#273 Discussing a Noise Problem with the Building Manager｜French Daily Life Phrases

When you live in an apartment, hotel, or shared house, you may occasionally experience problems caused by noise.

Late-night sounds or disturbances from neighboring residents can have a significant impact on your sleep and daily life. In some situations, you may need to explain the issue to the building manager and ask for assistance.

In this article, I will explain useful French expressions for discussing noise problems with a building manager, based on a realistic conversation example.

Dialogue

A

Excusez-moi de vous déranger, mais j’aimerais parler d’un problème de bruit dans l’immeuble.
（Excuse me for bothering you, but I would like to discuss a noise problem in the building.）

B

Bien sûr. Quel est le problème exactement ?
（Of course. What exactly seems to be the problem?）

A

Depuis quelques jours, il y a beaucoup de bruit tard le soir dans l’appartement d’à côté.
（For the past few days, there has been a lot of noise late at night in the apartment next door.）

B

Je vois. Est-ce que cela arrive souvent ?
（I see. Does this happen often?）

A

Oui, presque tous les soirs, et cela m’empêche de dormir.
（Yes, almost every night, and it prevents me from sleeping.）

B

Je comprends. Nous allons vérifier la situation.
（I understand. We will look into the situation.）

A

Merci beaucoup pour votre aide.
（Thank you very much for your help.）

1. Bringing Up a Noise Problem

When you want to discuss a noise issue with a building manager, you can say:

The expression “J’aimerais” uses the conditional form of the verb “aimer” (aimerais). By using the conditional mood, the sentence becomes softer and more polite than “Je veux” (I want), giving the impression of “I would like to, if possible.”

The structure “parler de ～” means “to talk about ～.” Therefore, “parler d’un problème” means “to discuss a problem.”

The phrase “problème de bruit” means “a noise problem.” By adding “dans l’immeuble,” you can make it clear that the issue is occurring within the building.

2. Explaining the Situation

Next, you should explain the situation as clearly as possible.

The expression “Depuis quelques jours” means “for the past few days.” The preposition “depuis” is used to indicate something that started in the past and continues up to the present.

The phrase “il y a beaucoup de bruit” means “there is a lot of noise.” Here, “il y a” means “there is / there are,” and “bruit”(noise) is treated as something that exists.

The structure “beaucoup de + noun” means “a lot of ～.” In this context, it helps you explain that the noise level is considerable.

Although “bruit” appears in the singular form, French often treats noise as a general condition or quantity rather than counting individual sounds.

The expression “tard le soir” means “late at night,” while “dans l’appartement d’à côté” specifies that the noise is coming from the neighboring apartment.

When discussing a noise problem, I recommend explaining the time, frequency, and location as specifically as possible so that the building manager can understand the situation more easily.

3. Explaining the Impact on Your Daily Life

When reporting a noise problem, it is important to explain both how often it happens and how it affects your daily life.

The phrase “presque tous les soirs” means “almost every night.” Here, “presque” means “almost,” while “tous les soirs” means “every evening/night.” Together, they indicate that the problem occurs frequently.

The phrase “cela m’empêche de dormir” means “it prevents me from sleeping.”

The subject “cela” means “that” or “it,” referring here to the entire noise situation mentioned earlier. In casual conversation, “ça” is often used instead of “cela,” as in:

The form “m’empêche” is a contracted form of “me empêche,” where “me” means “me” and “empêche” comes from the verb “empêcher” (to prevent).

Literally, “cela m’empêche de dormir” means “that prevents me from sleeping,” making it clear that the noise is causing a concrete problem.

Summary