Entre Les Murs

Counting in French

Our cleaning lady always confirms our next appointment when she leaves by asking "En quinze jours?". I once tried to correct her by saying no, two weeks, that's fourteen days, not fifteen. This confused her, so now I accept that you count today as one.

On the other hand, what we would call the first floor of a building here is called the "rez de chausée" (loosely, street level) and the first floor is the next one up; so you count floors from zero. Now why, if I have to climb four floors to get to the fourth floor, do I have to wait fifteen days for two weeks to pass?

posted 21.6.06