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Lesson 238 of 240

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Renew the lease in French

Sam waits on the fourth-floor landing. Monsieur Lefebvre is in the doorway with the heavy ring of keys, as brief as ever.

Sam wants another year on rue des Tilleuls. He will ask what changes, then say he will stay.

By the end, you'll renew a lease, check the rent and the terms, and promise to bring the signed papers back.

Lefebvre still gets vous. He does not do small talk, so keep the lines short.

By the end of this lesson

Agree to renew the lease, ask what changes, and say you will stay.

  • Je voudrais renouveler le bail.I'd like to renew the lease.
  • Le loyer va-t-il changer ?Will the rent change?
  • Les conditions restent les mêmes ?Are the terms still the same?
  • Je peux signer quand vous voulez.I can sign whenever you like.
  • J'ai décidé de rester.I've decided to stay.
  • Je vous rapporte le bail signé demain.I'll bring you the signed lease tomorrow.

Scene — keys in the doorway

Same worn stairwell on rue des Tilleuls. Sam is on the fourth-floor landing. Monsieur Lefebvre stands in the doorway, keys in hand, grey cardigan and tie, no time for chatter.

Down the street the café still has its blank brass sign on the window table. Gaspard has not sat there.

Wide view of a worn Paris stairwell where Sam faces Lefebvre, who stands in an open doorway with keys, already turning to go.

Learn — renew the lease

Six lines cover asking to renew, checking rent and terms, offering to sign, and saying you will stay.

You'll also promise to bring the signed lease back tomorrow.

  1. Sam steps toward Lefebvre in the doorway, one hand slightly extended, a plain folder at Sam's side.

    Je voudrais renouveler le bail.

    I'd like to renew the lease.

    When to use it: Say this to the landlord when you want another year on the flat.

    Voudrais is the polite way to ask the landlord; je veux is too blunt at his door.

  2. Close on Sam on the landing, head tilted and one open palm raised in a questioning gesture.

    Le loyer va-t-il changer ?

    Will the rent change?

    When to use it: Ask this to find out whether the monthly rent will be different.

    With a formal yes-no question, French can flip the verb and il, with a t in the middle.

    Say it: The extra t in va-t-il is only a linking sound.

  3. Over Lefebvre's shoulder from the doorway, Sam stands on the landing with both hands held apart as if checking the terms.

    Les conditions restent les mêmes ?

    Are the terms still the same?

    When to use it: Use this to check that the rest of the lease is unchanged.

    This keeps statement order and asks with a question mark, which is still polite with vous.

  4. From a low angle, Sam leans forward on the landing and holds out a plain page and a pen toward Lefebvre in the doorway.

    Je peux signer quand vous voulez.

    I can sign whenever you like.

    When to use it: Offer this when you are ready to sign on the landlord's schedule.

    Vous is required with Monsieur Lefebvre; tu would be too familiar in this doorway.

  5. In profile, Sam stands planted on the landing with one hand on the iron banister, body square to the open doorway.

    J'ai décidé de rester.

    I've decided to stay.

    When to use it: Say this when you have made up your mind to stay in the flat.

    This reports a choice you have already made, not a wish for later.

  6. Sam is already one step down the stairs, papers under one arm, looking back at Lefebvre still in the doorway with keys.

    Je vous rapporte le bail signé demain.

    I'll bring you the signed lease tomorrow.

    When to use it: Promise this when you will return the signed papers the next day.

    Signé describes bail, which is masculine, so it stays signé, not signée.

Story — he nods once

Watch Sam in the doorway. Lefebvre keeps it short, and so does Sam.

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

  1. The stairwell is quiet. Lefebvre holds the heavy ring of keys.
  2. Monsieur LefebvreBonjour monsieur.Hello, sir.
  3. SamBonjour monsieur.Hello, sir.
  4. SamJe voudrais renouveler le bail.I'd like to renew the lease.
  5. Monsieur LefebvreD'accord.Okay.
  6. SamLe loyer va-t-il changer ?Will the rent change?
  7. Monsieur LefebvreNon, pas cette année.No, not this year.
  8. SamLes conditions restent les mêmes ?Are the terms still the same?
  9. Monsieur LefebvreOui.Yes.
  10. SamJ'ai décidé de rester.I've decided to stay.
  11. Lefebvre nods once. He does not add a word.
  12. SamJe peux signer quand vous voulez.I can sign whenever you like.
  13. Monsieur LefebvreDemain.Tomorrow.
  14. SamJe vous rapporte le bail signé demain.I'll bring you the signed lease tomorrow.
  15. Monsieur LefebvreTrès bien.Very well.
  16. SamAu revoir.Goodbye.
  17. Monsieur LefebvreAu revoir.Goodbye.

Practice — rent or terms

Eleven short exercises wait here. You'll listen, fill a gap, swap a word, and build a line.

They stay on the doorway, so the round stays tight.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What do you say?

    You are in the doorway with the landlord. You want another year in the flat.

  3. Fill the gap

    Are the terms still the same?

    Les ____ restent les mêmes ?

  4. What does it mean?

    J'ai décidé de rester.

  5. Pick the reply

    Monsieur Lefebvre says:

    Quand pouvez-vous signer ?

    When can you sign?

    And you reply with:

  6. Build the line

    I'll bring you the signed lease tomorrow.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  7. Swap the word

    Tell the landlord you would like another year on the lease.

    Je voudrais renouveler le ____.

  8. What do you say?

    You arrive on the landing. The landlord is in the doorway and waits.

  9. True or false?

    This asks whether the rent will change.

  10. Match the pairs

    French

    Le loyer va-t-il changer ?Drop the English here
    Les conditions restent les mêmes ?Drop the English here
    Je peux signer quand vous voulez.Drop the English here

    English

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

  11. Which one doesn’t belong?

Say it — say you will stay

Now you're Sam on the landing. 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 monsieur.Hello, sir.
  2. Sam (you)Ask him for another year on the flat.

    Je voudrais renouveler le bail.

    I'd like to renew the lease.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

FrenchEnglish
Je voudrais renouveler le bail.I'd like to renew the lease.
Le loyer va-t-il changer ?Will the rent change?
Les conditions restent les mêmes ?Are the terms still the same?
Je peux signer quand vous voulez.I can sign whenever you like.
J'ai décidé de rester.I've decided to stay.
Je vous rapporte le bail signé demain.I'll bring you the signed lease tomorrow.
Next: lesson 239Everyone around the counter

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

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

A quick round with the Yak Cards keeps the doorway lines ready for Lefebvre.

Open Yak Cards