French B1 Reading Practice: An Argument with a Neighbour
Disagreeing politely is a B1 skill. This text is full of the structures French uses to complain, concede and negotiate.
Une histoire de voisinage
Depuis que le nouveau voisin s'est installé au-dessus, Martine dort mal. Il ne fait rien de méchant : il rentre tard, il déplace une chaise, il fait couler un bain à minuit. Mais l'immeuble est ancien et le plancher transmet tout.
Pendant deux mois, elle n'a rien dit. Elle craignait qu'il ne le prenne mal. Puis, un soir, elle est montée frapper à sa porte.
Il a ouvert, surpris, une assiette à la main. Elle a expliqué la situation en essayant de rester calme. Il a répondu qu'il ne s'en était jamais rendu compte, ce qui était peut-être vrai.
Ils ont trouvé un arrangement : pas de machine à laver après 22 heures, et Martine préviendrait directement s'il y avait un problème, plutôt que d'attendre.
Bien que le bruit n'ait pas complètement disparu, Martine dort mieux. Elle pense que savoir à qui appartient un bruit change la façon dont on l'entend.
English translation
Since the new neighbour moved in upstairs, Martine has slept badly. He does nothing malicious: he comes home late, moves a chair, runs a bath at midnight. But the building is old and the floor transmits everything.
For two months she said nothing. She was afraid he would take it badly. Then, one evening, she went up and knocked on his door.
He opened, surprised, a plate in his hand. She explained the situation while trying to stay calm. He answered that he had never realised, which was perhaps true.
They found an arrangement: no washing machine after ten in the evening, and Martine would tell him directly if there was a problem, rather than waiting.
Although the noise has not completely disappeared, Martine sleeps better. She thinks that knowing who a noise belongs to changes the way you hear it.
Why this is B1
This text introduces the subjunctive in the two places B1 learners meet it first, after craindre que and after bien que, and it uses an abstract closing thought rather than a plot event. The vocabulary is everyday, but the sentence structure carries nuance.
Grammar you will meet
- Subjunctive after craindre que and bien que
- Depuis que with the present
- Gerund: en essayant de rester calme
- Conditional in an agreement: Martine préviendrait
- Relative ce qui referring to a whole clause
Words worth keeping
- un voisin — a neighbour
- craindre que — to be afraid that
- un arrangement — an arrangement, a compromise
- bien que — although (with the subjunctive)
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