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Parisienne French: Chic Phrases, Slang and Style
THE LANGUAGE OF LOVE FOR THE GIRL WITH JE NE SAIS QUOI
You’ve dreamed of Paris your whole life. You’ve imagined yourself sipping a café au lait at an outdoor bistro in the Jardin de Tuileries, or browsing a fashionable boutique on the Champs-Elysées, or strolling along the banks of the Seine, hand in hand with your handsome French lover. Now is the time to realize that dream.
Parisienne French will have you cultured, chic and, most importantly, casually chatting with locals as if you were raised in the City of Lights. With refined phrases to express yourself at the Musée d’Orsay, posh vocabulary for catching up on this season’s couture fashion and hip slang for flirting at the hottest nightclub, you’ll effortlessly navigate the social scenes of Paris. Your new eloquent French will win over any vrai patriote , who will warmly welcome you to la vie parisienne .
You’ve dreamed of Paris your whole life. You’ve imagined yourself sipping a café au lait at an outdoor bistro in the Jardin de Tuileries, or browsing a fashionable boutique on the Champs-Elysées, or strolling along the banks of the Seine, hand in hand with your handsome French lover. Now is the time to realize that dream.
Parisienne French will have you cultured, chic and, most importantly, casually chatting with locals as if you were raised in the City of Lights. With refined phrases to express yourself at the Musée d’Orsay, posh vocabulary for catching up on this season’s couture fashion and hip slang for flirting at the hottest nightclub, you’ll effortlessly navigate the social scenes of Paris. Your new eloquent French will win over any vrai patriote , who will warmly welcome you to la vie parisienne .
192 pages, Hardcover
First published September 16, 2013
15 people are currently reading
628 people want to read
About the author
Rhianna Jones
1 book11 followersI was born in Chicago, IL, and received a dual-degree in French Literature and International Visual Studies from Tufts University. Currently my urbanite heart lives in New York City. In simplest form, I can be deemed as lettered and leathered. I am a French and fashion culturehead, I love all things vogue, especially when they are en français.
Combining my passions of writing, fashion and girliness with my eternal love for Paris, my debut book, Parisienne French embodies my complete vie parisienne (Parisian life). A slang, style and culture guide, it paints a picture of the experience one will have when being a flaneur in the City of Lights. I invite you all to read it and channel your inner Parisian self.
Combining my passions of writing, fashion and girliness with my eternal love for Paris, my debut book, Parisienne French embodies my complete vie parisienne (Parisian life). A slang, style and culture guide, it paints a picture of the experience one will have when being a flaneur in the City of Lights. I invite you all to read it and channel your inner Parisian self.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 1, 2013
What a treasure is this little book, published by the Ulysses Press, and luckily won by moi in a goodreads giveaway.
The first thing I admired about this work, was the graphic style, from the sophisticated mademoiselle on the cover in her pearls and little black strapless cocktail dress, to the cleverly drawn chapter covers, and the introductions to each chapter, each framed against what looks like striped wallpaper, (like that in the sitting room of the flat of my Parisian friend Odile's mother), to the little bows underneath each page number.
The compact size of the book is perfect for tucking into your cross-body bag on your next trip to Paris, so you can whip it out and turn to the appropriate chapter to find the French to fit your situation.
Even though I have been to Paris numerous times, this book contained a gold mine of information about the City of Lights that I wish I'd had on previous forays. For one, there is a marvelous mini map of the ville, showing the river Seine, with each arrondisement (official districts of the city), clearly bordered and numbered, so you can see the relation of each to the River Seine, the Eiffel Tower, and other landmarks. This is invaluable for choosing your route for the day if you are a traveler on a time budget. This is followed by a brief description of each neighborhood, and the main attractions in each.
Each subject Jones addresses, ("Culture," "Fashion," "Nightlife," "Cuisine," etc.), is addressed in a breezy, millenial conversational style, and better yet, the author gives you the millenial conversational French to cover you when you are dealing with that subject, up close and personal.
Once upon a time, I had a favorite reference book, "The International Dictionary of Obscenities," which gave the most titillating colloquialisms of 5 different languages. I was awfully upset the day I discovered it was missing - it was locally published in Berkeley and out of print by then. But now I have up to the minute French raunch, more than I will ever need, and what's better, how to put it into a grammatically correct sentence! Some of my favorites, (and only mildly vulgar), include the French for "Nice rack!", which translates literally into English as "there are a lot of people on the balcony!", and "It costs an arm and a leg!", whose French version translates as, "It costs the skin off your a__!"
But there are a hundred or more phrases you really would use on a daily basis - in the bakery, at a clothing store, in a club, etc. Plus, Jones has included names of current shops and boutiques and bookstores now in vogue, not to mention some well-selected recipes that you will want to try out.
I can't wait to return to Paris now, and I won't go without this book, to review at my pleasure on the plane, and to enhance my Parisian experience once I get there. Highly recommended
The first thing I admired about this work, was the graphic style, from the sophisticated mademoiselle on the cover in her pearls and little black strapless cocktail dress, to the cleverly drawn chapter covers, and the introductions to each chapter, each framed against what looks like striped wallpaper, (like that in the sitting room of the flat of my Parisian friend Odile's mother), to the little bows underneath each page number.
The compact size of the book is perfect for tucking into your cross-body bag on your next trip to Paris, so you can whip it out and turn to the appropriate chapter to find the French to fit your situation.
Even though I have been to Paris numerous times, this book contained a gold mine of information about the City of Lights that I wish I'd had on previous forays. For one, there is a marvelous mini map of the ville, showing the river Seine, with each arrondisement (official districts of the city), clearly bordered and numbered, so you can see the relation of each to the River Seine, the Eiffel Tower, and other landmarks. This is invaluable for choosing your route for the day if you are a traveler on a time budget. This is followed by a brief description of each neighborhood, and the main attractions in each.
Each subject Jones addresses, ("Culture," "Fashion," "Nightlife," "Cuisine," etc.), is addressed in a breezy, millenial conversational style, and better yet, the author gives you the millenial conversational French to cover you when you are dealing with that subject, up close and personal.
Once upon a time, I had a favorite reference book, "The International Dictionary of Obscenities," which gave the most titillating colloquialisms of 5 different languages. I was awfully upset the day I discovered it was missing - it was locally published in Berkeley and out of print by then. But now I have up to the minute French raunch, more than I will ever need, and what's better, how to put it into a grammatically correct sentence! Some of my favorites, (and only mildly vulgar), include the French for "Nice rack!", which translates literally into English as "there are a lot of people on the balcony!", and "It costs an arm and a leg!", whose French version translates as, "It costs the skin off your a__!"
But there are a hundred or more phrases you really would use on a daily basis - in the bakery, at a clothing store, in a club, etc. Plus, Jones has included names of current shops and boutiques and bookstores now in vogue, not to mention some well-selected recipes that you will want to try out.
I can't wait to return to Paris now, and I won't go without this book, to review at my pleasure on the plane, and to enhance my Parisian experience once I get there. Highly recommended
August 14, 2016
I won this in a Goodreads First Reads giveaway. Due to life, I'm just now getting around to writing a review. My apologies to the publisher, Ulysses Press.
This is a charming little book. It's small enough to tuck into a purse, so if you're traveling, you can whip it out and find the French phrase you are seeking.
Although it appears to be written for the 20-something female, anyone in love with Paris is bound to find something to like in it. I can see teen girls reading this and dreaming of visiting Paris.
The design is cute but still readable. Too often, readability is lost and the design is the focus. Not so in this book.
For the wannabe sophisticate traveling to Paris, this is a delightful book to give and receive. If you buy it to give, you will most likely thumb through it and practice some French phrases.
Merci beaucoup, Ulysses Press and Rhianna Jones
This is a charming little book. It's small enough to tuck into a purse, so if you're traveling, you can whip it out and find the French phrase you are seeking.
Although it appears to be written for the 20-something female, anyone in love with Paris is bound to find something to like in it. I can see teen girls reading this and dreaming of visiting Paris.
The design is cute but still readable. Too often, readability is lost and the design is the focus. Not so in this book.
For the wannabe sophisticate traveling to Paris, this is a delightful book to give and receive. If you buy it to give, you will most likely thumb through it and practice some French phrases.
Merci beaucoup, Ulysses Press and Rhianna Jones
June 15, 2015
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway, read it, and gave it to a lovely friend of my daughter who is in love with all things French. I love how this book builds upon basic French skills and focus on phrases for situations. Rather than the standard French class situations, these are more fun and aimed at getting you out and about enjoying Paris and meeting people. If Paris is on your bucket-list, you will find it moving up in priority after you savor this book. Highly recommended for all young women heading to Paris who love fashion and fun!
November 6, 2013
Ideal for the 20-something traveler preparing for a stay in Paris. This perfect travel size book is full of advice to enjoy & appreciate your stay along with all the cultured & not-so cultured phrases you could need.
September 14, 2020
J’adore!
April 18, 2022
Breezy and amusing overview of Parisian slang. The book assumes an advanced beginner-intermediate level of French and is geared for the female twenty/thirty-something looking to "brighten" her French vocabulary.
April 22, 2022
Where has this book been all of my life? I think I love Rhianna Jones.
February 13, 2016
There is only one way to describe Parisienne French – Chic Phrases, Slang & Style by Rhianna Jones and that word is charming. It is a charming little handbag sized book that has everything French in it. Jones talks about Paris as if the city is her best friend, her lover and part of her soul.
The easy to read book is broken down into sections such as culture, fashion and food etc. Her knowledge of Paris the city is only rivalled by her knowledge of the French language. However, don’t fear that you are about to get a high school tutorial in which you learn useless phrases such as le souris sur la table – I won’t lie, I stole this quote from Eddie Izzard…of topic but never mind – oh no, you are going to learn how to speak like a local. You will learn slang, current vernacular and even text talk.
If you are a Francophile and you want to feel more at one with the French way of life then Parisienne French – Chic Phrases, Slang & Style by Rhianna Jones is the book for you!
Parisienne French – Chic Phrases, Slang & Style by Rhianna Jones is available now.
The easy to read book is broken down into sections such as culture, fashion and food etc. Her knowledge of Paris the city is only rivalled by her knowledge of the French language. However, don’t fear that you are about to get a high school tutorial in which you learn useless phrases such as le souris sur la table – I won’t lie, I stole this quote from Eddie Izzard…of topic but never mind – oh no, you are going to learn how to speak like a local. You will learn slang, current vernacular and even text talk.
If you are a Francophile and you want to feel more at one with the French way of life then Parisienne French – Chic Phrases, Slang & Style by Rhianna Jones is the book for you!
Parisienne French – Chic Phrases, Slang & Style by Rhianna Jones is available now.
September 7, 2014
I just love this book. It makes me giggle as well as reminds me of a language I love so well.
December 2, 2013
Very informative, really made me excited for traveling
March 14, 2014
Interesting French phrases and slang.... Lots of cultural and tourist/local information as well. 3.5 stars...
August 16, 2015
Interesting about how Paris is built/arranged like a snail. Also the non-formal phrases.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews