Learn French with Emily in Paris Season 2
In late December 2021, season 2 of Emily in Paris was released on Netflix. Just like season 1 it has been a huge hit in the States and in Europe (especially in France!). Just a quick recap of the plot: the show tells the story of an American girl who moves to Paris for work and realizes things are not as perfect as she first imagined, mainly due to her lack of French knowledge.
Emily in Paris is full of stereotypes and clichés about French people and the French culture. Sometimes it even comes across as very cringe-y, but there are actually a lot of useful linguistic points if you are learning French.
From this show, French learners like you can pick up new expressions, pronunciation tips, and vocabulary. You may also actually relate to some of the hardships Emily faces when moving abroad. Letâs explore how students can learn French with Emily in Paris season 2.
Emily in Paris season 2 in French: French or English version?
If your French level is intermediate or advanced, my first recommendation is to watch the show in French. Emily and Mindy frequently intersperse English words and expressions with French, but we still encourage you to choose the French version.
However, be careful with the French subtitles which donât really reflect the dialogues very well. So if you can, try not to turn on the subtitles unless you would like to confirm the meaning of a scene or if you think you have missed something.
If your level of French is beginner or elementary, watching the show in French will be too hard for you and it is more accessible to watch it in English, but do try to pick up French words or expressions.
Although the majority of the show is spoken in English, most of the cast is actually French and they speak French in a realistic and normal manner.
- A French cast
If you watch the series in French, Sylvie, Camille, Luc, and Julien exclusively speak French so you will learn French with the correct French pronunciation (unlike Emily with her American accent!) Camille and Luc use slang a lot but Sylvie who is a typical chic Parisian woman in her fifties speaks a more subtle and sophisticated French.
If you are planning to move to France it is a good idea to take some French lessons beforehand. It will make life a lot easier for you and shows a form of respect for the culture you are about to embrace!
-French Expressions & False friends in season 2
A false friend is a word or expression that has a similar form to one in a person's native language, but has a different meaning (for example English magazine and French magasin âshopâ).
Here are examples of a few false friends used mainly by Emily in season 2 :
Episode 1
9.50 - Luc to Emily talking about Mindy :
« Tu es sĂ»re que câest une vraie femme ? » - « Are you sure that she is a real woman? »
Emily answers : âdĂ©finivementâ
-In English definitively means absolument, certainement in French. Definitivement in French means âfor goodâ in English.
Emily should have replied:
âOui absolument or oui câest certainâ.
Episode 3
3.43 - Emily to the group of guests at her birthday party in the street:
« Merci guys de me supporter parmi vous » - « Thank you guys for supporting me »
In French supporter doesnât mean to support, it has different meanings but in this context, It means to help me, to accept me and not supporter which means in French to bear, to stand.
Emily should have said:
« Merci guys de mâaccepter parmi vous »
Episode 3
22.20 - Emily to Luc regarding Julien
«Je mâĂ©nerve pas, je suis dĂ©sappointĂ©e » - « I am not getting angry, I am disappointedâ
In French dĂ©sappointĂ© exists but is used in very formal and old-fashioned language. When Emily used dĂ©sappointĂ©, she actually has in mind the English word âdisappointedâ which means déçue in common French.
Emily should have said to Julien:
âJe suis déçueâ
Episode 5
27 - Emily to Sylvie regarding Lavauxâs event party:
«Je suis so exited de commencer » - « I am so excited to start »
This false friend is very common: exitĂ© in French used for adults often has a sexual meaning. It means turned on, horny, aroused⊠so translating word for word âIâm excitedâ in French could lead to a big misunderstanding and quite honestly an embarrassment. In this context, Emily should have used contente ou enthousiaste .Emily should have used the appropriate adjective in this situation :
« Je suis tellement contente de commencer »
Episode 5
3.26 - Emily to Gabriel :
«Toi et moi câest une fantasy» - « You and me, itâs a fantasy »
The word fantaisie in French exists but it means big imagination, fanciful. It is used for a fanciful object. In this context Emily should have used a word with a close root : un fantasme which means fantasy in English.
«Toi et moi câest un fantasme »
Episode 7
6.22 - Emily to Mindy about her life in Paris:
« Quand jâai dĂ©mĂ©nagĂ© Ă Paris, ma vie est devenue chaotique et dramatique » - « When I moved to Paris, my life became chaotic and dramaticâ
In French the adjective dramatique is mainly used when a situation implies death or a terrible situation with adversity but not to qualify a hectic life. In this context, Emily means that her life now in Paris is so mixed up because of Gabriel and the decision she must make regarding staying at Savoir or following Sylvie at her new agency. She should have used a word like imprévisible (unpredictable) or compliquée (complicated)
-French expressions in season 2: slang & common expressions used by the natives
In addition to the culture chock in her daily life but also on a professional level with the Savoir team, Emily learns new French expressions throughout the show.
In episode 3 a thunder storm gives Gabriel a good opportunity to teach Emily what a Coup de foudre is : literally âa stroke of thunderâ which actually means âlove at first sightâ when it is related to a romantic situation. This is why Gabriel grabs this opportunity to unveil his deep feelings to Emily.
In episode 4, Emily says to Gabriel « Je ne suis pas un poireau Gabriel ». In French the expression faire le poireau means to wait, to hang around. But Emily who partially understood the meaning the expression uses the verb to be ( ĂȘtre ) and not to make ( faire) which is the verb used in this expression.
If you watch Season 2 in French, here are a few expressions used in the French version that will increase your master of French argot (French slang) :
Episode 5
25.20 - Julien to Emily regarding the choice of the music for the Chopard event :
«Tu vas vraiment de mettre dans cette galĂšre ? » - « will you really put yourself in this crappy situationâ
Une galĂšre in French: hard time, a lot of hassle
Episode 6
23.27 - Mindy to Julien and Emily regarding the fact that Etienne was dumped by his boyfriend:
« Etienne sâest fait larguer par son mec » - « Etienne was dumped by his boyfriend »
Se faire larguer par quelquâun: to be dumped by someone
Episode 7
15.05 - Mindy to Emily and Antoine:
« Avec tous ces verres, je vais ĂȘtre bourrĂ©e » says Mindy
Etre bourré : to be drunk
Episode 7
10.07 - Sylvie to Luc regarding the pictures of the restaurant Lavaux opening, featuring in a magazine : «Les photos de lâouverture sont dans Voici, ça a fait un tabac » - « Les pictures of the opening are in Voici magazine, it was a hitâ
Faire un tabac: to be a huge hit
Episode 7
8.45 - Emily to Mindy regarding her boyfriend Alfie as he didnât text her back after they had sex for the first time:
« Câest officiel Alfi est un connard » - « itâs confirmed, Alfie is an arsehole »
Un connard : an arsehole
Episode 8
3.41 - Gabriel to Emily regarding Alfie:
« Oui mais il te plait » - « Yes but you fancy him ». The order of the words in French is different to English.
Plaire Ă quelquâun in a romantic meaning means to be attracted to someone, to find someone appealing.
Used in a different context, it means to like something âLa robe te plait?â - âDo you like the dress?â âMon travail me plaitâ -âI like my jobâ.
Episode 9
19.37 - Mindy to Benoit when he discovers that she lied, she is the daughter of a multimillionaire
« Benoit lĂąche-moi » - âBenoit, let me go »
Lacher quelquâun means to let them go, to give someone a break.
Episode 10
33.33 â Benoit to Mindy about her reconciliation with Benoit :
« Alors vous ĂȘtes roulĂ©s une pelle ? » « so did you French kiss ?â
Literally rouler une pelle means to toll a shovel, so the meaning is everything but obvious!
Rouler une pelle in French means to French kiss.
-On the footsteps of Emily in Paris with French Ă La Carte
Explore the iconic fiming location & improve your conversational French
If you are an âEmily in Parisâ addict and would like to discover the iconic filming locations of the series and practice your French with a French tutor, French Ă La Carte embark on the adventure of our latest tour In the footsteps of Emily in Paris.
This tour will lead you from the left bank of Paris where Emily lives, to the right bank where Emily works. This tour will end with a drink at Le Valois, the Parisian café just downstairs from Savoir.