Send us a text

In episode 12, Mimi and Suzy explore the reality of speaking French with the French—from cafés and comedy clubs to parties that last until dawn. They share stories of microaggressions, waiters switching to English, the cultural “art of sparring,” and how accents shape perception in France. With Mimi’s immersion-through-slang approach and Suzy’s years of formal study, they compare very different learning experiences and reveal what it actually takes to feel confident in French. Along the way, they recount comic misunderstandings, frustrating encounters with French administration, and joyful milestones that prove persistence pays off.

Keywords

Speaking French, French language, French culture, living in France, accents in France, French slang, French administration, microaggressions, cultural sparring, Parisian culture, bilingual life, learning French abroad, foreigners in France, French identity, expat life in France, French waiters, French integration, French comedy, cultural adaptation, French fluency, French pronunciation.

Chapters

00:00 – Introduction & Listener Shoutout
01:30 – From Learning French to Speaking with the French
03:00 – Parisian Sparring, Microaggressions & Administration Culture
06:20 – Mimi’s Slang Beginnings vs. Suzy’s Formal Study
09:30 – Accents, Perceptions & Cultural Bias
11:00 – Comedy Clubs, Roasting & Regional Speech
15:30 – Pronunciation Struggles & Being Understood
19:20 – Identity, Bias & The “Where Are You From?” Question
21:30 – Waiters Switching to English & Language Pet Peeves
27:00 – Milestones, Parties & Professional Confidence
42:45 – Practical Tips for Visitors & Final Reflections