How does le premier etage in a French speaking country differ from the first floor US?

This is a common point of confusion! Here's the breakdown:

* French "Le premier étage" is equivalent to the second floor in the US. This is because French floor numbering starts with the ground floor as "rez-de-chaussée" (literally "ground floor").

* The US "first floor" is considered the "premier étage" in French.

So, if you are looking for the equivalent of a US first floor in a French building, ask for "le premier étage".

Here's a simple comparison table:

| US Floor | French Floor |

|---|---|

| Ground Floor | Rez-de-chaussée |

| First Floor | Premier étage |

| Second Floor | Deuxième étage |

| Third Floor | Troisième étage |

| and so on... | and so on... |