Do French people really hate English?

Question

I'm specifically talking about people in France.

If it is true, why do so many French they still have the ability to converse in English well?

Answer 1

They don't hate english.

They hate the fact that when Americans come to France they don't make any effort to speak french: they speak english and expect that people speak english too.

Even if french people have the ability to converse in english, they don't feel like do it because they consider that Americans need to adjust to the language of the country they visit and it's a lack of respect when they impose english in their conversation like this it's natural to do so.

If they don't speak french, they need to say so, we can understand that. When their approach is wrong that means when they come assuming that everybody in France has to speak english ... french people may say: "excuse me but I don't speak english" even if it's wrong. I know a lot of french people acting like that.

We have the ability to converse in english well because we have the ability to have more time to travel and to discover the world. An average American can't travel like an average french person because of the system ... An average American has too much debts and not enough time to enjoy life: they need two or three jobs to pay their bills. With only one job we can pay our bills, pay our taxes, have more times with our family and we can travel several times in a year.

Answer 2

I am not French, nor American, but I speak French and English.

I was in France and I do not believe that French people hate Americans as such. I was very surprised reading questions on that in yahoo Q&A and also finding comments that French people are rude. I do not want to say an unpleasant thing, but, according to my observations, Americans in my country (tourists and businessmen most often) are more likely to be rude, and a word rude has little to do with coming here French people. Therefore I really thought intensively what makes Americans to think French are rude. Then I understood that some people think so just because French people prefer to speak in their native language in their own country - exactly in the same way Americans do. That is funny. And has nothing to do with hatred. It just demonstrates self-centered problem of thinking.

I understand that USA and pro-American policies have opposition in different countries in a form of some political groups, NGOs, including countries where liberation idea has been a strong tradition, like in France, e.g. Paris commune. But that exists in many countries with highly successful achievements of socialists policies. Such opposition has nothing to do with hatred, however I understand that some people are really desperate meeing some Americans who are afraid of the word socialist alone.

Answer 3

I went through France several years ago, on way back from Germany. Tried to order food at a vendor using English, the guy turned his lip up in a sneer at me and turned to wait on someone else. I walked off mad, but then watched for a few minutes and tried again, ording in German - Bingo, no problem. Dont know if he just hated Americans or what. It was in Paris in the train station and I know I wasnt the 1st person speaking English to him. So beats me. The rest of Europe seemed to jump at the chance to try out their English on me when I was in their country, although I would try to use their countries language. I'm guessing the vendor guy was just a snob. Like I was mortally wounded a vendor guy didnt like me!

Answer 4

Jacques Chirac, their president does. He stormed out of an EU meeting in disgust and anger because a Frenchmen who was going to give a talk addressed the meeting in English, because he regarded it the most widespread and understood language.

Like Bush and Blair though, he doesn't speak for his entire country.

Answer 5

I think it is that they don't like Americans, not the English. People from England are fine in the French's eyes! haha. ;)

Answer 6

I doubt they hate the language, but most do hate Americans and Americans speak English.

Answer 7

I stayed in France for a week in 1999 and had no problems even though I only spoke English.

Answer 8

Yes they hate it. I went to Europe like 3 years ago and they prefered my spanish than my english. If I speak to them in english they pretended to not listen to me...but sometimes they were so nice to tell me EHHH MEXICANA hablame español. They have the ability because around world schools makes us study english no matter if we want or not.

Answer 9

i dont understand ur 2nd question..

but.. the French dont care for Americans.. at all.
very rude to us .. heh

Answer 10

No they don't .but they respect their mother language