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German · Neighbours · Elementary

How to complain about noise to a neighbour in German

Ring the bell, say who you are and keep it friendly: “Entschuldigen Sie die Störung” and “Könnten Sie bitte etwas leiser sein?”. Many house rules set quiet hours at night, often from ten. Planning a party yourself? Warn the neighbours: “Am Samstag kommen Freunde zu mir. Entschuldigung im Voraus, falls es laut wird.”

Try it · about two minutes

Music from upstairs keeps you awake, so you knock and ask politely, or give neighbours a heads-up about your own party.

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

The conversation

  1. It’s past eleven and the music upstairs is still loud. You go up and ring the bell.

    You

    Entschuldigen Sie die Störung.

    Sorry to bother you.

  2. Neighbour

    Kann ich Ihnen helfen?

    Can I help you?

    You

    Die Musik ist sehr laut.

    The music is very loud.

  3. Neighbour

    Entschuldigung für den Lärm.

    Sorry about the noise.

    You

    Könnten Sie bitte etwas leiser sein?

    Could you keep it down a bit, please?

  4. Neighbour

    Wir versuchen, leiser zu sein.

    We’ll try to be quieter.

    You

    Danke, das ist nett. Gute Nacht.

    Thanks, that’s kind. Good night.

  5. Neighbour

    Hallo, wie geht es Ihnen?

    Hello, how are you?

    You

    Am Samstag kommen Freunde zu mir.

    I’m having friends over on Saturday.

  6. Neighbour

    Machen Sie sich keine Sorgen.

    Don’t worry about it.

    You

    Danke. Ab zehn machen wir die Musik leiser.

    Thanks. We’ll turn the music down from ten.

Key phrases

  • Entschuldigen Sie die Störung.

    Sorry to bother you.

  • Die Musik ist sehr laut.

    The music is very loud.

  • Ich möchte keinen Streit, aber der Lärm hält mich wach.

    I don’t want any trouble, but the noise is keeping me awake.

  • Könnten Sie bitte etwas leiser sein?

    Could you keep it down a bit, please?

  • Könnten Sie es abends nach zehn Uhr leiser stellen?

    Could you turn it down after ten at night?

  • Ich höre Ihren Fernseher durch die Wand.

    I can hear your TV through the wall.

  • Wir versuchen, leiser zu sein.

    We’ll try to be quieter.

  • Am Samstag kommen Freunde zu mir.

    I’m having friends over on Saturday.

  • Entschuldigung im Voraus, falls es laut wird.

    Sorry in advance if it gets noisy.

  • Vielleicht könnten wir Ruhezeiten vereinbaren.

    Perhaps we could agree on quiet hours.

Good to know in Germany

Quiet hours (Ruhezeiten)

Most buildings have house rules (Hausordnung), often part of the rental contract. They usually set quiet hours at night, typically from around ten, and often on Sundays.

If the noise keeps happening

  1. 1

    Talk first: ring the bell and ask politely.

  2. 2

    If it happens again, suggest agreeing on quiet times.

    Perhaps we could agree on quiet hours.
  3. 3

    If nothing changes, tell your landlord or the building management (Hausverwaltung).

A note before your party

Before a party, many people pin a short note in the hallway: the day, roughly until when, and an apology in advance.

Entschuldigung im Voraus, falls es laut wird.

Sorry in advance if it gets noisy.

More situations in German

All situations in German

Keep 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.

AI-generated. May be inaccurate.