voisin d'à côté
The English phrase "next door neighbour" is translated into French as voisin d'à côté.
voisin d'à côté is used to describe a person who lives in the house or apartment immediately adjacent to your own.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase voisin d'à côté literally translates to "neighbor from next to [it/the side]".
Which one should you use?
While voisin d'à côté is a general term, voisin de palier is used specifically to refer to a neighbour living on the same floor or landing within an apartment building.
How does it change in a sentence?
To specify that the next door neighbour is female, change the masculine voisin to the feminine voisine. To refer to multiple next door neighbours, use the plural form voisins d'à côté.
Did you know?
- The word côté in voisin d'à côté comes from the Latin 'costatus', which originally referred to the 'ribs' of a person or an object.
- The word voisin is used in French to describe not just people, but also bordering countries or adjacent plots of land in agriculture.
- In some French idioms, the idea of a 'neighbour' is used to describe proximity in a non-physical sense, such as voisins de table for people sitting next to each other at a dinner.
Examples in context
- Dans notre immeuble, nous connaissons tous le voisin d'à côté.In our apartment building, we all know the neighbour next door.
- Tu connais bien le voisin d'à côté, n'est-ce pas?You know the next door neighbour well, don't you?
- Olivier, mon voisin de palier, a un adorable chat.Olivier, my neighbour from the landing, has an adorable cat.
- Mon voisin d'à côté est très sympa.My next door neighbour is very nice.
- J'ai prêté du sucre à mon voisin d'à côté.I lent some sugar to my next door neighbour.
- Le voisin d'à côté fait trop de bruit.The next door neighbour is making too much noise.
Example conversation
Emma and Lucas are talking in a hallway about a package.
- EmmaTu as vu le colis pour le voisin d'à côté ?Did you see the package for the next door neighbour?
- LucasNon, je ne l'ai pas vu, Emma.No, I didn't see it, Emma.
- EmmaIl est peut-être devant sa porte.It might be in front of his door.
- LucasJe vais aller vérifier pour lui.I will go check for him.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries côté, voisin, CC BY-SA 4.0.
