Could you live in Quebec City if you only know English?

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curious_lalalala

There are a lot of misconceptions about Quebec City, especially with regards to language. It is not as white and French-speaking as it used to be. Besides, there has always been English-speakers living in Quebec City and there still is an English-speaking community of about 15,000. At one point in the late 19th century, Quebec City's population was 49% English-speaking and up until the late 1970's, you COULD live in Quebec City speaking English only, as there were still English-speaking enclaves here and there (Montcalm, Sillery and the like).

Nowadays, you can't really live in Quebec City as an English-only speaker, but you can definitely get a job if you speak fluent English. It is not dramatic if you don't speak French when you first arrive, but your employment opportunities will be limited. There will be government or even community resources offered to you that will help you integrate and especially learn the language and you should definitely take advantage of them.

Whether you have kids or not, you will still be able to lead some sense of an ''English life'' here, as there are English schools, medical services, radio station, theatre company, community services offered in English.

Quebec City's English-speaking community is often invisible because they are mostly all perfectly bilingual and therefore perhaps the best-integrated Anglo Quebecers in the province, as they jump from one community to the other without any problem whatsoever. It is a tiny community, but vibrant and they've made great contributions to the city over the centuries.

http://www.veq.qc.ca/enter/index.htm

end is forever

You definitely would need French to get a job in Quebec City, unless you did work as a night-cleaner for office buildings (something where you wouldn't need French).

Although most people can speak English in Quebec, French is their official language...so all road signs, store menus, most TV and radio stations, and other general documentation will be in French.

Montreal's population is very bilingual, and although it would be a bit difficult to find an English-only job, there are some that are available.

If you only speak english, then go for Montreal.

wombat.moose

you could if you can find a job that only requires english (like a teacher at an english school), but otherwise outside the old city, there is not much english spoken at all, so it would be difficult to get around without knowing some already, you will encounter lots of people that may speak a bit of english but there would still be a large language barrier, so it would be great to learn a bit of french

Jim B

It would be very hard to work there without being able to speak French well. Most of the people in that city are French speaking, as a first language.

Quebec is not nearly as bilingual as Montreal is, for sure.

Jim B. Toronto.

Fred

Pretty much everyone in Quebec city under 40 years old can speak english very well. It is false to say that people speak only french in Quebec city.

And it is VERY FALSE to say that people in Quebec city don't like english speaking people.

Know what? I was born in Quebec city and still live there, and am I writting in english right now? Of course.

In my company we have 3 english-only speaking persons...

KYLE

ya but, peopel wont liek you

SarahBoyy x

once you start living there you'll pick up the language very quickly but before you go (if you are going) try getting some books or cd's etc. this will help and you won't feel so nervous.
top tip; don't worry about getting things wrong whilst your there,most people will notice that your not from round there

Catherine :[

NO sorry
you have to speak french

almost everyone in quÃ©bec understand english, but they don't speak it in the street..unlike people in MontrÃ©al

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