6 Kids, 3 cats, 1 dog, Mom, and Dad

My command of language or All you need to know.

Quebec was a lot like Disney World...it was very clean and the people that worked in every shop and restaurant we visited was polite, friendly, and willing to listen to my attempts at their language.

I know the basics: hello, good-bye, please, thank you, you're welcome, I would like, and (most importantly) you are pretty.

Middle Daughter will be taking French 5 in school this year. She's been to Quebec and spent a week in France last Spring. We were talking about my upcoming trip and I asked what I should say to flirt with a hot chick. After the requisite eye rolls and "Oh Father!" she told me to say "tu es joli".

I got my chance to use it a couple of times. Once, I was in a shop getting coffee and the girl there apologized for her bad hair day. She wasn't feeling well and was waiting for a replacement to arrive. I said to her, "Tu es joli!" and she gave me a big smile and told me thank you. The second time I was in a chocolatier shop and the girl there was complimenting me on my accent and asking how many other French words or phrases that I knew. I saved the best for last and again was rewarded with a big smile and thank you.

I told Good Friend about my new phrase on our way to Quebec. He told me that I was given the familiar form and that I really should say "vous êtes joli" since I didn't know the person.

I stuck with the one that I was taught and brought this up with MD when I got home and she said, "Yeah, so I should have taught you how to formally flirt with girls." The eye roll was stupendous and I wish Good Friend had been there to see it!

Posted by bbarton at August 16, 2006 08:49 AM