Dialogue
French dialogue: meeting a new neighbour on the stairs
Practise an 18-line A1 French conversation: introduce yourself to a neighbour, say which flat is yours and accept help with a suitcase.
- A1
- 18 lines
- Practice mode
- Learn this in the A1 notebook →
In short
Greet a new neighbour with Bonjour, je m’appelle…, then ask Vous habitez à quel étage ? To offer help, say Vous voulez un coup de main ? In this conversation, Nora meets Karim while carrying her things upstairs.
Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn
You are Nora, who has just moved in. Karim already lives in the building. Both use vous. Switch on practice mode to hide Nora’s French and use the English cues to make your replies.
- Karim
Bonjour, vous êtes nouvelle dans l’immeuble ?
English
Hello, are you new to the building?
- Nora
Oui, bonjour. Je m’appelle Nora.
Say yes, greet him and introduce yourself as Nora.
English
Yes, hello. My name is Nora.
- Karim
Je m’appelle Karim. Enchanté !
English
My name is Karim. Nice to meet you!
- Nora
Enchantée ! Vous habitez à quel étage ?
Say you are pleased to meet him and ask which floor he lives on.
English
Nice to meet you! Which floor do you live on?
- Karim
Au deuxième, à gauche. Et vous ?
English
On the second floor, on the left. And you?
- Nora
Au troisième, à droite.
Say your flat is on the third floor, on the right.
English
On the third floor, on the right.
- Karim
Vous venez d’où ?
English
Where are you from?
- Nora
De Nantes. Et vous ?
Say you are from Nantes and return the question.
English
From Nantes. And you?
- Karim
Je suis d’ici. Vous avez des cartons en bas ?
English
I’m from here. Have you got any boxes downstairs?
- Nora
Oui, deux cartons et une valise.
Say you have two boxes and a suitcase.
English
Yes, two boxes and a suitcase.
- Karim
Vous voulez un coup de main ?
English
Would you like a hand?
- Nora
Oui, merci. La valise est un peu lourde.
Accept and explain that the suitcase is a little heavy.
English
Yes, thank you. The suitcase is a little heavy.
- Karim
Je prends la valise ?
English
Shall I take the suitcase?
- Nora
Oui, s’il vous plaît.
Accept politely.
English
Yes, please.
- Karim
Voilà. On monte ?
English
There we go. Shall we go up?
- Nora
Oui. Merci beaucoup pour votre aide.
Agree and thank him for his help.
English
Yes. Thank you very much for your help.
- Karim
Avec plaisir. Bienvenue dans l’immeuble !
English
My pleasure. Welcome to the building!
- Nora
Merci. À bientôt, Karim !
Thank him and say you will see him soon.
English
Thank you. See you soon, Karim!
What do you say when you meet a new neighbour in French?
| French | When you use it |
|---|---|
| Je m’appelle… | Give your name. |
| Enchanté ! / Enchantée ! | Say you are pleased to meet someone. |
| Et vous ? | Return the same question politely. |
| Vous habitez à quel étage ? | Ask which floor someone lives on. |
| Vous voulez un coup de main ? | Offer help with a practical job. |
| Merci pour votre aide. | Thank someone for their help. |
Nouvelle describes Nora; for a man, Karim would ask Vous êtes nouveau ? Nora writes enchantée and Karim writes enchanté, according to who is speaking. The extra -e makes no difference to the sound here. Lourde agrees with the feminine noun valise.
J’habite au rez-de-chaussée, à droite.
I live on the ground floor, on the right.
To change Nora’s answer, replace au troisième with your floor: au premier, au deuxième or au rez-de-chaussée.
- Je suis habite au deuxième.J’habite au deuxième.
Use one present verb: j’habite already means “I live”.
- Merci pour ton aide, monsieur.Merci pour votre aide, monsieur.
Keep votre when you have chosen vous in this exchange.