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Lesson 136 of 240

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Rent and bills in French

Sam needs the rent rules from Monsieur Lefebvre, who waits in the stairwell with his keys.

Lefebvre keeps things short: the day, the transfer, then he wants the talk over.

By the end, you'll ask when rent is due, how bills work, and how to pay.

You still use vous with him. He is the landlord, not a café regular.

By the end of this lesson

Ask when rent is due, how bills work, and how to pay.

  • Le loyer, c'est quel jour ?Which day is rent due?
  • Je paie par virement.I'll pay by transfer.
  • Qui paie l'électricité ?Who pays for the electricity?
  • Comment on paie les charges ?How do we pay the charges?
  • Vous pouvez me faire une quittance ?Can you give me a rent receipt?
  • Il y a un prélèvement automatique ?Is there a direct debit?

Scene — the landing

Same fourth-floor walk-up on rue des Tilleuls. Sam is on the landing. Monsieur Lefebvre stands in his doorway, upright, with the heavy ring of keys.

There is no lift. The stairwell is worn. Lefebvre has little time for a long chat about bills.

A wide view of the worn walk-up landing with Sam waiting outside and Monsieur Lefebvre upright in his barely open doorway, a heavy ring of keys in his hand.

Learn — rent day and bills

Six short lines cover the rent day, a bank transfer, the power bill, building charges, a receipt, and a direct debit.

Keep vous; Lefebvre is not a friend at the café.

  1. A medium two-shot of Sam on the landing, one hand on the banister, leaning toward Monsieur Lefebvre at the open door to ask when rent is due.

    Le loyer, c'est quel jour ?

    Which day is rent due?

    When to use it: Ask your landlord which calendar day rent must be paid.

    Loyer is masculine, so it takes le, not la.

  2. A close-up of Sam’s hands on the landing holding a phone with a blank screen, the free hand making a small transfer gesture beside Lefebvre’s keys.

    Je paie par virement.

    I'll pay by transfer.

    When to use it: Say this when rent goes from your bank to theirs.

    Use par with the payment method, here a bank transfer.

  3. An over-the-shoulder view past Monsieur Lefebvre toward Sam on the landing, both palms open a little while asking how the charges are paid.

    Qui paie l'électricité ?

    Who pays for the electricity?

    When to use it: Ask who must pay the power bill, you or the landlord.

    L'électricité uses l' because the next word starts with a vowel.

    Say it: The a of la drops before électricité.

  4. A low-angle view from the stairs below of Sam at the threshold holding out an empty palm toward Monsieur Lefebvre, who keeps a blank slip at his side.

    Comment on paie les charges ?

    How do we pay the charges?

    When to use it: Ask how building costs are paid with the rent.

    On here means we, the usual spoken way in French.

    Say it: The last s in charges is silent.

  5. A close-up of Monsieur Lefebvre at the door shaking his head, one hand already on the door, with Sam blurred on the landing and one finger raised.

    Vous pouvez me faire une quittance ?

    Can you give me a rent receipt?

    When to use it: Ask the landlord for written proof that you paid rent.

    Use vous with the landlord; tu is only for friends.

  6. Monsieur Lefebvre pulling the door closed with the keys clicking while Sam stays on the landing and looks up at the landing light.

    Il y a un prélèvement automatique ?

    Is there a direct debit?

    When to use it: Ask if rent leaves your bank by itself each month.

    Un stays with prélèvement because that word is masculine.

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

Story — the fifth

Watch Sam catch Lefebvre on the landing. The landlord names the fifth, then wants the talk over.

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

  1. Lefebvre opens the door a little. The key ring stays in his hand.
  2. SamBonjour.Hello.
  3. Monsieur LefebvreBonjour.Hello.
  4. He does not step aside. Sam stays on the landing.
  5. SamLe loyer, c'est quel jour ?Which day is rent due?
  6. Monsieur LefebvreLe cinq du mois.The fifth of the month.
  7. SamJe paie par virement.I'll pay by transfer.
  8. Monsieur LefebvreTrès bien.Very good.
  9. SamComment on paie les charges ?How do we pay the charges?
  10. Monsieur LefebvreAvec le loyer.With the rent.
  11. SamVous pouvez me faire une quittance ?Can you give me a rent receipt?
  12. Monsieur LefebvreOui, après le virement.Yes, after the transfer.
  13. SamIl y a un prélèvement automatique ?Is there a direct debit?
  14. Monsieur LefebvreNon. C'est tout.No. That's all.
  15. He already has a hand on the door. The keys click.
  16. SamQui paie l'électricité ?Who pays for the electricity?

Practice — card or transfer

Eleven quick tasks wait here. You'll listen, pick, match, fill a gap, and build a line.

They stay on rent, bills, and how Sam pays.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What do you say?

    You catch your landlord on the landing. Ask which day rent is due.

  3. What does it mean?

    Je paie par virement.

  4. Fill the gap

    How do we pay the charges?

    Comment on paie les ____ ?

  5. Match the pairs

    French

    Le loyer, c'est quel jour ?Drop the English here
    Je paie par virement.Drop the English here
    Il y a un prélèvement automatique ?Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its French, or tap one and then the other.

  6. Swap the word

    Tell the landlord you will send rent from your bank.

    Je paie par ____.

  7. Pick the reply

    Monsieur Lefebvre says:

    C'est tout.

    That's all.

    And you reply with:

  8. Build the line

    Can you give me a rent receipt?

     ?

    Tap the words in order.

  9. True or false?

    This asks if rent leaves your bank by itself.

  10. What do you say?

    You are at the bakery counter with your bread in hand.

  11. What do you say?

    Lefebvre is already turning back into his flat. Stop him politely.

Say it — ask the landlord

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

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

  1. Monsieur LefebvreBonjour.Hello.
  2. Sam (you)Ask which day rent is due.

    Le loyer, c'est quel jour ?

    Which day is rent due?

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

FrenchEnglish
Le loyer, c'est quel jour ?Which day is rent due?
Je paie par virement.I'll pay by transfer.
Qui paie l'électricité ?Who pays for the electricity?
Comment on paie les charges ?How do we pay the charges?
Vous pouvez me faire une quittance ?Can you give me a rent receipt?
Il y a un prélèvement automatique ?Is there a direct debit?
Next: lesson 137The street market

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

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

A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps the due date ready for the landing.

Open Yak Cards