Language and local phrases in Cannes (2024)

Language and local phrases in Cannes (1)

Language and local phrases in Cannes (2)

Discover key Cannes local phrases

Updated

French is the official language spoken in Cannes. As a hugely popular international tourist destination you may well find that in many restaurants, bars and hotels English is spoken.

Keyphrases & translations

Below are a few words and phrases to help you get along.

General & Polite Conversation

  • hello - bonjour
  • goodbye - au revoir
  • please - s'il vous plaît
  • thank you (very much) - merci (beaucoup)
  • How are you? - Comment allez-vous?
  • Fine - Ça va bien
  • I don't understand - Je ne comprends pas
  • Can you help me? - Pourriez-vous m'aider?
  • excuse me - pardon, excusez-moi

Accommodation

  • Do you have a room? - Avez-vous une chambre?
  • single room - chambre pour une personne
  • twin room - chambre à deux lits
  • double room - chambre double/chambre pour deux personnes
  • booking - réservation
  • with bath/shower - avec salle de bains/douche

Transport & Directions

  • airport - aéroport
  • bus/bus stop - autobus/arrêt d'autobus
  • coach station - gare routière
  • train - train
  • railway station - gare
  • platform - quai/voie
  • timetable - horaire
  • left-luggage locker - consigne automatique
  • car - voiture
  • ticket office/ticket - guichet/billet
  • a single to... - aller simple pour...
  • return to... - un aller et retour pour...
  • I want to go to... - Je voudrais aller à...
  • Where is...? - Où se trouve...?
  • Over there - là-bas
  • Is it far? - C'est loin?
  • left - à gauche
  • right - à droite
  • straight on - tout droit

Money & Numbers

  • money (notes) - argent
  • change (coins) - monnaie
  • credit card - carte de crédit
  • How much is it? - C'est combien?
  • It's too expensive - C'est trop cher
  • 1 to 10 - un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq, six, sept, huit, neuf dix
  • 11 to 20 - onze, douze, treize, quatorze, quinze, seize, dix-sept, dix-huit, dix-neuf, vingt
  • 21 & 22 - vingt et un, vingt-deux
  • 30/40/50/60/70 - trente, quarante, cinqante, soixant, soixante-dix
  • ​71, 72... - soixante et onze, soixante et douze...
  • 80, 81... - quatre-vingts, quatre-vingt-un...
  • 90, 91... - quatre-vingt-dix, quatre-vingt-onze...
  • 100, 200 - cent, deux cent

History of the language

Between the 12th to 14th centuries, the standard literary language in what is now west and southern France was Occitan, also generally referred to as Provençal. It was widely used in poetry and was the primary language of the troubadours, the travelling story tellers. Known as a Romance language, it is spoken in southern France, Italy's Occitan Valleys, Monaco, and Spain's Val d'Aran; collectively, these regions are sometimes referred to unofficially as Occitania.

Though it was still an everyday language for most of the rural population of southern France well into the 20th century, it has been all but replaced by the systematic imposition of the French language. According to the 1999 census, there are 610,000 native speakers (almost all of whom are also native French speakers) and perhaps another million persons with some exposure to the language.

A tourist in the cities in southern France is unlikely to hear a single Occitan word spoken on the street (or, for that matter, in a home), and is likely to only find the occasional vestige, such as street signs (and, of those, most will have French equivalents more prominently displayed), to remind them of the traditional language of the area.

Occitans, as a result of more than 200 years of conditioned suppression and humiliation, seldom speak their own language in the presence of foreigners, whether they are from abroad or from outside Occitania. Still spoken by many elderly people in rural areas, they will generally switch to French when dealing with outsiders.

Other languages prominent across the area and on the south coast of France include Latin, which was the official language in Nice and other coastal areas until the middle of the 16th century when Italian became the language of the government. Whilst French is its official language today, the Niçard dialect which has its origins in the city's Italian roots, is still spoken by a minority and remains on street signs in Niçard in the old centre.

History of Cannes

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Language and local phrases in Cannes (2024)

FAQs

Language and local phrases in Cannes? ›

French is the language spoken throughout France, including Cannes.

What language is Cannes? ›

French is the language spoken throughout France, including Cannes.

What dialect is spoken in Nice, France? ›

Niçard (Classical orthography), nissart/Niçart (Mistralian orthography, IPA: [niˈsaʀt]), niçois (/niːˈswɑː/ nee-SWAH, French: [niswa]), or nizzardo ( Italian: [nitˈtsardo]) is the dialect that was historically spoken in the city of Nice, in France, and in a few surrounding communes.

What language do they speak in Provence? ›

Provençal (/ˌprɒvɒ̃ˈsɑːl/, also UK: /-sæl/, US: /ˌproʊ-, -vən-/; Occitan: provençau or prouvençau [pʁuveⁿˈsaw]) is a variety of Occitan, spoken by people in Provence and parts of Drôme and Gard.

What language do they speak in St. Tropez? ›

French is the official language spoken in Saint-Tropez.

Is Cannes confidential in English or French? ›

Perhaps if they are French speakers, they should've spoke French and put in some sub titles. No value was added with their speaking English, which they certainly spoke well but that was what they clearly were focused on, speaking that is, and not acting.

What are the top 3 languages spoken in France? ›

Percentage of people in France who speak the languages below as a mother tongue or foreign language.
  • French 96.25%
  • English 24.21%
  • Spanish 9.06%
  • German 5.27%
  • Italian 3.68%
  • Arabic 2.64%
  • Portuguese 2.41%
  • Polish 0.83%

What is the most elegant French accent? ›

The Parisian accent, known for its elegance and precision, is often called Standard French.

Do you need to speak French in Nice France? ›

But in order to have a nice chat with random people in France, you will need to speak French. Sure, there are plenty of people in all parts of France who are excited to practice English, but unless their everyday activities really involve a lot of English, conversation will be limited.

What are the two languages of Provençal? ›

Thanks to the similarities in their evolution, Occitan and Catalan are two very closely related languages; so much so that early Romance-language scholars considered them to be one language, bundling them together under the single, rather inadequate name of Provençal.

Why is Provence called Aix? ›

The Wikipedia entry for Aix-en-Provence says that "aix" comes from Aquae Sextiae, or "the waters of Sextius." Around 123 BCE, the Roman Consul Sextius Calvinus named the hot springs associated with that city for himself.

Do people still speak Provençal? ›

Today, all the dialects of Occitan are endangered, with four of them (including Provençal) classified as “severely endangered.” Children in Southern France don't grow up speaking Occitan and few of them study it in school.

Which is nicer, Cannes or St Tropez? ›

If it's the outdoors you're after, the Cannes area wins for its mimosa-topped hills and eucalyptus-filled Lérins Islands, but St Tropez is the place for wine lovers, thanks to its vine-studded peninsula where crisp pastel-pink rosé is made inside stucco-fronted chateaux. Not sure which town is for you?

What's nicer, Cannes or Nice? ›

Cannes' beaches cater to a more upscale and glamorous crowd, while Nice's beaches provide a more relaxed and accessible atmosphere. Whether you prefer the elegance of private beach clubs or the laid-back charm of public beaches, both cities offer beach experiences that will satisfy sun-seeking visitors.

Which is better, St Tropez or Cannes? ›

Saint-Tropez is a vibrant vacation spot with slightly warmer weather and enjoyable beaches, attracting millions of visitors annually. Cannes has a more quintessential Cote d'Azur vibe, attracting a quieter crowd and offering better beaches than Saint-Tropez.

What does Cannes mean in French? ›

[kan ] feminine noun. (walking) stick. les cannes blanches (= les aveugles) the blind.

Is Cannes in France or Italy? ›

Cannes, resort city of the French Riviera, in Alpes-Maritimes département, Provence-Alpes-Côtes d'Azur région, southeastern France. It lies southwest of Nice.

What does Cannes mean? ›

Definitions of Cannes. a port and resort city on the French Riviera; site of an annual film festival. example of: city, metropolis, urban center. a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts. port.

What is Cannes in French to English? ›

(walking) stick, cane.

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