Can I Please Use the Toilet in French
🚾 Asking "where is the bathroom" in French is more complicated than it seems. The French accept old rules well-nigh excusing oneself to become to the restroom. You shouldn't go in the middle of a meal. And when you demand to get, y'all should be very discreet about it. Hither is everything you lot wanted to know (and more) almost using the toilets in France.
ane- Don't Enquire For the Bathroom in French To Avoid an Embarrassing Fault!
Many English speakers want to translate "where is the bathroom" literally, hence saying: "où est la salle de bain".
Just in France "la salle de bain" is for bath and showers, and may not have a toilet (which often is located in a split up room)…
Imagine the surprise of your host when you lot ask what will sound to them like: "where tin I take a bath?"…
The correct question is: "où sont les toilettes". Annotation that the toilet is plural in French.
two – Using the Toilet in a French Café
If you are visiting French republic and demand to employ the restroom, the easiest matter to do is to step in a java store.
Just ask: "est-ce que je peux utiliser vos toilettes s'il vous plaît" (may I utilise your restroom) with a smile, and it should exist no problem.
If information technology'due south a big and busyParisian café, just go far and open your eyes for a staircase – toilets are oft located one flooring down or i flooring upwardly. Don't enquire anything and only go.
If you are in an extremely touristy area though, toilets may be for patrons simply. I suggest you lot order "un café s'il vous plaît", then ask "où sont les toilettes?", utilise the facilities, pay for your coffee and drink it or non – information technology's probable to be a better experience than the public bathroom (where you'll accept to pay anyway – run into below).
3 – Asking to Employ the Restroom in a Eating place in France
If you are with company in a eatery in France and demand to use the bathroom, start excuse yourself from the table. Just say to the people with you "Veuillez thou'excusez" (more than formal), or merely "Excusez-moi."
Then get up (you don't need to say where you are going) and go towards an employee, and ask: "Où sont les toilettes s'il vous plaît". Like shooting fish in a barrel enough.
iv – Asking for the Toilet in a French House
If you go invited to someone'due south house, information technology's a flake more than complicated.
In the best-example scenario, the hostess volition volunteer the info when she takes your coat or accompanies you lot to the living room. She'll say something like: "Les toilettes sont à gauche" ("The rest room is on the left") and you should memorize the door.
If she doesn't, then wait for her to become upwards, follow her (just non into the kitchen, you have no place there in a formal household). Then inquire discreetly: "Où est-ce que je peux me rafraîchir?" ("Where tin I freshen up?") or "où est-ce que je peux aller me repoudrer" (where may I powder my olfactory organ… a bit old-fashioned though, but nevertheless beautiful).
Note the French have all kinds of words to avoid proverb "toilettes": "les petits-coins" (small corners?), "les cabinets" being ane of the nearly frequent ones.
And past the manner, French toilets in a private home, specially in an older house, oftentimes have no sink. Pitiful. Pack some wipes.
In a more relaxed setting, you can merely inquire "Où sont les toilettes?", but do it discreetly, not in front of the other guests. And don't add "Parce que j'ai besoin de faire pipi." (cause I need to pee)!!
In any case, y'all should plan on going earlier or afterward the repast. It'due south considered impolite in France to leave the table during a meal, fifty-fifty if lots of people at present do information technology to get fume outside if the firm in non-smoking.
If you absolutely need to get during the meal, be as discreet about it as possible. Wait for the end of a course (but not as well long, non when they are about to bring the adjacent 1), then go up, don't say anything or say "veuillez grand'excuser" and get.
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5 – Using the Public Restroom in France – Watch Out!!!
In major cities, you'll likewise accept what is called "une sanisette", an automated public restroom (featured on the principal movie of this article). You demand to pay to get in. Information technology'south usually relatively clean. The instructions are easy enough, it's not rocket science.
Yet, i discussion of caution: these toilets "self clean" – pregnant the entire room volition become cleaned automatically after you lot exit and lock the door. So don't try to accept your spouse/friend get in without paying his/her toll – s/he'll get a gratis shower!!
And if you lot are out of luck, y'all may find "des toilettes à la turques"- a hole in the ground (squatters): they are even so very common in France. Put your feet on the foot platform, and squat…
Unfortunately, French women don't accept a superpower I could share with you to avert peeing all over their shoes…
6 – What Nearly "les Urinoirs" in France?
Urinals are extremely common in public toilets in France (as in a highway rest area, a restaurant, a motion-picture show theater…). And not discreet at all.
French women and kids often have to walk in front of a row of urinals to admission the stalls. Or the sinks… How charming.
7 – What is "Une Dame Pipi"?
"Une dame pipi" is a very sometime but nevertheless used name for a bathroom attendant. There is another term " un /une employé(e) sanitaire" but really, nobody uses it. I've even asked a "dame pipi" to bank check, and she said she chosen herself "une matriarch pipi".
They are still quite numerous in France, believe information technology or non.
If at that place is one, you need to exit a tip – sometimes a certain sum is mandatory (such every bit in "Les Grands Magasins" in Paris where y'all demand to pay to use the bath), sometimes it's at your discretion.
Go out ane Euro, say "bonjour Madame", and and then when y'all are done "merci Madame, au revoir Madame" and grinning, and you'll make her 24-hour interval.
The French toilets are now equipped with 2 buttons: they volition control the corporeality of water flushed. And so printing the small 1 when y'all went number one, the bigger i for "la grosse committee" (French expression to say poop).
In erstwhile houses still, there still may be a tank affluent, with a handle hanging from it – you need to pull on it rather strongly – without breaking it though…
nine – What is a Bidet ?
In older houses or elegant hotels (well, at present elegant hotels… before very low class hotels…) you had what is called "un bidet". It'south a very small tub.
Y'all sit down on information technology, facing whatever role yous desire to wash to the water, and tin wash your privates (or your feet) quite easily this way. Information technology'due south quite practical actually.
10 – No Paw Shower on French Toilets
Different in many countries in the world, French toilets are not equipped with a small hand shower. Nor do we have intelligent Japanese like stalls. I judge the loo is still quite classical in French republic.
11 – Exist Careful With What You Flush in France!
Many countryside houses in France all the same have a septic tank.
And then be considerate and use the trash ("la poubelle") if you need to flush anything else than toilet newspaper.
However, the end of the paper roll is now usually flushable: it dissolves in water. And so should you finish the toilet paper roll, replace information technology, and flush the remaining tube if it looks like the one in this motion-picture show:
12 – Peeing "Al fresco" in French republic
You may see when yous drive on the French highways cars parked on the safety zone, with a human standing and facing the fields.
Aye, he is doing what you think he is doing. Peeing "al fresco" is nevertheless very acceptable in French republic.
Consider yourself lucky if you don't cross paths with a guy relieving himself in the Paris subway or in a parking garage… and should information technology happen, don't be alarmed. It's rather common.
14 – What Virtually Unisex / All Gender Bathrooms in French republic?
Unisex bathrooms are notwithstanding quite rare in France – outside of French homes of course!
I have not all the same seen an all gender toilet in France. I remember they were everywhere when I traveled to Australia!
Usually, French toilets are labelled:
- "toilettes pour dames" or "Madame", "Mesdames" – Women toilets
- "toilettes cascade hommes" or "Monsieur", "Messieurs" – Gents toilets
Merely the labels tin as well be quite artistic!
At present allow'south report the French toilet related vocabulary.
- Les toilettes, les cabinets – the restroom, always plural in French
- Les WC – pronounce "double vé cé" or "vécé" in short – from the British Water Cupboard…
- Le petit coin, le trône – other words for the toilet, mutual slang.
- "Là où même le roi va seul" – the place where even the male monarch goes solitary (which is not even true since the male monarch used to get to the bath publicly… It was really quite a privilege to witness that scene…)
- Les chiottes – slang – some would say vulgar… but very common!
- Un urinoir – urinal
- Les toilettes publiques – public restroom
- Les toilettes à la turque – hole in the basis loos / squatters
- La chasse d'eau – the flush
- Une double chasse – a double flush
- Tirer la chasse – to flush
- United nations balai de toilettes, une brosse de toilettes, une brosse WC – a toilet brush
- Il due north'y a plus de papier – in that location is not more than newspaper
- La chasse d'eau est cassée – the flush is broken
- Les toilettes sont bouchées – the toilet is clogged
- Il y a une fuite – there is a leak
- Le papier hygiénique – toilet paper (most formal)
- Le papier toilette – toilet paper (common)
- Le PQ (pronounce pé ku) or le papier chiotte – slang for toilet paper (some would say vulgar)
- Avoir ses règles – to have one'southward periods
- Une serviette hygiénique – sanitary pad
- Un tampon – a tampon
- Une poubelle – a trash
- Aller aux toilettes – to go to the bathroom
- Déféquer – to defecate (very formal)
- Faire caca – to poop (common and child language)
- Chier – to defecate (common slang merely very vulgar – don't apply information technology)
- Uriner – to pee (common and formal)
- Faire pipi – to go wee-wee (common and child language)
- Pisser – to pee (mutual slang just quite vulgar – don't use information technology)
- Avoir la diarhée – to have diarrhea
- Etre constipé – to be constipated
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