Saturday, October 9, 2010

The french kiss

bisous (bee-zoo) = kiss

Ok so when french people greet eachother, if they already know the person or are being introduced to someone, they kiss on the cheeks. Left cheek first then right. In other regions they may do it 3 or 4 times, but the standard in the south is 2 kisses. Because I grew up in the states, I've really only done that with family and it's like second nature with them. I literally don't even realize when I do it. When coming to France it's a whole new ballpark for me because I'm greeting different people. For example, I'm greeting American people who find the sport quite delightful (me included). I also am beginning to meet people my age and we greet eachother this way too, I even greet little children this way- it's adorable. When signing letters to family you write "Grosses Bisous" (big kisses), I sometimes get the spelling wrong, it'll be gros bise, or gross bissous or grosse bisous. I always get it twisted, but oh how delightful it is, the act of french kissing!

4 comments:

  1. That's so funny! Actually really cute, I should say. Since you are there to learn, please allow me to correct you on the spelling:
    - Gros bisous (for 1 or more)
    - Grosse bise (if only 1) OR
    - Grosses bises (for more then 1)
    Oh and in an earlier blog we say "aperitif" and "apero" is a shorter, friendlier version.
    Continue to write, it's gresat to follow you this way!

    To wish you good luck, we say :" MERDE" (you are not supposed to respond to the last one, just say, ok) :-)

    Grosses bises de nous 3

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  2. Thank you, I think I got it now :-/

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  3. ok wait when you say "for 1 or more" are you saying 1 or more persons or 1 or more kisses?

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  4. 1 or more kisses because there "s" at the end already.

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