French Social Codes
Move beyond basic phrases and master the unwritten rules of French etiquette to avoid common social friction and connect like a local.
Like Duolingo, but for French Social Codes. Tomo turns the whole topic into a game you play five minutes a day, until it actually sticks.
A short one: 12 levels across 2 sections, about 24 minutes end to end, roughly 5 days at five minutes a day. It moves through The Social Contract and The Local Mindset. It assumes you already know the basics.
Free forever · No credit card · iPhone & Android
Key ideas in French Social Codes
- Entering a French shop requires acknowledging the staff's humanity with a verbal greeting
- French social norms treat 'Bonjour' as a mandatory 'unlock' for any service request
- Silence upon entry is interpreted as treating the staff like an invisible service machine
- Starting with a request like 'Je voudrais...' without a greeting is seen as a major faux pas
- A second 'Bonjour' implies you have 'mal réveillé' or forgotten the first encounter
- Applying 'Bonjour' as a mandatory social prerequisite before any transaction
- Repeating the greeting suggests the previous interaction didn't register in your memory
- French interactions require a formal closing sequence to maintain social harmony
- Understanding the human-to-human recognition required when entering a shop
- The 'Merci, au revoir' loop is as mandatory as the initial 'Bonjour' greeting
- Closing the social loop of a French interaction correctly
- French politeness favors a soft, direct greeting intended only for the recipient
- Shouting a greeting across a room is viewed as a jarring 'American' style of behavior
- Judging the appropriate volume and direction for a polite French greeting
- Bread is placed directly on the tablecloth to the left of the plate
- French hospitality dictates that a guest should never be rushed to leave
You've tried the other tabs
Thirty open tabs. Four facts you actually kept.
You watched. You nodded. By Sunday it was gone.
One answer, then back to scrolling.
Eight weeks. You meant to finish. You didn't.
Tomo gives French Social Codes the Duolingo treatment: levels, streaks, and quick quizzes that test what you just learned. That game loop is what the tabs above never had, so it's the one you actually finish.
Here's what playing it feels like
A real question from this course. Take your best guess.
You are at a café counter. What is the necessary first step before you can successfully order your espresso?
Get it right to open this lesson and 11 more in the app.
How to learn French Social Codes, step by step
Go in order. 12 short levels across 2 sections, about 24 minutes in all, five minutes a day.
- 1
The Social Contract
- The 'Bonjour' Prerequisite
- Dining Without Faux Pas
- 2
The Local Mindset
- The Logic of 'Non'
- The Tu vs. Vous Tightrope
2 sections · 4 units · 12 levels. Built to play, not to enroll.
Questions about French Social Codes
How do I learn French Social Codes?
Go in order: start with The Social Contract, then The Local Mindset. On Tomo that's 12 short levels, about 24 minutes in all, played five minutes a day. Start free and play the first level in under a minute.
Is there a Duolingo-style app for French Social Codes?
Yes. Tomo works like Duolingo: short daily lessons, streaks and quick quizzes. French Social Codes is one of its free courses, and you can type any other topic to get a course of your own.
Is the French Social Codes course free?
Yes. French Social Codes is playable on Tomo's free plan, which doesn't expire. No credit card, no waitlist. Download the app and start your first lesson.
How long does it take to learn French Social Codes?
12 levels across 2 sections, about 24 minutes of play in total. It's built for five minutes a day, so you finish it a little at a time instead of all at once.
Do I need any background to start French Social Codes?
No. It's pitched at an intermediate level, so it starts where you are and builds up. If you can tap a phone, you can start.
Tomo is in ChatGPT
Tomo is also a ChatGPT plugin: the same playable courses, built and played inside your chat.
Add Tomo to ChatGPT- What to ask
- “Make me a Tomo course on black holes.” “Turn this chat into a Tomo course.”
- What you get
- Quick questions with instant feedback, hearts and stars, ready to play in about a minute.
- Where it goes
- No sign-up to start. Connect your Tomo account and your streak carries on in the app.
You pick the voice
French Social Codes is taught in the Professor style: clear, structured, thorough. Want a different feel? In the app you can spin up the same topic in any of Tomo's teaching styles. Same facts, totally different vibe.
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Start French Social Codes today.
Download Tomo, search French Social Codes, and play your first lesson in under a minute.