At the real estate agent
Chez l'agent immobilier
- Discuss an advertisement for a house or apartment that you just saw.
- Discuss to buy a new house or apartment.
At the real estate agent: Learn essential French vocabulary and expressions for discussing property ads (l'annonce), asking details (des renseignements), and negotiating prices (négocier le prix) when looking for an apartment or house.
Vocabulary (19) Share Copied!
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Exercice 1: Conversation exercise
Instruction:
- Do you rent the appartment or house where you live or did you buy it? (Do you rent the appartment or house where you live or did you buy it?)
- Did you have to renovate your home? How long did that take? (Did you have to renovate your home? How long did that take?)
- Was your home furnished or empty when you moved in? (Was your home furnished or empty when you moved in?)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
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Je loue mon appartement. Mais je vais bientôt acheter une maison. I rent my appartment. But I will soon buy a house. |
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J'ai acheté notre maison il y a 2 ans avec mon partenaire. I bought our house 2 years ago together with my partner. |
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Nous avons dû rénover presque toute la maison. Cela nous a pris plus d'un an. We had to renovate almost the whole house. It took us over a year. |
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Mon appartement avait été fraîchement rénové lorsque je l'ai acheté et m'y suis installé. My appartment was freshly renovated when I bought it and moved in. |
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L'appartement était entièrement meublé lorsque j'ai emménagé. The appartment was fully furnished when I moved in. |
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Certaines pièces de la maison étaient meublées, d'autres ne l'étaient pas. Some rooms in the house were furnished, others weren't. |
| ... |
Exercise 2: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 3: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. Si je __________ un appartement spacieux, je le visiterais demain.
(If I __________ a spacious apartment, I would visit it tomorrow.)2. Nous __________ dans ce quartier résidentiel si le prix était raisonnable.
(We __________ to this residential neighborhood if the price was reasonable.)3. Tu __________ la maison ce week-end si tu étais disponible.
(You __________ the house this weekend if you were available.)4. Elle __________ chez l'agent immobilier pour demander des renseignements.
(She __________ to the real estate agent to ask for information.)Exercise 4: At the Real Estate Agent's
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Déménager - Move
Conditionnel Présent
- je déménagerais
- tu déménagerais
- il/elle déménagerait
- nous déménagerions
- vous déménageriez
- ils/elles déménageraient
Visiter - Visit
Conditionnel Présent
- je visiterais
- tu visiterais
- il/elle visiterait
- nous visiterions
- vous visiteriez
- ils/elles visiteraient
Se passer - To go
Imparfait
- je me passais
- tu te passais
- il/elle se passait
- nous nous passions
- vous vous passiez
- ils/elles se passaient
Visiter - Visit
Passé Composé
- j'ai visité
- tu as visité
- il/elle a visité
- nous avons visité
- vous avez visité
- ils/elles ont visité
Choisir - Choose
Imparfait
- je choisissais
- tu choisissais
- il/elle choisissait
- nous choisissions
- vous choisissiez
- ils/elles choisissaient
Emménager - Move in
Futur Simple
- j'emménagerai
- tu emménageras
- il/elle emménagera
- nous emménagerons
- vous emménagerez
- ils/elles emménageront
Grammar Share Copied!
It's not the most exciting thing, we admit, but it’s absolutely essential (and we promise it'll pay off)!
Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Déménager to move house Share Copied!
Conditionnel présent
| French | English |
|---|---|
| (je/j') déménagerais | I would move house |
| (tu) déménagerais | You would move house |
| (il/elle/on) déménagerait | he/she/one would move house |
| (nous) déménagerions | we would move house |
| (vous) déménageriez | You would move house |
| (ils/elles) déménageraient | they would move house |
Visiter to visit Share Copied!
Conditionnel présent
| French | English |
|---|---|
| (je/j') je visiterais | I would visit |
| tu visiterais | You would visit |
| il/elle/on visiterait | he/she/one would visit |
| nous visiterions | we would visit |
| vous visiteriez | You would visit |
| ils/elles visiteraient | they would visit |
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Introduction to Real Estate Conversations in French
This lesson focuses on practical language skills needed when dealing with real estate agents in French. It covers discussing property advertisements, asking relevant questions about apartments or houses for sale, and negotiating the purchase price. The material is designed for A2 learners, offering clear dialogues that mirror everyday situations related to buying or renting property.
Key Content Areas
1. Discussing a property advertisement
You will learn how to exchange basic information about an apartment or house, including location, size, price, number of rooms, and special features like balconies or gardens. Common words include appartement (apartment), maison (house), pièces (rooms), and balcon (balcony).
2. Asking questions at the real estate agent
This section offers phrases and questions to inquire about details such as the apartment’s square meters (mètres carrés), the presence of an equipped kitchen (cuisine équipée), proximity to public transport, natural lighting, and price. Practicing these polite question forms is essential: for example, Combien fait-il de mètres carrés ? (How many square meters is it?) or Est-il lumineux ? (Is it bright?).
3. Negotiating the purchase
Here, you practice polite negotiation expressions and offering counteroffers. Phrases like Je voudrais proposer 290 000 euros (I would like to offer 290,000 euros) or Peut-on trouver un compromis ? (Can we find a compromise?) help learners confidently interact during negotiations.
Grammar Focus: Conditional and Imperfect Tenses
The lesson integrates verb conjugations primarily in the conditionnel présent and imparfait tenses to discuss hypothetical situations relevant to real estate decisions. Examples include:
- Si je visitais un appartement spacieux, je le visiterais demain. (If I visited a spacious apartment, I would visit it tomorrow.)
- Nous déménagerions dans ce quartier si le prix était raisonnable. (We would move to this neighborhood if the price were reasonable.)
Mastering these forms helps express desires, conditions, or plans with greater nuance.
Useful Vocabulary and Phrases
- Annonce immobilière – Real estate advertisement
- Appartement – Apartment
- Maison – House
- Agent immobilier – Real estate agent
- Prix – Price
- Balcon – Balcony
- Jardin – Garden
- Garage – Garage
- Visite – Viewing or visit
- Négociation – Negotiation
Comparing English and French in This Context
Unlike English, French often uses specific verb tenses such as the conditionnel présent to express polite offers or hypothetical situations, which is common in real estate discussions. For example, where an English speaker might say, "I would visit the apartment tomorrow," the French use je visiterais l'appartement demain. Additionally, French vocabulary distinguishes between different types of properties clearly (appartement vs. maison) and uses terms like pièces to refer to rooms, which may differ slightly from English usage.
Useful phrases include:
- Je voudrais des informations – I would like some information
- Est-ce qu'il y a... – Is there...
- Quel est le prix ? – What is the price?
- Nous devrions organiser une visite – We should arrange a viewing
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