LA BISE

*Saying hello in France is

not simple!
*The French do not simply
say hi or shake hands: they
kiss!
*Four questions for la bise:
Who? When? How? How
many?

WHEN?
*When you meet up with a
friend in your spare time
*In the morning at work
*Always when visiting friends
*You would greet everyone
person at a party with la
bise

WHO?
*Consider: Family links,
level of friendship, working
relationship, age, and social
status
*Do not initiate la bise
with a boss; wait to see how
they greet you
*Colleagues
*Men do not always do la
bise unless they are friends

HOW?
*Depends on how well you
know the person
*If you do not know them very
well it is better to be cautious
*Can vary from actual kissing
on the cheek to kissing the air

HOW MANY?
*Paris= 2/3 (a
dpend)
*South eastern
France= 3
*Some northern
regions=4
*People from the same
city may not always
agree on the number

WHY ARE THE FRENCH

UNSURE?
*Social status (working class
people kiss more than middle
or upper class)
*President Obama unsure of
how to handle la bise with
Carla Bruni

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. What do you think about the French way of
greeting someone with la bise?
2. Do you think the French feel uncomfortable
when they greet each other in this way?
3. Why are the French sometimes unsure about
how many bises to give?
4. Do you want to travel to France? Why or
why not?
5. How would you feel if you studied abroad or
lived with a French family?
6. What are some questions you have about
French culture and their way of living?

If you finished the quiz &

the questions:
*Please complete activities 8 and 9
on page 9 of the French 1 book
(red)
*Will be collected for points!
*NO TALKING while people are
taking the quiz in the hall
*Later: La musique en France
(songs & videos)

Ecrivez en franais
*5-7 phrases: 15 pts

*Comment tu tappelles?
*Quel ge as-tu?
*Tu es comment?
*Quest-ce que tu aimes faire?
*Quest-ce que tu naimes
pas?

Exemple:
Je mappelle Mademoiselle
Hile. Jai vingt-trois ans. Jai
les yeux verts et les cheveux
blonds vnitiens. Je suis
amricaine et je suis sportive.
Jaime lire et jaime faire du
jogging. Jaime bien cuisiner
aussi! Je naime pas les
mathmatiques.

Ecrivez un paragraphe en
franais de vous-mmes
*10(+) phrases: 15 pts
*Quest-ce que vous aimez faire?
*Quest-ce que vous avez fait
pendant lt?
*Quest-ce que vous allez faire au
futur?
*Ou venez-vous?
*Quel ge avez-vous?
*Est-ce que vous avez des frres ou