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 49,560
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I don't think saying "pardon, Madame..." when you're stopping to ask someone a question sounds exactly right to my ear, but I don't think there's anything flat-out wrong about it....kind of depends on what you follow it with. If you said, for example, "Pardon, Madame, mais j'ai une question, s'il vous plaît...." that would not necessarily be weird, I don't think.
#13
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
thanks. in any case the message is is to be as polite as possible - always works wonders to say the proper pleasantry in local language instead of just barking Do You Know Where the Louvre Is?
(a great true story - i was in the Louvre courtyard two years ago before opening and a guy came up to me in hysterics barking at me "Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa" - and i answered him in American about he was at the Louvre already but it wasn't open. He obviously thought i was French because he said so - but what a way to ask a question.
He calmed down and actually was quite nice. But he could have used some Fodor advice about tact.
(a great true story - i was in the Louvre courtyard two years ago before opening and a guy came up to me in hysterics barking at me "Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa" - and i answered him in American about he was at the Louvre already but it wasn't open. He obviously thought i was French because he said so - but what a way to ask a question.
He calmed down and actually was quite nice. But he could have used some Fodor advice about tact.
#15
hi, coquelicot,
no need to get so hung up about this, IMO.
they will know you're not french anyway, so the important thing is getting your meaning across, not your grammatical construction.
throwing in "Madame/Monsieu" a lot gives breathing/thinking space.
sounding too good has a down side - [not necessarily from personal experience]-they rattle away in french thinking you know what they mean!
regards, ann
no need to get so hung up about this, IMO.
they will know you're not french anyway, so the important thing is getting your meaning across, not your grammatical construction.
throwing in "Madame/Monsieu" a lot gives breathing/thinking space.
sounding too good has a down side - [not necessarily from personal experience]-they rattle away in french thinking you know what they mean!
regards, ann
#16
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 57,890
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
In general europeans are much more formal with strangers than americans. And although it sounds odd - and perhaps even pretentious - to us to add all this "S'il vous plait, madam or monsieur" to a simple quesions for directions or something - in europe this is the expected way.
(Many of them - esp past student age - generally consider us as much too informal - in terms of things like this, using first names as soon as you meet someone etc..)
(Many of them - esp past student age - generally consider us as much too informal - in terms of things like this, using first names as soon as you meet someone etc..)
#17
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 673
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Off topic a bit but I love the French response to when you thank them:
"Je vous en prie."
IMO, it's a more gracious expression than the "Bienvenue", or "De rien" that we use in Canada.
I also like your username, Coquelicot- french for poppy. And I like the word for dragonfly, too- libellule. French is such a lovely language.
Bloom
"Je vous en prie."
IMO, it's a more gracious expression than the "Bienvenue", or "De rien" that we use in Canada.
I also like your username, Coquelicot- french for poppy. And I like the word for dragonfly, too- libellule. French is such a lovely language.
Bloom
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
justretired
Europe
49
Mar 30th, 2012 12:59 AM