#104 Asking About Garbage Disposal Rules｜French Phrases for Daily Life
Izumi French Garden
#107 Reporting Issues in Your Apartment｜French Daily Life Phrases
Izumi
In apartment living or during a long-term stay, problems such as “the heating doesn’t work,” “there is no water,” “the lights won’t turn on,” may occur from time to time.
When reporting an issue in French to a building manager or landlord, the conversation generally flows smoothly if you follow this order: describe the situation → explain the issue → make a request → adjust the time for a visit.
In this lesson, I explain useful French expressions for reporting problems in your apartment, along with guidance and important notes.
Contents
Dialogue
Excusez-moi. J’ai un petit problème dans mon appartement.
（Excuse me. I have a small issue in my apartment.)）
Quel est le problème exactement ?
（What exactly seems to be the problem?）
Le chauffage ne fonctionne plus depuis ce matin.
（The heating hasn’t been working since this morning.）
D’accord. Avez-vous déjà vérifié le thermostat ?
（I see. Have you already checked the thermostat?）
Oui, j’ai vérifié, mais rien ne change. Pourriez-vous passer voir quand vous aurez un moment ?
（Yes, I checked it, but nothing changes. Could you come and take a look when you have a moment?）
Bien sûr. Je peux passer vers 17 heures, si cela vous convient.
（Of course. I can come around 5 p.m., if that works for you.）
Merci beaucoup. Je serai là.
（Thank you very much. I will be here.）
1. Informing Them That a Problem Exists
At the beginning of the conversation, it is important to clearly state that there is an issue.
- J’ai un petit problème dans mon appartement.
（I have a small problem in my apartment.）
The expression “un petit problème” literally means “a small problem.”
Using “un petit ～” softens the tone and conveys that you do not wish to trouble the other person unnecessarily.
For more urgent cases, a direct expression is more appropriate:
- J’ai un problème assez urgent.
（I have a rather urgent problem.）
Use this for issues such as water leaks or power outages that require immediate attention.
2. Explaining the Nature of the Problem
The building manager needs to know which piece of equipment is not functioning.
Use the structure: “equipment + ne fonctionne plus / ne marche plus”
- Le chauffage ne fonctionne plus.
（The heating isn’t working.） - La douche ne marche plus.
（The shower isn’t running.）
Both are commonly used for malfunctioning appliances.
- fonctionner
→ to function, to operate (slightly more formal). - marcher
→ to work, to run properly.
3. Requesting Assistance
After explaining the situation, ask for help using a polite and considerate expression:
- Pourriez-vous passer voir quand vous aurez un moment ?
(Could you come and take a look when you have a moment?)
This phrasing is polite because it includes:
- Pourriez-vous … ?
→ “Could you … ?” (polite request) - quand vous aurez un moment
→ “when you have a moment”
Other useful expressions:
- Est-ce que vous pourriez vérifier ?
(Could you check it?) - J’aimerais que quelqu’un passe jeter un œil.
(I’d like someone to stop by and take a quick look.)
“jeter un œil” means “to take a quick look” and is slightly casual.
4. Scheduling the Visit
If the landlord proposes a time, confirm whether it works for you:
- Je peux passer vers 17 heures, si cela vous convient.
(I can come around 5 p.m. if that suits you.)
To accept:
- Merci beaucoup. Je serai là.
（Thank you very much. I’ll be here.)
If the proposed time does not work:
- Ce serait possible un peu plus tôt ?
(Would it be possible a bit earlier?) - Je ne serai pas à la maison à cette heure-là.
(I won’t be home at that time.)
Summary
- J’ai un petit problème dans mon appartement.
→ Basic phrase for reporting an issue. - Le chauffage / la douche / la lumière ne fonctionne plus.
→ Useful structures for explaining the problem clearly. - Pourriez-vous passer voir quand vous aurez un moment ?
→ Polite way to request assistance from the landlord. - Est-ce que c’est possible vers ～ ?
→ Convenient expression for adjusting the visit time.
