Speak Spanish in Paris?
 

I am travelling to Paris next month but my ability to speak French is minimal. &quot;Bonjour&quot;, &quot;Oui&quot;, etc. is about it. I have heard that many French people speak Spanish as a second language since the two countries share a border and the languages are similar. <BR><BR>Does anyone have experience with getting by using Spanish in Paris (when communication in English isn't possible?) Or is this confined further to the south and closer to the border with Spain?

It COULD happen, but seems quite unlikely. It helped me once to be able to speak French in Barcelona, but that seemed like a freak occurrence. For the majority of people in the &quot;travel and hospitality&quot; industry (waiters, hotel staff, etc), there is a much greater likelihood they will respond to you in English.<BR><BR>Of course, at Biarritz or Perpignan, there is greater likelihood of finding speakers of Castellano (&quot;Castilian Spanish&quot;) or Catalan (the &quot;other Spanish language&quot; spoken in Catalunya - - the area around Barcelona).<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>[email protected]<BR>

The languages are somewhat similar, as I know some Spanish and French fairly well. However, I've never encountered French people who speak Spanish a lot better than English. I'm sure there are unusual exceptions, but I think you will do better in English as more French study that language in school because it is more useful.

You may be able to in the major tourist areas. Lots of tourists come to Paris from Latin America and Spain not just the US and England.<BR>

Many, many more Parisians speak English than speak Spanish. Some do speak Spanish of course - but it is definitely more unusual

As you recognize, the two are both romance languages and are similar, as indeed Italian is also a romance language. Consequently, your Spanish may help you guess your way through written French. My French helps me to guess my way through written Italian. But speaking French would not have helped me in Italy (even though Italy shares a border with France) so I doubt speaking Spanish will help you in France.

I think in Paris, Spanish is probably no better than English because, as others say, many Parisians can speak some English. If you were going into smaller French villages where people really don't speak English, Spanish might be helpful just because it's more similar to French than English. It will probably be helpful to YOU though, as it may make reading signs etc. easier since the roots of many words are the same. Bottom line, as everybody often says here, make the effort to say, &quot;bonjour&quot;, &quot;merci&quot;, &quot;parlez vous anglais&quot; etc.

A few years ago whilst in an upscale shoe store in Paris, I was being roundly ignored until I started speaking Spanish and acting very much the grande dame. Service was swift and almost servile. Upon departure, I said &quot;thanks, ya'll&quot; - it was a hoot.<BR>However, the last couple times I went to France, I spoke English and was always treated nicely. Perhaps the entire country had been to a Dale Carnegie course!

Actually, a few years ago I was in Paris and was booking train reservations to Switzerland. The person at the reservation desk in the train station didn't speak English, but did speak Spanish. I found it kind of amusing to be communicating in Spanish in France.

I just returned from Paris and my Spanish far outweighs my French. When there were times I could not understand or be understood and asked if they spoke Spanish or English (in French of course)I only came upon one person who spoke Spanish and he was originally from Greece. I suggest brushing up on your French just a bit. :) Good luck and have a fabulous time!<BR>

Hi <BR> On occasion, it works. My wife who has no French, but a little Spanish was able to converse for an afternoon with a Frenchman in Chartres who knew no English but did have a smattering of Spanish.<BR><BR> His wife and I smiled a lot.

I returned from Paris on 3/12/03. While shopping on Rue Rivoli, I went into a store and purchased some costume jewelry. I asked the sales person if she spoke English. She said no, but she said she spoke Spanish. She's from Colombia, a student at the Sorbonne. She was a lovely young lady and we yakkety yakked away in Spanish. Also, while at Notre Dame, I always light a candle to the Virgin of Guadalupe in honor of my many Mexican friends. Well, she had the best fresh flowers at her altar, even better than all the other saints and virgins... I also saw some Parisian looking women lighting up candles to her... Amazing, isn't it?

Well, I tried spanish in Paris a couple of years ago and somewhat helped. Now, Just came back from my Italy trip and spanish was almost as good as speaking italian... (my husband was kind of impress with me... Iwas born in Guatemala...)