Emily in Paris is a Netflix series that quickly became famous among French learners and people who are interested in the Parisian lifestyle. The show includes drama, romance, comedy and most importantly the dialogue is a mix of French and English with a lot of cultural references and daily vocabulary in French, so it is perfect for French learners. Let’s see how you can improve your French while watching Emily in Paris!

Why use Emily in Paris to learn French ?

Easy and simple vocabulary

The French vocabulary in this show is simple and common, the characters are using vocabulary about daily life, salutations, during celebrations, at restaurants and cafés, at work and also social conversations.

Bilingual dialogue 

The show includes French and English language, and the characters often switch between them which makes it easier for the French learner and watcher to understand better and immerse themselves in the language. the mix of both french and english will help you understand the show and what the characters are talking about, because as we know sometimes it can be difficult and intimidating to watch a movie or a show in a language that we are learning, they speak fast, they use slang, they have references that you don’t necessarily know, so for some people it can discouraging.

French culture 

You will see a lot of cultural references in the show, the way they celebrate things, how they dress, how they behave… and not only in Paris they will take you to some other places in France. It will open your eyes to the way Parisian people interact with each other and how much they love cafés, fashion and art. 

Learn French while having fun

Sometimes it becomes difficult to stay motivated during the process of learning French, so here instead of taking a break that can lead you to losing some vocabulary, try to do fun things, that’s why Emily in Paris is an amazing show that can help you to learn without feeling like you are putting in a lot of effort. Learning a language needs consistency and the show will certainly keep you hooked, you will keep coming back for more episodes.

Most used French Phrases in Emily in Paris 

Here are some phrases that you hear in the show:

French	English translation	Context in the show
Bonjour	Hello / Good Morning	Used for greetings. Emily often uses this word and hears it all the time during the show.
Ça va ?	How are you ?	Used to ask how someone is doing.
Exusez moi	Excuse me	Used in cafés, restaurants…
Je suis desloé(e)	I’m sorry	Used to apologize.
Merci beaucoup	Thank you so much	Used to express gratitude.
C’est magnifique!	It’s magnificent!	Used to describe something beautiful.
Oh là là!	Oh my gosh!	Used as an exclamation of surprise or frustration.

Practice these phrases and you will be ready to interact with French people the same way Emily does.

Tips to help learn French while watching the Show

1. Use subtitles

Using subtitles can be very beneficial while watching Emily in Paris, you can have English and French at the same time, if you are a beginner you can start with English subtitles to understand the plot, after that you can switch to French subtitles to connect the dialogue or the spoken words to the written ones. If you have an advanced level, you can try watching without subtitles for a full immersion experience.

2. Pause and repeat

You can pause the show whenever you hear a French word or sentence and then repeat it out loud. Try to mimic the intonation and accent, it is a great tip to help with pronunciation and to build your confidence too. 

3. Take notes 

Keep a notebook next to you, whenever you hear a French word or sentence, write it down, if it helps you remember add the situation or context that way you can review them later and create sentences. 

4. Observe the non-verbal cues 

Notice the body language, facial expressions and the tone, to see how certain words are used, it can also make it easier for you to understand the meaning even if you don’t know the words. 

5. Rewatch to remember 

If it helps, you can rewatch some episodes to reinforce your vocabulary, hearing the same words helps you memorize them quickly. It is a very effective way to enhance your French vocabulary. 

French vocabulary inspired by Emily in Paris

French	Pronunciation	English
L’amour	[LAh-moor]	Love
Le Café	[luh Kah-fay]	Coffee
Un bureau	[uh byoo-roh]	Office
La mode	[Lah-mohd]	Fashion
Un ami (M) / une amie (F)	[uh-nah-mee / oon-nah-mee]	Friend
Une surprise	[oon soor-preez]	Surprise

French culture in Emily in Paris 

The show will give you an idea about French culture, from language to lifestyle.

Here a few highlights from the show:

• Café culture 

In this show you will discover how much Parisian people love Cafés, it is where they spend a lot of time either socializing or people-watching while drinking coffee and eating pastries. 

• Formality in language 

You will see the difference between certain words, in which setting we use them…

For example the use of the pronoun “Tu” (informal – you) and “Vous” (Formal – you) is very important in French, you will see that Emily struggles with it during the show. 

• Fashion 

The show demonstrates the elegance of Parisian people and how much they care about fashion, you will see that every event includes arts and fashion.

• Idioms and expressive language 

French people use idioms and expressions to exaggerate sometimes, for example “Quelle Horreur!” (How awful), “C’est pas possible!” (that’s not possible).

Activities to enhance your French Vocabulary

• Write summaries in French: after each episode try to summarize the story or the events etc, if it is fun for you and keeps you motivated go ahead! 
• Roleplay scenes: try to play a few scenes or recreate them with a friend. 
• Discuss with others: you can join groups in which you can talk about the show and share your favorite scenes or phrases.

Watching a show or a movie in French will help you drastically to improve your vocabulary, so keep watching and learning, if you want to know more tips visit Albert Learning.