Coming from someone who speaks about 12 words of French, Paris is way more English-friendly than people warn you about. I was terrified before my first visit to Marais but ended up having great conversations with locals.

Restaurant servers under 30 in 1st-6th arrondissements almost all speak English, especially around Saint-Germain and République. Older servers in traditional bistros might not, but pointing at the menu works fine and they're usually patient.

Learn these key phrases for Paris: 'Excusez-moi' (excuse me), 'Parlez-vous anglais?' (do you speak English?), 'L'addition, s'il vous plaît' (the check, please). That covers 80% of interactions from Châtelet to Bastille.

Google Translate camera feature is incredible for bistro menus around Latin Quarter. Point your phone at French text and it translates in real-time. Saved me from ordering andouillette by accident at traditional brasserie.

Most museums around Louvre, major sites, and tourist areas have English signage. The Métro announcements are bilingual on Line 14 and RER A.

Don't stress about perfect pronunciation. Parisians appreciate effort even if you butcher the accent trying to say 'République' or 'Champs-Élysées'. I got better service trying bad French than speaking perfect English on Boulevard Saint-Germain.