German · Real conversations
How to say “Could you keep the noise down?” in German
Ask someone to reduce noise.
Könntest du etwas leiser sein?
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
Könntest du etwas leiser sein?
Could you keep the noise down?
Sharing a home
Könntest du die Musik leiser machen?
Could you turn the music down?
An evening noise problem
Könntest du nach zehn etwas leiser sein?
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 German: Could you turn the music down?
Reveal a sample reply
Könntest du die Musik leiser machen?
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 German
Use Sie for formal address and du with people you address informally. Könnten Sie …? is a useful polite request. Keep noun capitals and the verb position shown in each complete sentence.
The examples preserve German accents and ß. Read a full sentence before replacing a detail: a subordinate clause can move the verb to the end, and case can change an article or pronoun.
