Pushing you over the edge
I have come to realize there are 4 phrases that I have heard from the French that will push me over the edge and drive me to a LePoste episode...(see previous post "Postal vs. LePoste"
1. When you are on the phone with a French person and you are trying your best to speak French to them, when you say something they don't understand they pause...then say "Ello?" as if they can't hear you...as if the phone signal is cutting out...always the same...you speak, long pause..."Ello?"
2. Generally the long pause and "Ello?" is followed by "Je ne comprend pas" (I don't understand) and the phone being hung up. I don't understand you so I want nothing else to do with you and I'm hanging up now.
3. "Ne existe pas" It doesn't exist, if a French person doesn't know/have/care to walk to the back to get what you are asking for they throw this little golden nugget at you.
4. And my all time favourite, the one that is closest to pushing me over the edge..."C'est impossible" it's impossible. You are asking me to do something I don't want to do "c'est impossible", you are speaking to me about, whatever, I don't care, why are you speaking to me in the first place "c'est impossible" I don't know how to do what you are asking and instead of asking any one of the other French coworkers I have "c'est impossible." I know that i could back my car up those 10 feet and let you pass but I don't want to so it is "c'est impossible" for me to back up.

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