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Lesson 60 of 240

New here? This is lesson 60 of a free 240-lesson French course.

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Are you from around here in French

Sam meets Inès on the stairs of their walk-up. He still is not sure who lives in the building, and he asks.

She already has his WhatsApp from an earlier hello.

By the end, you'll ask if someone lives nearby, what brings them, and how to stay in touch.

Inès lives two floors below. Sam is a friend of Gaspard, not a stranger at the door.

By the end of this lesson

Ask a neighbor where they live, how they got here, and keep in touch.

  • Tu habites dans le coin ?Do you live around here?
  • J'habite dans le coin.I live near here.
  • C'est la première fois que tu viens ici ?Is this your first time here?
  • On reste en contact.Let's keep in touch.
  • Qu'est-ce qui t'amène ici ?What brings you here?
  • Je suis un ami de ___.I'm a friend of ___.

Scene — on the stairs

Sam is on the wooden stairs of his walk-up on rue des Tilleuls, mustard backpack on one shoulder.

Inès comes up from two floors below in a denim jacket, after a night shift at the hospital nearby.

A wide stairwell view of Sam midway up a wooden walk-up with a mustard backpack while Inès in a denim jacket climbs from two floors below.

Learn — around here

Six lines cover living nearby, a first visit, what brings you, and staying in touch.

You'll also say you are a friend of someone, with the name filled in.

  1. A close-up of Inès on the wooden stairs in a denim jacket, looking upward with a curious neighborly face.

    Tu habites dans le coin ?

    Do you live around here?

    When to use it: Ask a neighbor if they live nearby.

    Use tu with a neighbor you already know a little.

    Say it: The s at the end of habites is silent.

  2. A medium shot of Sam on the stairs with a mustard backpack, one hand on the banister, the other open toward the building as if it is home.

    J'habite dans le coin.

    I live near here.

    When to use it: Say this when you live close to the person.

    J'habite is the same for a man or a woman.

    Say it: J'habite drops the e of je before a vowel.

  3. An over-the-shoulder view past Sam down to Inès two steps below, her head tilted as she studies him like a newcomer.

    C'est la première fois que tu viens ici ?

    Is this your first time here?

    When to use it: Ask a friend if they have been here before.

    C'est la première fois names a first visit as one piece.

    Say it: The ien in viens is a nasal sound.

  4. A medium-wide shot of Sam on a stair landing, mustard backpack on, body turned to leave, one hand raised in a warm stay-in-touch farewell.

    On reste en contact.

    Let's keep in touch.

    When to use it: Say this when you want to talk again later.

    On here means we in everyday speech.

  5. A side-angle medium shot of Inès on the stairs in a denim jacket, turned up the flight with an open palm toward someone above.

    Qu'est-ce qui t'amène ici ?

    What brings you here?

    When to use it: Ask a friend why they came to this place.

    Use this tu form with a friend or a neighbor.

    Say it: T'amène drops the e of te before amène.

  6. A low three-quarter close shot of Sam on the stairs, mustard backpack strap across his chest, pointing toward a door with a blank brass plate.

    Je suis un ami de ___.

    I'm a friend of ___.

    When to use it: Name a friend so the other person places you.

    A woman says une amie de with the name after de.

    Say it: The un before ami is a nasal sound.

Story — she lives here

Watch Sam meet Inès on the stairs. He asks if she lives nearby, and they stay in touch.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned. Turn on Show English if you need it.

  1. Sam is halfway up with his backpack. Inès appears on the landing below.
  2. InèsSalut.Hi.
  3. SamSalut.Hi.
  4. InèsÇa va ?How are you?
  5. SamÇa va, merci.I'm good, thanks.
  6. He looks at her door on the floor below his.
  7. SamTu habites dans le coin ?Do you live around here?
  8. InèsJ'habite dans le coin.I live near here.
  9. She tilts her head. He still looks new on these stairs.
  10. InèsC'est la première fois que tu viens ici ?Is this your first time here?
  11. SamOui, je viens d'arriver.Yes, I just got here.
  12. InèsQu'est-ce qui t'amène ici ?What brings you here?
  13. SamJe viens d'emménager dans le coin pour le travail.I just moved to the area for work.
  14. He adds a name she will know from the café.
  15. SamJe suis un ami de Gaspard.I'm a friend of Gaspard.
  16. She already has his WhatsApp. She does not ask for a number.
  17. InèsOn reste en contact.Let's keep in touch.
  18. SamOn reste en contact.Let's keep in touch.

Practice — neighbor talk

Nine quick exercises wait here. You'll listen, pick, fill a gap, and build a line.

They stay tiny, so the round moves fast.

0 of 9 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What do you say?

    Inès appears on the landing below and looks up. Greet her as a friend.

  3. Pick the reply

    Inès says:

    Tu habites dans le coin ?

    Do you live around here?

    And you reply with:

  4. What do you say?

    You already said hi to a neighbor on the stairs. Ask if this is their first time here.

  5. Fill the gap

    Let's keep in touch.

    On reste en ____.

  6. Build the line

    What brings you here?

    -  ?

    Tap the words in order.

  7. Swap the word

    Which word means friend when you introduce yourself on the stairs?

    Je suis un ____ de ___.

  8. What do you say?

    Inès already said hi. She asks how you are. Answer her.

  9. True or false?

    This asks where the other person lives.

Say it — stay in touch

Now you're Sam on the stairs. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.

Tap play first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. InèsSalut.Hi.
  2. Sam (you)Ask if she lives around here.

    Tu habites dans le coin ?

    Do you live around here?

0 of 4 said

Recap — what you can say now

FrenchEnglish
Tu habites dans le coin ?Do you live around here?
J'habite dans le coin.I live near here.
C'est la première fois que tu viens ici ?Is this your first time here?
On reste en contact.Let's keep in touch.
Qu'est-ce qui t'amène ici ?What brings you here?
Je suis un ami de ___.I'm a friend of ___.
Next: lesson 61Chatting with coworkers

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Want to keep these neighbor lines handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps these neighbor lines ready for the stairs.

Open Yak Cards