I'm German and had the same experience when I went to France, everyone was smiling everywhere but once I asked them anything in English they just didn't want me there anymore.
At some point I started asking if they speak German first, if I switched to English afterwards they stayed happy.
But yeah fuck them for that, makes you feel super unwelcome...
Most of us are just so bad at english it's embarassing, you're probably just making them stress tbh, that or you're in Paris and if that's the case, well.. it's just Paris i guess
I feel like that's so much more of a non-issue nowadays since we all carry smartphones anyway that aren't just dictionaries but can even translate shit if needed.
Let me tell ya this was so much worse 20 years ago when you are somewhere with your broken, basic language skills and a fucking paper dictionary trying to ask the railroad employee whether you're just about the board the wrong train 🙈
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u/travturav Jul 20 '25
Visually, I can pass for French. I saw so many big smiles change to angry frowns when I started speaking. Assholes.