English in Montreal

[thursdayschild 0]

I'm from Ontario, never stepped a foot in Quebec. My french is terrible, but I'm sure if I had to get a basic point across I could. I'm a little nervous about being in Montreal completely alone not having a good handle on the language. I hear horror stories of people in Quebec refusing to speak English and I was wondering if this was the experience of anyone else? Did anyone successfully get by in nearly 100% English? I'm traveling alone and the thought of using the metro and restaurants is making me nervous. Any reassuring stories or points of advice?

[mimine 0]

I'm from Ontario, never stepped a foot in Quebec. My french is terrible, but I'm sure if I had to get a basic point across I could. I'm a little nervous about being in Montreal completely alone not having a good handle on the language. I hear horror stories of people in Quebec refusing to speak English and I was wondering if this was the experience of anyone else? Did anyone successfully get by in nearly 100% English? I'm traveling alone and the thought of using the metro and restaurants is making me nervous. Any reassuring stories or points of advice?

Hi

Don't worry , I live in Montreal and here people are not all as you describe. In restaurants in the city center you can speak English or french as you like.

For the metro is pretty much done for you to find easily.

Welcome to Montreal

PS: Sorry for my English my first language is French

[thursdayschild 0]

Hi

Don't worry , I live in Montreal and here people are not all as you describe. In restaurants in the city center you can speak English or french as you like.

For the metro is pretty much done for you to find easily.

Welcome to Montreal

PS: Sorry for my English my first language is French

Thank you

[Sprailenes 47]

You'll be find. Montreal is very bi-lingual. It's not like Quebec City.

[pocheros 101]

A lot of service people know English. Montreal is very bilingual so you don't have much to worry about Also Montreal is a fairly liberal multicultural area, the kind of people who dislike anglophones are more concentrated outside of the city.

[keysjangle 145]

Like others have said, Montreal is very bi-lingual, but it's always polite to say "merci" Quebec City is where things get dodgy.

[Kimbear 53]

Maybe things have changed in the last few years..but i always found it depended where you lived. LIke laval for instance...i found was very not english tolerant..not even the police. I grew up in the west island lived there til i moved to Ontario. Now the west island was preodminantly english, but i left because i got fed up of not being served in english and having peole in stores insist on speaking and replying to me in French. And dont get me started on the damn buss drivers...grrrr.

[Flames9_RN 358]

You will do just fine!! In fact one can travel the world and survive on English or just on gestures!! I communicate that way daily with my Spanish speakining maid/cook!! If your nice to others, for the most part, will be nice to you! Worked for me during my military travel days!!

[Udella&Wiz 325]

You'll be fine. We found one little out of the way place for supper where the waitress had a little trouble, but Montreal was very accomodating to the tourist.

[CDN2US 10]

Downtown Montreal is mostly English speaking, especially at chain restaurants and stores. It's when you're getting into the niche neighborhoods at locally owned establishments that you may encounter some issues.

I've had approximately one negative experience since I've been traveling to Montreal with my husband. Luckily, he's fluent, so we never have trouble. Although, it is uncomfortable to be sitting there like a dummy when he's yukking it up with the server.

I LOVE MONTREAL!!

[Flames9_RN 358]

Downtown Montreal is mostly English speaking, especially at chain restaurants and stores. It's when you're getting into the niche neighborhoods at locally owned establishments that you may encounter some issues.

I've had approximately one negative experience since I've been traveling to Montreal with my husband. Luckily, he's fluent, so we never have trouble. Although, it is uncomfortable to be sitting there like a dummy when he's yukking it up with the server.

I LOVE MONTREAL!!

Thats my life every day her in Nicaragua,lol Very few people speak English! Luckily my wife is fluent! If your nice to others or try to speak a bit of their language, it goes a long way!

[The_Dude 1,142]

I have been to Montreal twice in my life, and both times had a horrible experience. I tried being cordial and pleasant, but it is a bit grating after a while when you learn some of the pejoratives in french. Guess its my own fault, I don't speak french.

[Stuart and Thea 95]

My best friend is bilingual, from Trois Rivieres.... speaks English with no discernable French accent, and French with no English accent as well. Everyone is always surprised when they find out she speaks the other language.

I asked her to help me out because I'll be there for a week.

She said "don't worry about it. Just speak English and be nice and smile and be polite, you'll be fine and everyone will understand you. If they piss you off, the only word you need to know is tabernacle" (pronounced tabernack in case you didn't know) It's a very bad word, but substitutes for any cuss word you could possibly need to say to anyone.