Trip to Paris in mid-Sept--
Would trying to memorize phrases for basic needs be of any use????
I have a feeling I would have so much trouble with pronouncing correctly,no one would understand or just maybe laugh???

It's definitely worth it to try and learn a few basic words and phrases. It's not only helpful, it's polite and a sign of respect.

I haven't travelled all that much, but in my experience people always appreciate it if you at least attempt to speak in their language. I've been to Paris twice and not one person has laughed at my French yet (even if I'm cringing on the inside at how rusty it is as I'm speaking)

Think about it this way- if a tourist approached you in your home town and tried asking for directions, would you laugh at him for not speaking fluent English?

Buy a phrase book to take with you, and get a cd with basic traveller's language instruction so you can practice a little before you go. Thinks like please, thank you, excuse me, where is the toliet, how much does it cost, etc.

I think it's worth it, even if you do pronounce things badly, just to show an effort and politeness. However, I guess I am thinking more of simple words, like please and thank you rather than complete phrases. I don't know -- I'm not sure it's worth it as not only will you pronounce it badly, you may not have a good sense grammatically of what you are really saying and you certainly wouldn't understand any response in French. So maybe it depends on what you would be thinking of memorizing. Maybe a few very short things, but I don't think there's any reason to try to memorize a lot of phrases.

I think that common advice came from the day when people visited places where they were not that educated in foreign languages and really could not understand you. Even now, if you are in a place where they don't know English well, it makes more sense. Other than that, I think just a few polite words or responses are sufficient. In central Paris, people in hotels and businesses generally love to speak English, anyway, IMO, and even if you know French, they won't let you speak it that much. I know people are going to disagree with that, but that's my take on it -- clerks in stores or staff in restaurants will respond to me in English when they detect my accent even when I know French better than they know English, and then it can become rather a strange sequence of conversation. They probably won't laugh to your face, anyway, I wouldn't worry about that.

oh, I did want to add that my experience about them wanting to speak English is pretty much common in central Paris only -- taxi drivers don't do that with me nor people in outer arrondisements, nor in other parts of France.

You might want to give this website a try. If memory serves, it has some good beginner tips. I think the French always appreciate when tourists make the effort to use a few phrases. No matter that they answer you in English, it's the thought that counts. EJ
http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/french/

The French consider it a breach of etiquette if you don't begin every contact with "good day/evening, sir/madam" - regardless of whether it's a shopkeeper whose store you just entered, or someone you ask for directions. They will also look more kindly upon you if you say "please" and "thank you." If you learn nothing else, memorize these words, and USE THEM!

good morning, good day <B>bonjour</B> <I>bohn zhoor</i>
good evening <B>bonsoir</B> <I>bohn swar</i>
sir <B>monsieur</B> <I>mih siew</i>
madam <B>madame</B> <I>mah dahm</i>
please <B>s'il vous pla&icirc;t</B> <I>seel voo play</i>
thank you <B>merci</B> <I>mayr see</i>
good bye <B>au revoir</B> <I>owe revwar</i>

Robespierre is absolutely right! Your trip will be much better if you take the time to learn a few polite words and use them every time you encounter anyone. If you walk into a shop and say "bonjour" right away, the sales clerk or owner will be alerted to your presence and to your good manners. You'll be treated much better than someone who does not know to do this. Don't worry about not having a perfect accent, just using the words will make a difference in the impression you make and their response to you. My French is not good, but I've been treated warmly in Paris and elsewhere in France.

Learn at least Robespierre's list, and also the phrase "where is a bathroom please".

Don't worry too much about accurate pronunciation, the message will be clear enough if you say it with a smile.

Also useful to learn "Do you speak English?" (Est-ce que vous parlez anglais?" And "I'm sorry to bother you, but..." (Désolé de vous déranger, mais....).

I agree that it is important to learn basic greetings, polite requests and a few key phrases before you leave for France.

My friend gave me a bon voyage card prior to my first trip to France which said, "The treachery of the phrase book ... is that you cannot begin to follow the answer to the question you've pronounced so beautifully -- and, worse still, your auditor now assumes you're fluent in Swahili."!

Needless to say, I do practice basic French phrases & sentences before my trips by listening to instructional tapes/cd's in my car as I drive to & from work. I carry a small phrasebook when I travel.

It has been my experience that the person with whom I am trying to communicate in French soon realizes that his English is much better than my French and very kindly, responds to me in English!

I am now working on Italian for an upcoming trip. If anything, listening to cd's familiarizes my ear to the sounds of the language. It's amazing how much I can comprehend!

Good luck!

2010

2010, that's very funny. I learned "Jina langu ni Leely" and spoke it to a man in rural Tanzania and he went off, assuming I spoke Swahili, chit-chatting away at me. I had practiced a few phrases (How are you this morning; This is a great beer, thanks; I'll have the goat, please; and so on) and my accent for these ultra-rehearsed phrases was semi-okay. But then I didn't even know how to say, "I'm sorry. I don't speak Kiswahili."

Embarassing, but hey, I started out being polite.

My French accent is truly horrendous, so I've never had that problem in France.

traveler24, your French phrases will likely be greeted with politeness and perhaps even appreciation. I'd say it's worth a shot. Bonne chance!

Half of the utility of a phrasebook is that you can hand it to your interlocutor and s/he can point to the English phrase that answers the French question you pointed to.

Like others have said, it's useful to learn the polite phrases and some "get around words" my French, unfortunately is horrible.

I memorized how to spell the words for where, what, how, when by using a book called French in 10 minutes a Day. It didn't help my hopeless accent but one day when I needed to ask someone something, the woman was very happy to help me when I pulled out a pen and paper and wrote it down.

By the way, I think <I>parlay voo ahn glay</i> is a lot easier to remember than <b>Est-ce que vous parlez anglais?</b>

Thanks to everyone for the insights--This has really helped,also relieved some of my anxiety.