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Spanish · Neighbours · Elementary

How to complain about noise to a neighbour in Spanish

Knock, say who you are and ask: “Perdona, ¿puedes bajar la música?”. Give a reason, “Mañana tengo que madrugar”, and keep it friendly. Planning a party yourself? Warn the neighbours first: “El sábado hago una fiesta en casa. Os aviso porque puede haber algo de ruido”.

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 Spanish. You choose what to say back, and Frasa tells you why it works.

The conversation

  1. Neighbour

    Hola, dime.

    Hi, can I help?

    You

    Hola, perdona, soy el nuevo vecino de abajo.

    Hi, sorry, I’m the new neighbour from downstairs.

  2. Neighbour

    Bienvenido al edificio.

    Welcome to the building.

    You

    Perdona, ¿puedes bajar la música?

    Sorry, could you turn the music down?

  3. Neighbour

    Lo siento, no lo sabía.

    Sorry, I didn’t know.

    You

    Mañana tengo que madrugar.

    I have to get up early tomorrow.

  4. Neighbour

    Avísame si te molesta algo.

    Let me know if anything bothers you.

    You

    ¿Te importaría no hacer ruido a partir de las once?

    Would you mind keeping the noise down after eleven?

  5. A few weeks later you’re having friends round on Saturday. You knock on the same door.

    You

    El sábado hago una fiesta en casa.

    I’m having a party at home on Saturday.

  6. Neighbour

    No pasa nada.

    Don’t worry, it’s fine.

    You

    Te lo agradezco mucho.

    I really appreciate it.

Key phrases

  • Perdona, ¿puedes bajar la música?

    Sorry, could you turn the music down?

  • Anoche hubo mucho ruido.

    There was a lot of noise last night.

  • Mañana tengo que madrugar.

    I have to get up early tomorrow.

  • ¿Te importaría no hacer ruido a partir de las once?

    Would you mind keeping the noise down after eleven?

  • Se oyen pasos y golpes hasta muy tarde.

    I can hear footsteps and banging until very late.

  • Los vecinos de abajo se han quejado del ruido.

    The downstairs neighbours have complained about the noise.

  • El sábado hago una fiesta en casa.

    I’m having a party at home on Saturday.

  • Os aviso porque puede haber algo de ruido.

    Just letting you know there might be a bit of noise.

  • Perdón por el ruido.

    Sorry about the noise.

  • Perdona las molestias.

    Sorry for the inconvenience.

Good to know in Spain

Asking nicely

  1. 1

    Knock and say who you are and where you live.

  2. 2

    Ask, and give a reason.

    I have to get up early tomorrow.
  3. 3

    Thank them. You’ll keep meeting on the stairs.

    I really appreciate it.

Quiet hours

Town noise rules often treat the hours from around eleven at night as quiet time, and some buildings have their own rules too.

¿Te importaría no hacer ruido a partir de las once?

Would you mind keeping the noise down after eleven?

Your turn: warn first

Before a party, a word at the door or a note by the lift goes a long way.

Os aviso porque puede haber algo de ruido.

Just letting you know there might be a bit of noise.

More situations in Spanish

All situations in Spanish

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.