Some of the best Emily in Paris quotes are about the titular heroine learning to balance work and life abroad.
Each Emily in Paris character has hilarious but insightful opinions on love and relationships.

The city itself is a character in the Netflix series, and the characters show their appreciation.

The best Emily in Paris quotes show Netflix viewers how lively, fun, and complicated the characters in this series really are. After Emily Cooper gets promoted, she makes the move abroad from Chicago to Paris. But after breaking up with her American boyfriend, Emily begins to truly connect and explore Paris the way it should be. Along the way, Emily gets to know her new co-workers, friends, and love interests.

Through four seasons, Emily finds her place in Paris, integrates herself in the new workplace, tries to find love, and struggles to keep her chin up when things get a little messy — often by her own doing. Each Emily in Paris character brings something new to the table, and along the way, they all deliver some fantastic quotes. Some are about love, others about work, and there are those that truly give words to the effervescent spirit of Paris.

20“You Live To Work. We Work To Live.”

Luc

After a tough first couple of days at her new job in a new country, Emily was lonely. More than that, she was feeling alienated from her co-workers. They go out on lunches without her and called her a hick in French. There is a real cultural clash of personalities here, and it isn’t just because they speak different languages. Emily is uptight and her co-workers are more laid back and relaxed.

It’s not until Luc sees Emily sitting by herself that he confronts her about the office being scared of her. Her opinions and marketing ideas are new for the company and can be intimidating at first. Emily tells him she loves to work and adores what she does, but Luc thinks Americans have it backward. Emily should work to live, not live to work. Thanks to this conversation, Luc helps Emily relax and enjoy her job, rather than let it define who she is.

19“That’s More Of A Gesture.”

Thomas

Initially, season 1’s Thomas seemed like he might be a sweet romantic match for Emily and someone to help her forget about Gabriel. The intellectual semiotics professor certainly had chemistry with her in some ways, but he quickly proved himself to be a snob and know-it-all. After growing tired of his stuck-up ways, Emily dumps Thomas at the opera, suggesting that he should be able to interpret what her middle finger means since he specializes in signs.

But Thomas can’t help correcting her one more time. This breakup is a great moment for Emily. She stood up for herself to someone who talked down to her constantly, and when she finally let him know what she thought, it allowed her to end things in her own way. But what really made this quote so great was that Thomas never allowed her to have the last word and was the ultimate snob to the bitter end.

18“We’re On The Precipice Of The Rest Of Our Lives.”

Brooklyn

Brooklyn is certainly not the best character in Emily in Paris. She’s self-centered and difficult for most of her short season 1 arc. However, Brooklyn also has some great lines, like this one. She may choose to make some less-than-considerate decisions because she feels on “the precipice of the rest of her life,” but it’s also a line that suits the characters and the fans who are in their 20s and feel like some significant changes are coming.

Of course, it also works well as a line that shows how seemingly deep and meaningful moments can come from people who might be the last ones anyone would expect to be wise. While Brooklyn might seem like the last person anyone would come to for some deep conversation, she proves that she might have a handle on her life, her goals, and who she wants to be in the future.

17“Paris Seems Like A Big City, But It’s Really Just A Small Town.”

Camille

In the fourth episode of Emily in Paris season 1, Emily is saved by a new face when she has trouble buying a bouquet of pink roses. The woman’s name is Camille, and the two hit it off without much effort. Emily vents about being confused by Paris and the transportation not making sense, but Camille assures her that Paris seems like a big city, but it’s actually a small town.

Camille proves to be right because Emily constantly bumps into people she knows. This show is about Emily finding herself, but it is also about her being a fish out of water. Compared to Chicago, Paris is a very small town, but because Emily is in a strange place, she can’t see it. When she finally understands, she becomes more comfortable, and this is where her love of Paris truly begins.

16“Were You Just Trying To Have It All? That Is So American.”

Sylvie

One of the funniest running gags in the show is how Sylvie constantly insults Emily’s “American” approach to everything. Though it is mean-spirited, it is also hard not to agree with Sylvie at times as Emily can be very naïve. This quote once again shows the difference between people in Paris and those who Emily knew in Chicago. Emily lived for her work and did so because she felt she needed to have everything if she wanted to be a success.

It wasn’t until Emily learned that she just needed happiness and not total success in everything that she finally found herself. While fans’ theories for season 3 of Emily in Paris correctly predicted that things would all work out fine for Emily more or less, she did often have a hard time balancing things. With many professional and romantic entanglements getting complicated, Sylvie makes this hilarious observation about Emily’s ambitions.

15“A Little ‘Bonjour’ Goes A Long Way.”

Emily

One of the things that surprised viewers about Emily in Paris, and led to some criticism was that Emily seemed to know absolutely no French — and expected that this would be absolutely fine in Paris. This thought process is particularly unrealistic, but at least Emily starts to make up for it with this quote, as she learns that just trying goes a long way.

This idea might seem obvious, of course — that making an attempt in a foreign language would go over well with the locals, more than assuming they will speak English. However, it adds to Emily’s naivete. Only someone like Emily would actually have to learn this as a lesson and do so with such cheerfulness. While it received criticism, Emily proves throughout that she had no idea what she was heading into, and not knowing the language never crossed her mind. It was part of her growth as a person, and this shows her realizing her mistakes.

14“Without Basic B****es Like Me, You Wouldn’t Be Fashionable.”

Emily

Every fashion lover’s dream is to meet a big-name designer and be able to wear or afford their clothes. Emily had the chance of a lifetime to meet and possibly work with Pierre Cadault. Sadly for her, after Pierre takes one look at the keychain on her black handbag, he calls her a “basic b****.” Seeing someone so upset by a keychain is comical, but it was even funnier that he called Emily “basic” for having it.

Emily confronts him in a very Julia Roberts-confronts-the-store-clerk-in-Pretty Woman kind of way. While seeing Swan Lake, she ultimately tells him his line wouldn’t be where it is without “basic b****es” like her. The quote was perfect because it was great to see someone like Emily stand up to a pretentious snob. It worked as an even more significant moment since Pierre was someone she had previously looked up to and was disappointed by.

13“Repete S’il Vous Plait?”

Emily

One of Emily’s ongoing challenges in the series is trying to make her way in the professional world of Paris despite not knowing any French.It is quite ignorant of her to assume others would accommodate her language barrier even though she is a visitor to their country. However, this is one of the examples of how naive she is and how little she knows what to expect when she shows up in Paris to work at her new job.

Emily’s lack of French does make her the butt of the joke many times, including in her feud with Camille. After being embarrassed in a meeting, Emily tries to apologize to Camille, who responds coldly in French. Emily responds with one of the only French phrases she knows. Of course, humorously, this statement is just Emily saying she didn’t understand Camille and wanted her to repeat herself, as if she would pick it up on the second try.

12“Don’t You Know What Happened To Jean Valjean When He Stole The Baguette?”

Emily

One of the things that didn’t make sense in Emily in Paris season 2 was the random inclusion of Petra. The Ukrainian student in Emily’s French class initially seemed like a very nice person who goes shopping with Emily. However, Petra reveals she is actually a thief who simply runs out of the store with all of her items.

This act obviously horrifies Emily, who immediately fears the kind of repercussions seen in Les Misérables. In that story, Jean Valjean steals a baguette, and that one crime follows him throughout his entire life, making it almost impossible to live a decent life even years later. At least she proves her knowledge of some aspects of French culture. However, once again, she equates the real life of living in Paris with what she saw in movies, showing more of her naivety during the situation.

11“The French Are Romantics, But They’re Also Realists.”

Mindy

Emily in Paris makes a lot of sweeping statements about the French and life in Paris (which was one of the reasons that the show was heavily criticized), but this is one quote that does work. French people have a reputation for romance, and Paris is (of course) known as the most romantic city in the world. However, this line is all about balance. Yes, there is romance, but romance and practicality don’t have to be mutually exclusive.

Of course, the irony of this line is that the show itself is deeply impractical in almost every way, and focused on the romance of living in this fictionalized version of Paris. This quote is another important lesson for Emily to learn. Not only did she come to Paris with an American outlook on work-life balance, but she also came in with an idealized version of what the city and country were like based on movies and literature. She not only had to balance work and life, but she had to balance love and realistic expectations.

10“It’s Paris. Everyone’s Serious About Dinner.”

Mindy

Mindy has many great quotes in Emily in Paris. She’s more than a side character or a quiet buddy in the background; she’s her own woman who is doing Paris her own way. It was lucky that she met Emily in the park and that they had so much in common. After they left each other, Emily texted Mindy and asked her if she was serious about grabbing dinner one night, and Mindy’s reply was perfect.

While there are a lot of stereotypes flooding throughout Emily in Paris, one of the more realistic ones is that food is very important in Paris, and the restaurants, meals, and experiences are part of the culture there. While it might not be as worldbreakingly important as Mindy might be making it seem, it is still a look at the culture there and how it plays a big role in everyone’s lives, especially when they are escaping from their jobs to enjoy the city’s great joys.

9“You’re In Paris Now. I’m Sure We Can Find You Something Better Than Peanut Butter.”

Gabriel

Trader Joe’s Unsalted Peanut Butter is one of Emily’s beloved treats and serves as a comfort food for her. When she arrives in Paris without her favorite snack, Emily has to order a couple of jars from Chicago to Paris. Unfortunately, in a very Sex and the City moment, when Emily opens her box, the peanut butter explodes everywhere. She’s broken up over it, but Gabriel assures her that there is better food to eat in Paris than her packaged peanut butter.

This is a slightly snobby quote, but it also gently nudges Emily to try different things while she is in Paris. Yes, peanut butter is a beloved comfort food for Emily, but when abroad, there is nothing better to do than experiment and see if there might be something else that serves the same role. Trying new things is one of the important parts of this Netflix series.

8“Like Wearing Poetry.”

Emily

From Sex and the City to Younger to Emily in Paris, Darren Star’s series are known for their incredible fashion; every character is always dressed to the nines. It may be another aspect of Emily in Paris that is unrealistic, but of course, that is part of the charm. Fashion also takes center stage in this series with Emily and Pierre Cadault, so it’s no surprise that the characters talk about it. That is yet another trait in many of Star’s television shows.

This quote, though, is a beautiful line that shows how Emily has a way with words (even if only in one language). It perfectly describes the aspirational feeling that Star is clearly going for and the romantic whimsy of the character at the same time. The line might seem strange to say out loud, but for Emily, it describes how she envisions the life that she wants to lead, even if that isn’t the life that she finds herself in most of the time.

7“Desire Does Not Mean Lack Of Respect. In Fact, Quite The Opposite. It Is A Sign Of Respect.”

Antoine

Antoine is the owner of a perfume brand that Emily markets for and he’s one of the most powerful characters in Emily in Paris. He’s very suave and knows how to get what he wants. Emily makes a good impression on Antoine, but this quickly causes Julien and Luc to tell her to back off. Emily, of course, has no intention of stepping on anyone’s toes but it turns out that Sylvie is Antoine’s mistress.

With Emily catching Antoine’s eye, she could be a threat to Sylvie in the workplace. Nevertheless, Antoine says some very bold quotes on desire and power that leaves Emily intrigued. His comments, while possibly made in a less-than-desirable manner, are ones that Emily can still learn from. It is just important that she understands there is a line that she can’t cross and there are some people she shouldn’t cross.

6“I Like Paris, But I’m Not Really Sure Paris Likes Me.”

Emily

Emily has said throughout the show that she’s a people-pleaser. She’s always done what she’s asked and she constantly tries to get people to like her. It’s obvious that her efforts exhaust her but it’s what makes her who she is. She adored the idea of living in Paris, but throughout the show, Emily has found herself in quite a bit of trouble.

Learning the language from movies and friends would make Emily’s time far more comfortable. However, as she showed throughout, she was never prepared to live in another country, especially not one like France, which is as different from Chicago as a person can get. Paris was also not likely ready for Emily, as her awkward and sometimes demanding nature was something that contrasted with many of its residents, making things harder on both than they ever needed to be.

5“The Irony Of Menopause. Just When You Have The Time To Really Explore Your Mature, Adventurous, Sensual Self, The Vagina Goes On Strike.”

Emily

From the start, it’s evident that Sylvie isn’t a fan of Emily. She hates that she’s ignorant of the French language, despises that she’s an overachiever, and detests her marketing approaches. But what bothers Sylvie the most is that despite all this, Emily is a success. In an attempt to put Emily on the spot and see if she has what it takes, Sylvie puts her in charge of a marketing campaign for a brand that assists with menopause.

Emily’s spin on female reproductive habits is genius and influential. When Emily says this, it shows that she might not be ready to fit in with the people of Paris or her own co-workers, but she is very much in touch with women in general. She knows how to market and sell products to other women that very few people could ever touch on. This one quote shows how brilliant Emily really is at her job.

4“Yeah, Happy Endings Are Very American.”

Julien

This Emily in Paris quote may seem sad, but it references the “French ending,” and a cultural preference for more bittersweet or tragic conclusions to stories, rather than the “Hollywood ending” where everyone gets a happily ever after. It is said in the series in reference to Brooklyn and her rom-com blockbusters, but it carries weight for other reasons.

For one, it is used to show just how much Emily’s attitude is out of place here, but it also may be some foreshadowing. Emily is, of course, deeply American — so does this mean that she is heading to a happy ending? Or could it be paving the way for her own “French ending,” and a tragic goodbye whenever the series comes to a close? French movies often have endings that are not “happy” in the true sense of the word, but that does not mean they are not satisfying. That is an important distinction and a lesson Emily learns as she balances her dreams with reality.

3“Beyoncé Is Worth Far More Than The Mona Lisa.”

Mindy

Mindy is not wrong when she delivers this seemingly shocking quote. Once again, she adds a pop of color to the show and proves herself as Emily’s wisest, and best friend. Emily needs someone like Mindy in her life, especially when it comes to more antagonistic characters that cross paths with her.

As for the quote, it is a brilliant statement and outlook on real life. If most people are asked, they would always say the Mona Lisa is much more valuable than a pop star like Beyonce. People might say that from an “ideal” of what something is worth. However, the Mona Lisa is a painting worth around $870 million. Beyonce is worth $800 million and is on path to reaching $1 billion in self-worth. While the Mona Lisa is worth more than Beyonce right now, Beyonce continues to grow in value, and the painting is likely to stay the same.

2“I Don’t Understand Why You Did What You Did, Just Like I Don’t Understand A F***Ing Word In Your Letter.”

Camille

While fans initially saw Camille as the fashionable and bubbly friend of Emily, she proves that she has a more intense side when the tryst between Emily and Gabriel is revealed. Her complete lack of interest in reconciling with Emily shows the anger she has. This leads to a somewhat endearing moment for Emily as she uses all her limited French to write Camille an apology letter.

However, Camille’s blunt response shows how unimpressed she was with Emily’s poor grasp of the language. This quote does two things in the series: it shows Camille’s anger and frustration with Emily and her general frustration with Emily’s lack of understanding of most French things. Her inability to write a comprehensive letter in French is understandable, but that doesn’t make it any less infuriating for the people she is expected to communicate with.

1“We Never Really Had A Chance But At Least Now, We Have This One Perfect Thing.”

Emily

As perfect as Emily and Gabriel are together, they never have a fighting chance. It would be one thing if Emily never befriended Camille. But after becoming so close to Camille, going on double dates with her and Gabriel, and even meeting Camille’s family, Emily has gotten herself into a tricky situation. That is until Gabriel and Camille break up.

Emily sleeps with Gabriel because she thinks he’s single and that she will never see him again. They lie in bed at night and talk about a relationship that never existed. It’s a romantic and honest moment — which is exactly what Emily is looking for. Emily made a lot of mistakes, and she knows that there is a lot she doesn’t understand. However, in this one moment, Emily finds some happiness, but knows that it isn’t going to last. With this Emily in Paris quote, she sees things for what they are.