Why You Absolutely Do NOT Need to have a french accent to sound hot in French

“Oh oui, oui, oui, j’adore ton accent francais” (oh yes I love your French accent) said no one, ever to me.

People reckon that speaking with a French accent automatically makes you more attractive, sophisticated, and charming. A 2017 study of 15,000 people around the world found that French is considered the most sexy accent followed by Italian. But is that really true?

Well, let me tell you about the time my crush from New York gave me the best advice when it came to speaking French.

I met my darling, let’s call him Amos, with my sister through some mutual friends. He had just arrived from New York to live in Paris for work and I was passing by at the end of a quick trip. Neither of us spoke French but we had plenty to talk about.  I found his American accent so charming and through it cute how he ploughed through ordering us drink "JAI VOUDRAAYS DEYWZ VAYHRZ SIYL VOUYZ PLEAYSE" (je voudrais une verre s'il vous plait, I would like a drink please).

Over my coupe of champagne I felt a ‘coup de foutre’ ( lightning bolt of love).   We embraced on one of the park benches along the canals (I was so distracted that I got my handbag nicked) and stayed up all night walking the streets.  We ended up in a 24h bistro slow dancing to Tom Waits… oh Paris, oh Amos, oh those eyes, oh his charm, oh wait… where was I? Oui, accents.

I left his arms straight for Charles de Gaulle airport and took up the habit of crying over broken hearts on long haul flights.  Over the years to come I perfected this fine art, more on that later.

Anyway, Amos never left my heart and we stayed in touch over Facebook for years.

Fast forward five years later I finally moved to Paris! The minute I could, I met up with him at a local bistro.  He had made progress with the language.   He started ordering drinks and food in French with perfect confidence but still that kept American twang.

When we were ready for the next round it was my turn. I said “je voudrais une verre du vin rouge" (I would like a glass of red wine) and tried to roll my "r's". Let's be real, I was always super self-conscious about my Australian accent when I tried to speak French. I tried to franco-fy it but always felt like a genuine fraud.

But instead of feeling like a legend, I was a nervous wreck trying to perfect my accent.

That's when darling Amos dropped some serious knowledge on me. He told me that my accent didn't matter as much as my ability to communicate effectively. He said French people would appreciate my effort to speak their language, even if I sounded like a kangaroo trying to speak French.  In fact, he said that my accent was "mignonne" (cute).  He had always just used his New Yorker confidence and accent to just ask for what he wanted and somehow, he always got it...

And you know what? He was right. I let go of my accent hang-ups and started focusing on connecting with people through language. And it worked! People were more receptive and understanding when I spoke in a more natural, relaxed way.

From that day on, I stopped stressing about my accent and spoke French with newfound confidence. I continued to practise and improve my language skills, but I did so with the knowledge that communication is more important than perfection. And I was grateful to have a crush who had encouraged me to believe in myself and my abilities, even if I sounded TRAYS 'STRAYAN (tres Australian) at times.

The moral of the story is this: I GUARANTEE you that having a French accent is not the way to sound hot. In fact, speaking with your own accent can be just as alluring, if not more so!

Why? Because using your natural accent shows confidence and authenticity. It means you're not trying to be someone else, but rather embracing who you are and owning it.

So, don't worry if you don't sound like Bridgette Bardot or Serge Gainsbourg. Your accent is part of what makes you unique and interesting. Instead of trying to hide it or mimic someone else's, embrace it and make it work for you. After all, confidence is the sexiest trait of all!

And let's not forget that there are many other accents out there that can be equally appealing. Scottish, Irish, Australian, British, and many others have their own unique charm and personality. So, whether you sound like a Glaswegian or like you are from Harlem, don't be afraid to bear your accent for all to enjoy.

So, the next time you're worried about your accent or trying to imitate someone else's, remember this: being yourself is always the best way to sound hot. Fact.