Is there really a big problem if you only speak English?

2POSTS

16 years ago

Hi Guys

I wont be working and intend to learn some French but is there really a big problem with the locals if you don't speak French?
Keep hearing all sorts of different things some good but some bad.

Would appreciate any info on the best places to live that have a larger English speaking community within commuting distance of Victoria square where my husband will work. Happy to travel 30/40 minutes each way. Would be buying a house once we've settled in.

Any info on furnished apartments in walking distance of Victoria square appreciated too.

Also are signs and restaurant menus in both French and English?

Thanks for any info you can provide

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Abdel VIP Member

475POSTS

16 years ago

Hi Barbara, Ni Hao !

Well I used to live in Montreal for 3 years and half and here is my experience.

No, it's not really a BIG problem if you only speak English!
However let me explain something:

If a French speaker travel to china, he assume that he has to speak at least one of the two official language of china, mandarin or Cantonese, and it will better to speak both of them (plus the international language The English). Moreover he will probably speak the ones that is used in the area he will establish (exemple if he is going to live in Guangzhou (formerly known as Canton) in Southern China, or in Hong Kong and Macau he will use more cantonese rather than mandarin).

So just a question of principle: it's by respect that people use the official language of the place he is willing to live in, no matter if he is going to work or to study or no.

Yes we heard good things and also bad things, thats' in the nature of human being, as there are goods and open minded people there are bad and bad educated people.

And one of the good poin ts of a forum is to be informed about the reality of life according to the experience of people, it could be good it could be bad. And generally in Montreal there are a lot of good experience, as andreita explain in her message above.

For the furnished apartments try to see the web site of kijiji.ca or craiglists.ca, there are many good information that you can have.

Yes all, absolutely all the restaurant menus and sign sare in both French and English, and believe me if I say, in some of them it's only English and .. mandarin

Maybe you are not obliged to speak French to be served , but as I explained, for a question of principle it's better to learn it. You will surely be more appreciated by local people and probably you will make new friends.

Good luck

Zai jian !

NB: I do speak French fluently and very well, never have problem with local in Montreal, I was also obliged to speak only English when I found out some of people only speak English.

elefantito Member

2POSTS

16 years ago

Montreal is nice place to live and unfortunately you do not need to speak French to have a good life here. Unfortunately, because it will not push you study.

You will meet very nice people who will always reply to you in English if they realize that you do not speak FR and you will find also very rude opposite or people who are nice but do not know an English word. So far it is 70% who can speak or at least understands English, no problem in downtown, Plateu, Mile End, all shops and stores and a big problem in any govermental services and institution.

If you have family and want Norh American style of living, go to WestMount or out of MNT island to West Island or Lachine, it is English speaking and residential.

If you want to experiance an European style of living than go to Mile End - mixture English and French, or Plateau which is the most hip area - it is very open minded even though French.
You can also look arround the Canal Lachine and St. Henry metro = new born proffesional area, but not that funky yet as Plateau.

You can stay arround Victoria Square, probably Old Port, historic turisty place. I found it very boring, but you might like it.

If you want to buy a house, you would have to go futher from downtown, I will not give you advices, it depands on your budgget and taste.

Elefantito

barbara30 wrote:
Hi Guys

I wont be working and intend to learn some French but is there really a big problem with the locals if you don't speak French?
Keep hearing all sorts of different things some good but some bad.

Would appreciate any info on the best places to live that have a larger English speaking community within commuting distance of Victoria square where my husband will work. Happy to travel 30/40 minutes each way. Would be buying a house once we've settled in.

Any info on furnished apartments in walking distance of Victoria square appreciated too.

Also are signs and restaurant menus in both French and English?

Thanks for any info you can provide

MoCookies Member

15POSTS

16 years ago

barbara30 wrote:
Hi Guys

I wont be working and intend to learn some French but is there really a big problem with the locals if you don't speak French?
Keep hearing all sorts of different things some good but some bad.

Would appreciate any info on the best places to live that have a larger English speaking community within commuting distance of Victoria square where my husband will work. Happy to travel 30/40 minutes each way. Would be buying a house once we've settled in.

Any info on furnished apartments in walking distance of Victoria square appreciated too.

Also are signs and restaurant menus in both French and English?

Thanks for any info you can provide

My husband and I just moved to Montreal a few weeks ago. We chose to live in the West Island area because there are many more English speakers, and also because we much prefer to live in a house rather than a condo or apartment. Out here (Pointe Claire/Beaconsfield), getting by in English only is much easier than the more downtown/urban sections of Montreal. Like a previous poster said, it can be a problem because it doesn't push you to study the language. Transportation is also easy into the downtown area; the commuter trains seem pretty nice to me and they tie into the metro system.

Signs pretty much everywhere are in French, though you can request an English menu at restaurants. I recommend prioritizing food and shopping vocabulary when you're studying; it makes grocery shopping much easier if you don't have to hunt for the tiny English translations.

barbara30 Member

2POSTS

16 years ago

Hi mocookies

Thanks for your reply i am currently doing the Rosetta stone french course at home. it's not as easy as people think well not for me anyway but i've only being doing it for a few days so i hope more will sink in in time. My husband speaks ok french and i know it will improve once he here's it all the time.

We plan on living out the same way as you we are going to rent in town for a few months first then by a house.

Do you know how long does it take to get in to montreal itself in the mornings if you drive?

Are there ways to get to the train stations other than driving? I don't drive myself but we wouldn't have two cars even if i did (environment) so i'd need to get to stations by walking or public transport.

Thanks for your help

MoCookies Member

15POSTS

16 years ago

I've tried Rosetta, but it didn't work all that well for me. I've been using a few self-teaching books, some easy French readers, and just seeing it everyday in normal situations helps it actually sink in for me. As in, I'm shopping for rugs and the rug is probably wool, so I look at the tag, and its "100% laine." My husband says its been good to learn French in the workplace because he innately understands the context of the words/conversations/emails.

What I've learned about traffic in Montreal can basically be summed up by "stay off of 40 during rush hour." I'd say it takes about 25 to 35 minutes to get from our house in West Island to my husband's office in Saint Laurent, by taking 20 to 520 into "town". Its pretty easy, though I'm very used to living in cities with terrible rush hour traffic. I've been impressed with the public transportation here; I figured since we're so far out of the downtown area there wouldn't be much available to me, but there's buses that takes me straight to the grocery store, or to the mall, or to the train station. Biking is pretty popular too, though its not practical year-round.

http://stm.info Has the buses and metro schedules, fares, etc.
http://www.amt.qc.ca/ Is the agency in charge of the commuter trains

If you aren't already familiar with translate.google.com I can't recommend it enough. I often come across information I really need, except the website is in French only.

The Montreal expat guide

Updated in 2025, comprehensive and free

Read it now

canadianus Member

11POSTS

15 years ago

barbara30 wrote:
Hi Guys

I wont be working and intend to learn some French but is there really a big problem with the locals if you don't speak French?
Keep hearing all sorts of different things some good but some bad.

Would appreciate any info on the best places to live that have a larger English speaking community within commuting distance of Victoria square where my husband will work. Happy to travel 30/40 minutes each way. Would be buying a house once we've settled in.

Any info on furnished apartments in walking distance of Victoria square appreciated too.

Also are signs and restaurant menus in both French and English?

Thanks for any info you can provide

As odd as it might seems, as an ESL teacher, after six years here, the answer to your first question in YES!
Learning French