Which French phrases matter most here?

“Vous avez besoin de quelque chose ?” (Do you need anything); “Excusez-moi, vous pouvez m'aider ?” (Excuse me, can you help me); “Je peux vous poser une question ?” (Can I ask you a question). The full list is above.

Can I hear how they sound?

Yes: press the speaker next to a phrase to hear it, recorded for the Frasa app.

How can I practise this conversation?

Press “Start the conversation” above to play it through and choose your replies, with a note on why some fit better in France. Frasa, an iPhone app, lets you save these phrases and rehearse them out loud.

French phrases for borrowing something from a neighbour in France

Knock and ask for a moment: “Excusez-moi, vous pouvez m'aider ?”. Then ask softly: “Je pourrais emprunter une perceuse dix minutes ?”. Promise to return it: “Je vous la rapporte demain”. For something small, “Je peux vous emprunter un peu de sucre ?” is enough.

Try it · about two minutes

You knock next door to borrow a drill to put up a shelf, and promise to bring it back.

Sound on: the neighbour speaks French. You choose what to say back, and Frasa tells you why it works.

How does the conversation usually go?

Neighbour
Vous avez besoin de quelque chose ?
Do you need anything?
You
Excusez-moi, vous pouvez m'aider ?
Excuse me, can you help me?
Neighbour
Bien sûr, je vous écoute.
Of course, go ahead.
You
Je pourrais emprunter une perceuse dix minutes ?
Could I borrow a drill for ten minutes?
Neighbour
Une perceuse ? Oui, bien sûr. Vous me la rendez quand ?
A drill? Yes, of course. When will you give it back?
You
Je vous la rapporte demain.
I’ll bring it back tomorrow.
Neighbour
Pas de souci.
No worries.
You
Merci pour votre aide.
Thank you for your help.
The next day you knock on your neighbour’s door, drill in hand.
You
Voilà votre perceuse, merci beaucoup.
Here’s your drill, thank you very much.
Neighbour
Si vous avez besoin d'un coup de main, frappez chez moi.
If you need a hand, just knock on my door.
You
Oui, volontiers.
Yes, gladly.

Which French phrases do you need?

Vous avez besoin de quelque chose ?
Do you need anything?
Excusez-moi, vous pouvez m'aider ?
Excuse me, can you help me?
Je peux vous poser une question ?
Can I ask you a question?
Bien sûr, je vous écoute.
Of course, go ahead.
Je peux vous emprunter un peu de sucre ?
Could I borrow a little sugar?
Je pourrais emprunter une perceuse dix minutes ?
Could I borrow a drill for ten minutes?
Je vous la rapporte demain.
I’ll bring it back tomorrow.
Pas de souci.
No worries.
Pardon d'avance si ça fait du bruit.
Sorry in advance if it gets noisy.
Si vous avez besoin d'un coup de main, frappez chez moi.
If you need a hand, just knock on my door.

What is worth knowing in France?

How a favour goes

1
Check that your neighbour has a moment before you ask.
Excuse me, can you help me?
2
Ask softly, and say how long you need the item.
Could I borrow a drill for ten minutes?
3
Say when you’ll bring it back, and keep your word.
I’ll bring it back tomorrow.
4
Say thanks, and offer a favour in return.
Thank you for your help.

For something small

For a little sugar or salt, a light request is enough, and you don’t need to promise to bring it back. Ask the same way, just shorter.

Je peux vous emprunter un peu de sucre ?

Could I borrow a little sugar?

Je pourrais, not an order

Polite

Je pourrais emprunter une perceuse dix minutes ?

Could I borrow a drill for ten minutes?

Too direct

Prête-moi ta perceuse.

Lend me your drill.

Je pourrais or vous auriez softens a request. An order, or tu with a neighbour you barely know, sounds abrupt.

Questions about this situation

Which French phrases matter most here?: “Vous avez besoin de quelque chose ?” (Do you need anything); “Excusez-moi, vous pouvez m'aider ?” (Excuse me, can you help me); “Je peux vous poser une question ?” (Can I ask you a question). The full list is above.
Can I hear how they sound?: Yes: press the speaker next to a phrase to hear it, recorded for the Frasa app.
How can I practise this conversation?: Press “Start the conversation” above to play it through and choose your replies, with a note on why some fit better in France. Frasa, an iPhone app, lets you save these phrases and rehearse them out loud.

Related situations in French

All situations in French

Practise these phrases in Frasa

Frasa is an iPhone app for the conversations in front of you. Save phrases like these, rehearse them out loud, and they come back until they stick.

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AI-generated. May be inaccurate.