If you thought this was complicated already, the number of kisses also varies according to which region you are in. The most notable difference is between the north and the south where in the south you must kiss three times instead of the classic two times one on each side in the north.
In some places too you only do one kiss, and some places in France you have to do as many as four kisses!!! According to French research, there is no established reasoning behind the number of kisses. However, you would NOT do the bise simply because you meet someone for the first time at a coffeeshop or park, for example.
Basically, you do not want to go around giving the bise to everyone and anyone for no reason. One great rule of thumb I always follow is to wait and see if the native leans in. In business type settings, the most appropriate greeting according to French customs would be a handshake. If you meet a new colleague or even a boss or client, you do NOT want to do the bise. Save that for informal situations with friends and family. While a healthy intellectual exchange is poneart of the best French traditions , in an academic setting, it would be strange for you to try to do the bise with your teacher.
Save it for familiar and non-academic settings. As mentioned above, a handshake is a great way to approach a professional setting. Even when meeting a new person, you may opt for the handshake if you're unsure of what to do. But huggers, beware! The French are generally wary of the American hug. Not that they don't like affection, but just as the bise can be awkward for a non-Frenchman, the hug can be misconstrued as romantic or "too intimate.
All in all, knowing how to say hello in French goes beyond "bonjour. Importance of Correct Greetings So why is appropriately greeting according to French traditions so important? All About the Bises The most common expression when talking about doing the French kiss as a greeting is "faire la bise," which literally means "to do the kiss. Love this and I have been involved in a few akward moments…but not in France or even Europe.
It was in Ecuador where I reached out to shake a gentleman's hand and he said no, no, no this is how we do it in Ecuador and he promptly kissed me on both cheeks…I later learned that Ecuadorians try to emulate the French in all aspects of life. Ecuadorians first choice in vacation destinations is Paris. Other cultures have their kissing rituals. Many, many years ago at a party in London I met a young lady from Poland. As we parted she held out her hand, palm down and fingers slightly curled.
I shook her hand though that seemed rather awkward. As a result of this encounter I was invited to Poland. Not having my motorcycle insured for trips behind the iron curtain, I had to find another insurance company and lighted upon the splendidly named Baltic and Black Sea Insurance Company. At their office I waited for the agent, a very courtly gentleman, to finish with another client a Polish lady and noticed that as she left she held out her hand, palm down.
Whereupon the agent, with a slight click of the heels, bent and kissed the back of her hand. This was such a nice gesture, involving not only a kiss but a bow, as a mark of respect. Subsequently, in Poland, I found this piece of knowledge as to what to do when a lady holds out her hand indispensable. Very clever. We had the same issue in Venezia — left first?
Right first? Always two. I just wait for the other person's head to start veering in one direction before I start in! Once again, you hit the nail on the head. Yes, a sense of humor is mandatory, especially regarding the myriad humbling situations one encounters each day living here in Provence. Kind of like being a perpetual adolescent at a school dance. Awkward, embarrassed, but giving it a go with your best smile. Emmanuel Macron receives an awkward handshake from Donald Trump.
Like any other kind of greeting, when you fail to do it right, it might feel a bit awkward. The key here is to show confidence in your movements and to be able to adjust quickly. If you are familiar with the other person, you might still go for the kiss while shaking hands at the same time. If it is clear that the other person is not comfortable in kissing cheeks, avoid moving forward and simply shake hands.
People might refrain from doing « la bise » if the occasion is formal or if the other person is sick. Ladies meeting on a business occasion will shake hands, as men would do too. Outside festive occasions, if you are meeting someone for the first time, always offer your hand instead of your cheek. This is especially true when greeting older people or from men to women. In higher societies, « le baise-main » or « hand-kiss » is still practised by fine gentlemen.
This elegant gesture is a sign of respect towards ladies. It is only permitted to greet married women or single women of advanced age, always in private locations. This sign of courtesy is generally very much appreciated by ladies. In Western Europe, you will find similarities with France, although it is usually not as codified and systematic as in France.
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