In this article, I’m answering a hard question: what is French culture?
Today, we have to talk about this. Because I realised lots of people don’t really understand that.
Culture.
You have heard it before. Teachers keep telling you – you need to learn about French culture as well as French grammar and vocabulary.
And they are definitely not wrong.
Understanding French culture is going to help you speak French much more efficiently.
Because culture is what all French people have in common.
So you learn about the traditions of France, and maybe about French food, and boum, easy right?
You’ve learned about French culture!
But you might have also realized that it doesn’t influence your French at all.
That’s because what you’ve learned is not really the important part of French culture.
What is French culture then?
Ok, big philosophical question here.
But we’re not doing an essay, so don’t worry.
Traditions, dances, dishes, food, music, French history… is part of the French culture. So OUI, knowing a bit about that is useful.
Because you can use that as a topic for talking with French people.
BUT, there’s something that is even more important.
VALUES and..
IDEAS.
The way French people react to certain values, to certain ideas is what you want to understand.
Knowing about this is going to help you come in contact for real with French people.
You know, not in an artificial way. But truly.
Because if the way you act is offending French people, then it’s because, probably, you’ve talked about something taboo, or you did something too much, something that is contrary to the values or ideas shared of most French people.
For example – French people tend to be reserved and distant at first.
Because we are not used to sharing a lot with strangers. But once you know a French person, and have talked with them a few times, we are much more open and friendly.
If a French person is friendly with you, it probably means you have a new friend! And we take friendship very seriously.
This is a bit opposed to the American ways of being friendly to strangers, and a bit harder to become true friends with.
I don’t remember who first talked about this – but there’s this image that French people are coconuts, hard to crack but soft in the middle; and Americans are peaches, soft on the outside with a hard pit.
So instead of learning about dishes and traditions, here’s what you can do to learn about French culture.
It’s all going to be about immersion. Some sort of immersion.
Because immersion doesn’t have to be a thing you do abroad.
You can create small immersions into the French culture in your every life. Without leaving your country.
So to learn about French culture, you need to look at what it is like to live in France, what French people are like.
For that, you can watch French movies.
You can read French books.
Another thing you can do is check the news in French. You can do that easily on Google News by switching your settings to France and French.
You’ll see how French people react to what happening in the world. You’ll see what is actually on the mind of French people.
That can be a very weird realization for you. I know it was for me. When I left for Ireland, I did the switch and that was eye-opening to see what was actually important in the eyes of the media of Ireland.
Ireland and France have two very distinct ways to react to events as well.
This actually gives you a unique perspective on your own culture.
And finally, you can also follow a few French YouTubers, which helps to have another point of view.
Have fun!
