Do French People Actually Say That?
A myth-checking series on famous French expressions, stereotypes, and borrowed phrases that English speakers hear all the time but rarely understand in context.
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1Part 1Mar 94 min readDo French People Actually Say "Je Ne Sais Quoi"?
English speakers love dropping 'je ne sais quoi' into conversation. But do actual French people use it the same way? Here's what they really say, how they pronounce it, and when it sounds natural.
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2Part 2Mar 94 min readDo French People Actually Say "Comme Ci, Comme Ça"?
You learned 'comme ci, comme ça' in French class. But real French speakers almost never use it. Here's what they actually say when something is just okay.
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3Part 3Mar 94 min readDo French People Actually Say "Oh Là Là"?
Oh là là is one of the most stereotyped French phrases around. French people do say it. They just use it far more casually, and far less flirtatiously, than English speakers expect.
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4Part 4Mar 95 min readDo French People Actually Say "Merde"?
Merde is the most famous French swear word. But how often do French people really use it, what does it mean beyond the literal, and when is it actually appropriate?
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5Part 5Mar 95 min readDo French People Actually Say "Voulez-Vous Coucher Avec Moi"?
Thanks to a pop song, everyone knows this phrase. But would a French person ever actually say it? Here's the truth about this infamous line and what French flirting really sounds like.
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6Part 6Mar 95 min readDo French People Actually Say "Double Entendre"?
English speakers use 'double entendre' to describe a phrase with two meanings. But this expression doesn't exist in French. Here's what French people actually say.
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