How to get to New York without speaking English

You don’t need to speak English to visit New York! (Photo DR + DF)

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This is a question from Djul02 on the forum which inspired me this new subject. Julien indeed asks “how to do when you have a zero level in English”. It’s all about getting organized! Here is the tactic to follow:

1 / Make no effort in front of the immigration officer

The first person who will speak English to you in New York is the immigration officer responsible for registering your arrival. And there, if you do not speak English well, I advise you to make… no effort! During my various trips to New York, I was able to test the different options. The times I agreed to speak English, I found that the passage took much longer as the immigration officer was happy to be able to ask all of his questions.
Conversely, the times when I barely responded by doing the one that didn’t understand much, I went much faster. All you have to do is give your passport and make a “Hello” with a well-marked French accent. From then on, the immigration officer will understand that you do not understand anything. To his first question, even if you don’t understand anything at all, smile and answer “Holidays”. Think of Johnny Halliday and replace the “a” with an “o” and that will be more than enough.
Alternatively, if you feel like you’re going to laugh out loud when you try that word, just say “no english” and you’ll be fine. If the immigration officer really wants you to answer all of his questions, fear not: he will ask a passenger around you to come and translate. I have seen this several times already and it is going very well.
The immigration passage is not a baccalaureate oral or an English exam and the immigration officer fully understands that you do not speak a word of English! Moreover, of the millions of foreign tourists who arrive in New York each year, many do not speak a single word of English, but all pass through customs without problem. So don’t worry!

2 / Prepare your transfer before departure

To reach your hotel, you will have several solutions as you can see in the section on airport transfers in New York. But if you don’t know a word of English, the first solution is to take a taxi. All you need to do is show the driver your hotel reservation to take you there. And many drivers are from Haiti or Africa, so often French-speaking.
If the taxi is outside your budget, opt for the second solution: the shuttle. No need to master English and the operation is just as simple: before your departure, book your transfer on this page offering airport transfer in New York. This is done in French and I am at your disposal if you have any questions: you can write to me at [email protected]. After going through immigration and collecting your luggage, all you have to do is follow the small pictogram representing a bus and show your reservation at the shuttles counter. See Chriscau’s story which tells you in detail and in photos of his shuttle transfer.

3 / Print your hotel reservation

Once you arrive at the hotel, present your passport and your previously printed reservation. Again, no need to speak English since everything is written on your reservation! With a little luck, the receptionist might speak a few words of French, as is the case at the Novotel Times Square and the Sofitel New York.
In all cases, you will be given either the key or a magnetic card accompanied by a card with the room number. No mistake.

4 / Buy your metro card from the distributor

Now that you’ve settled into your hotel, it’s time to get out there and explore New York! And to get around the city, you’re going to need a MetroCard, the metro card. Don’t panic: the distributors can be configured in French. All you have to do is change the language to have access to the menu in French and buy your card or your tickets as if you were in front of a Parisian RATP machine!
For more information, see the New York Transportation page.

5 / Buy your tours in advance

To avoid having to speak at the ticket offices of monuments and museums, buy your tickets in advance. Go to the Excursions in New York section to make your choices, reserve your seats and print your tickets directly.
In New York, the best plan is to have a pass, packages that include several attractions and which allow you to make a good saving on the price you would have paid per unit. This is the case, for example, with the CityPass, the most famous pass. This pass includes the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State building, the Top of the Rock, the 9/11 Museum and the Natural History Museum. All you need to do is show your pass to access the venue. You don’t even have to say “Hello”! For more information, see the New York Pass section.

6 / Eat in restaurants where you understand the menu

Noon, he’s getting hungry! And there I feel anxiety emerging: how do I order food in restaurants? This is frankly not a problem. First of all because you already know by heart the great classics of American cuisine with its “burgers”, “cheeseburgers”, “hamburgers”, “pizzas” and other “macaroni”.
If you try an Asian restaurant in Chinatown, you will also find that it works like in Europe with menus made up of photos.
Finally, if you go to bakeries or snacks, you just have to point your finger at what you want. What about water? You don’t even need to know the word “water”: as soon as you are seated, the waiter will bring you a carafe of water directly. For a Coca Cola, avoid getting involved in an evil pronunciation and ask for a Pepsi: if there is no Pepsi, we will bring you a Coca Cola. It’s real life! ????

7 / Watch your shopping

To stock up on shopping and souvenirs, you don’t need to speak English or understand numbers either. Once at the cash register, hold your items and locate the total price that appears on the cash register. So even if you don’t understand “Twenty dollars fifty”, you will see 20.50 in clear text on the cash register. Easy !

8 / And in the event of a problem?

Now imagine that you have a big problem on the spot such as a health problem or the loss of your papers. If the problem is serious, do not hesitate to contact the French Consulate in New York. It is located at 934 5th Avenue and you can also call (212) 606-3600. The consular services will be able to refer you to a French speaking doctor or assist you in your procedures, in the event of loss of the passport. If you are reading these lines but you are not French, know that all countries have representation in New York, in part because of the presence of the UN. You will find the contact details of the embassies of the main French-speaking countries in New York here.
And if you ever have any concerns, don’t forget that you can also count on the New York fan community on the forum and on the groupe Facebook Destination New York. Do not hesitate to contact me in case of questions: [email protected]. And enjoy your stay in French version!

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