Newly moved to France and my French language skills are still in their infancy so I’d like a doctor who speaks English. That’s easy enough except I would also like their office to speak at least a moderate level of English.
I’m tired of arriving at a door with a code, calling the doctor’s office and having someone speak to me in lightening quick French, refusing to slow down and using not a word of English to help ease the communications.
This doctor is intended to be my standard every day sort of doctor, nothing fancy.
Many doctors seem to speak some English, but unless they are very confident they will express their medical opinions in French - possibly to avoid them incorrectly suggesting a condition or treatment in a foreign tongue.
In my local medical cabinets, I haven’t found any of the reception staff (apart from one or two young ones in their 20s) who know any English at all.
Just to show you’re trying to fit in to France, it’s worth preparing and memorising a few phrases.
I’d recommend starting your communication with “Bonjour, madame (or monsieur). Je suis anglais. Je suis désolé mais je ne parle pas très bien le français - mais si vous parlez lentement, cela m’aide à mieux comprendre.”
If necessary print it out and show it to them. Bon chance!
Thanks for the phrase, I do try and get some semblance of that phrase out but it seems to not quite be landing as if hoped. No doubt I’m mangling it a bit. I do often understand their French when they say they don’t understand. It’s ironically funny and frustrating.
If you can give us a rough idea of where in France you are living… someone might be able to give you some helpful local information.
Have you already visited your local Mairie… many see it as being “polite” when a newcomer goes in to say “hello, I’m a new Resident, my name is blah blah and I live at blah blah”
They might be able to advise you on the whereabouts of Doctors etc etc… Maison Medicale… that sort of thing.
best of luck
(and do keep working on your French… you will need good language skills to Survive France )
I think one problem is that many British people come to France and expect the bureaucracy to be broadly the same as in the UK. It’s not… Taking healthcare as an example, one is expected to be an active participant rather than a patient.
For example, if your GP (MT or médecin traitant in French) requires you to have a blood test, it will generally be up to you to find a suitable laboratory and make an appointment rather than having three surgery make the arrangements.
Frankly if you have found a médecin traitant who has agreed to take you onto his books, I would put up with a bit of inconvenience initially, just until your French is up to speed.
Good luck with this Adam, the initial years can be a challenge but it does get easier. One of the things to remember about such conversations is that they are within a very limited vocabulary, so even if you don’t understand exactly what’s being said the chances are the receptionist is asking you things like:
Can I have your carte vitale
Can I have your mutuelle
What time is your appointment
Go and sit there in the waiting room
(possibly, though rarely) Which doctor are you seeing? He/she is running late.
Can you take someone with you initially who does understand, then they can confirm to you, which of these scenarios is being voiced. It’s one of the joys of such a contained environment because the vocabulary is so limited - much harder is the neighbour coming up to you in the supermarket when you have no clue whatsoever what the topic is going to be!
You are a man, French women love their men - assuming the receptionists are women (I know, I know stereotyping, but it’s true!). Make friends with them, smile, apologise lots, they are important and can make your life easier. They will remember you because you are the man who speaks lousy French and that in the long run will help you. Initially they may be terrified of you because you don’t speak French, important to break through that barrier.
Just realised - you haven’t even got in the door! But surely the lightening speed French is along the lines of “I’m opening the door, come in”??? Or “do you have an appointment”??? Obviously if it’s coming out of a loudspeaker that’s not easy and I sympathise.
Of course, in time you will. But maybe not in the early days. I agree with someone else who posted, if you’ve found an English speaking doctor don’t be quick to discard them just because their receptionist doesn’t speak English.
Are you doing French lessons, etc? Can you get someone to practice with you, speaking fast until you can hear it and it becomes automatic?
Ah… you have a French-speaker “to hand” ! that can be such a help in the early stages…
and if you need to see a Doc… it doesn’t matter about 'em not speaking English… if you have a medical condition which needs treating… get in front of any Doc with your medical situation written on a piece of paper (or smart phone)… and/or take your French speaker with you…
If you are simply trying to get yourself onto a “List” and can take your time… then do just that… get your French speaker to make enquiries on your behalf… it will be much simpler all round… and once you’ve located a Doc who can (at least) understand English… you are on the road to success…
and, it cannot be stressed enough, do work on your French…
)
