My experience with the French is that they're happy to speak English if you say something like "Excusez-moi, perlez vous anglais?" but may pretent to not understand you if you just start in English.

Which is actually pretty fair when I think about it.

[–] Servais@jlai.lu 2 points 7 months ago

Very true. English speakers are sometimes taken aback, but it's usually a way to show respect to the local language, and acknowledge that you are asking them a favor to speak a second language.

[–] Leviathan@lemmy.world 1 points 7 months ago

True. I speak French fluently but prefer English so we usually flip between the two and my experience was more about how well they speak and not really how quick they are to. I'm sure my results will vary if I actually go to France, I've heard horror stories from my fellow Quebecers.