When you do something well, or you make a salient comment in the US, where I’m from, you can hear all sorts of positive feedback. From “well said” to “atta-boy” to “great job,” and so on.
Not in France. You may be wondering, ‘how do you know when you’ve earned esteem in the eyes of a French person?’ This list aims to help. It goes from neutral (#10), to exceptional effusive and hearty approval (#1)
Hierarchy of Compliments in France:
10)”bof-bof”
9)”Bof!”
8)”c’est du pareil au même”
7)”ça m’est égal”
6)”Mouais…” (ou ‘oui, mais’)
5)”C’est pas con, ça”
4)”Pas idiot”
3)”Pas mal”
2)”Pas mal de tout”
1)”Rien à dire”
When they tell you ‘nothing to say,’ you know you’ve reached the top and you won’t get any higher praise from a French person 🙂
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