French · Real conversations
How to say “Could you keep the noise down?” in French
Ask someone to reduce noise.
Tu pourrais faire un peu moins de bruit ?
Could you keep the noise down?
A brief explanation of the problem can help the other person respond.
Use it in three situations
Speaking to a neighbor
Tu pourrais faire un peu moins de bruit ?
Could you keep the noise down?
Sharing a home
Tu pourrais baisser la musique ?
Could you turn the music down?
An evening noise problem
Tu pourrais faire un peu moins de bruit après dix heures ?
Could you be a little quieter after ten?
What to watch for
A considerate request is different from an accusation about the person's character.
Read the whole expression before replacing a detail. The natural wording may use a different order or construction from the English sentence.
Your turn
Imagine housing. Say this in French: Could you turn the music down?
Reveal a sample reply
Tu pourrais baisser la musique ?
Could you turn the music down?
Build a useful exchange
Ask about rent and arrange a practical repair.
This expression in other languages
A note on speaking French
Use vous with strangers, staff, and people you address formally; use tu when that relationship is established. Je voudrais and pourriez-vous can make a request considerate. The most appropriate choice depends on the person and the situation.
Keep accents and apostrophes. A familiar spoken expression may differ from its literal English translation. Read the complete line, including the pronoun and the words that connect the request.
