Girlfriends family speaks French...I don't know French.

[MilesFish]

So I've been dating this French girl for a while now, and tomorrow night I'm going over at her house for dinner. I'm meeting her family for the first time,and they all just moved here from France less than a year ago, so of course they all speak French at home. She says they know a lot of English, but are not completely fluent. I barely speak ANY French. I just learned how to introduce myself to try and impress my girlfriend. I don't want to go in and force them to speak English for me, I think that's rude..and having my girlfriend translate for me is a little weird, and I don't think that's fair to her. Help...what do I do?

[smackie9]

Her parents will know more English than you do french so muddle your way through dinner. If you really see them as your future in-laws then start taking french lessons for future family dinners. There is a program you can buy called the Rosetta stone, and learn off your computer.

[HeartIsAching]

Are you in the U.S., or France? If you're in the U.S., they'll likely speak English in order to be polite to you, and that's proper.

Funny story:

Years ago a friend of mine and I went out with two Chinese-American girls, who kept talking to each other in Cantonese and then laughing all evening. We'd asked them to stop as it was rude and they ignored us. Both of us spoke German at the time (I'd just gotten back from living there for 3.5 years, and he was reared there), so after the 3rd or 4th time the girls did that, we struck up a conversation in German. Should've seen the looks on their faces. Last time we went out with them. Duh.

[sadie_genie]

You are worrying too much. Chances are they already like you if you are their daughter's boyfriend. Just show an effort to communicate with them and you will be fine regardless of whether you can speak French or not. Maybe say one of two phrases in French like "Bonjour, Madame____. Bonjour Monsieur _____", "Je m'appelle (your name)", "merci beaucoup", etc to show you have interest in their language.

[cheekxs]

It is what it is,, you knew that she was french.

so this is part of the package!

just be yourself.
and introduce yourself in french will break the ice for shore!

[HeartIsAching]

What does the beach have to do with it?

[smackie9]

Are you in the U.S., or France? If you're in the U.S., they'll likely speak English in order to be polite to you, and that's proper.

Funny story:

Years ago a friend of mine and I went out with two Chinese-American girls, who kept talking to each other in Cantonese and then laughing all evening. We'd asked them to stop as it was rude and they ignored us. Both of us spoke German at the time (I'd just gotten back from living there for 3.5 years, and he was reared there), so after the 3rd or 4th time the girls did that, we struck up a conversation in German. Should've seen the looks on their faces. Last time we went out with them. Duh.

Ya funny story my friend chased a romance and ended up moving to Quebec (the forbidden territory lol) without any real knowledge of the language except maybe a little grade 8 french. She would be on the phone with me telling me about how her BF's friends refused to speak English (even tho they know how) and how rude it was to her....same deal they would be looking at her then laughing and carrying on speaking French. He never did anything about it...it was a case of "you are in Quebec now, put up or shut up....learn the language". So she got off her butt and took lessons, she is doing much better, but I think she wants to move back. Me personally I couldn't be in love enough to leave BC and live there lol.