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Le français au QuébecDialogues · Chapter I

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Chapter I · Social interactionsB1

35Dialogue · B1

Politely raising a noise issue with the upstairs neighbour

Situation

For a few weeks, you've been hearing noise late at night coming from the apartment upstairs. You bump into your third-floor neighbour in the stairwell and decide to bring it up calmly.

The roles

AYouBThe upstairs neighbour
  • You
    Listen

    Bonjour Julie ! Tu as une minute ? Je voulais te parler de quelque chose, vite fait.

    Hi Julie! Do you have a minute? I wanted to talk to you about something, quickly.

  • The upstairs neighbour
    Listen

    Bonjour ! Oui, bien sûr. Tout va bien ?

    Hi! Yes, of course. Is everything OK?

  • You
    Listen

    Oui, oui, rien de grave. C'est juste que depuis quelques semaines, j'entends pas mal de bruit chez vous le soir.

    Yes, yes, nothing serious. It's just that for the past few weeks, I've been hearing quite a bit of noise from your place in the evenings.

  • The upstairs neighbour
    Listen

    Ah, vraiment ? Je suis désolée, je ne m'en rendais pas compte.

    Oh, really? I'm sorry, I hadn't realized.

  • You
    Listen

    Je voulais pas me plaindre, je préfère juste t'en parler directement. C'est surtout après dix heures que ça s'entend.

    I didn't want to complain — I'd rather just talk to you directly. It's mostly after ten that I can hear it.

  • The upstairs neighbour
    Listen

    C'est sûrement la machine à laver. Je la mets souvent à tourner le soir, en rentrant du travail.

    It's probably the washing machine. I often start it in the evening when I get home from work.

  • You
    Listen

    Ah, ça expliquerait. Le plancher vibre un peu, on dirait.

    Ah, that would explain it. The floor vibrates a little, it seems.

  • The upstairs neighbour
    Listen

    C'est embêtant. Je peux essayer de la mettre plus tôt, avant le souper.

    That's annoying. I can try to start it earlier, before dinner.

  • You
    Listen

    Ce serait vraiment gentil. Je travaille tôt le matin, alors le soir, j'aime bien que ce soit tranquille.

    That would be really kind. I work early in the morning, so in the evening I like things to be quiet.

  • The upstairs neighbour
    Listen

    Je comprends tout à fait. Et l'autre soir, on a aussi eu des amis qui sont restés un peu tard. C'est peut-être ça aussi.

    I completely understand. And the other night, we also had friends who stayed a bit late. Maybe that's part of it too.

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Politely raising a noise issue with the upstairs neighbourDialogue 35

  • You
    Listen

    Ça arrive, pas de souci pour une fois de temps en temps. C'était juste la régularité qui commençait à être lourde.

    It happens — no problem for once in a while. It was just the regularity that was starting to get heavy.

  • The upstairs neighbour
    Listen

    Tu as bien fait de venir m'en parler. J'aurais préféré que tu me dises ça plutôt que tu sois fâchée en silence.

    You did the right thing coming to talk to me. I'd much rather you tell me than be quietly upset.

  • You
    Listen

    C'est exactement pour ça que je préfère qu'on se parle. Entre voisins, ça vaut mieux.

    That's exactly why I'd rather we talk it out. Between neighbours, it's better that way.

  • The upstairs neighbour
    Listen

    Tout à fait d'accord. Et toi, si jamais on fait du bruit un soir spécial, envoie-moi un message, je vais baisser le ton.

    I completely agree. And if we ever make noise on a special evening, send me a message and I'll tone it down.

  • You
    Listen

    Promis. Et de mon côté, si tu m'entends bouger des meubles, c'est juste que je réorganise le salon !

    I promise. And on my side, if you hear me moving furniture around, I'm just rearranging the living room!

  • The upstairs neighbour
    Listen

    Pas de problème ! Bon, je dois monter, j'ai des courses à ranger.

    No problem! Well, I have to go up — I've got groceries to put away.

  • You
    Listen

    Vas-y, je te laisse. Merci d'avoir pris ça avec le sourire, Julie !

    Go ahead, I'll let you go. Thanks for taking it so well, Julie!

  • The upstairs neighbour
    Listen

    Mais non, c'est normal. Bonne fin de journée !

    Of course, it's normal. Have a good rest of your day!

Vocabulary

  • vite faitquickly / real quick— Casual filler that softens a request: « je voulais te parler vite fait ».
  • se plaindreto complain— Saying « je voulais pas me plaindre » signals you're raising the topic, not attacking.
  • ça s'entendyou can hear it— Reflexive use of « entendre » — common when describing noise that travels.
  • la machine à laverthe washing machine
  • tranquillequiet / peaceful
  • c'est embêtantthat's a nuisance / that's annoying— Softer than « ça m'embête » — acknowledges the issue without escalating.
  • baisser le tonto keep it down / lower the volume
  • entre voisinsbetween neighbours— Phrase that frames a conversation as informal and goodwill-based.

Culture note

In Quebec, speaking to a neighbour directly before going to the landlord or police is almost always better received. A calm approach that opens with « I just wanted to talk to you about it » rather than an accusation usually defuses things. Many buildings have internal rules about quiet hours, but it's the human conversation that settles most cases.

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