Laundry Day in a Paris Flatshare
Share the washing machine with your flatmate, cope at the launderette when it breaks down and get a suit dry-cleaned.
In French flats the washing machine is often squeezed into the kitchen or bathroom, and few homes have a tumble dryer, so washing goes on an étendoir (clothes horse). When a machine breaks down, people head to the laverie automatique, where machines take coins and increasingly cards, and dry cleaning is done at the pressing. Flatmates (colocataires) use tu; at the pressing you say vous.
- 1
Je peux utiliser la machine à laver ?
Can I use the washing machine?
- 2
Je vais lancer une machine.
I'm going to put a wash on.
- 3
Il reste de la lessive ?
Is there any washing powder left?
- 4
Mélange pas le blanc et la couleur.
Don't mix whites and colours.
- 5
À combien de degrés ?
At what temperature?
- 6
Mon pull a rétréci au lavage.
My jumper shrank in the wash.
- 7
Tu peux étendre le linge ?
Can you hang the washing out?
- 8
Il est où, l'étendoir ?
Where's the clothes horse?
- 9
Le linge est encore humide.
The washing is still damp.
- 10
Notre machine est en panne.
Our washing machine has broken down.
- 11
Il y a une laverie près d'ici ?
Is there a launderette near here?
- 12
Quelle machine est libre ?
Which machine is free?
- 13
La machine prend la carte ?
Does the machine take cards?
- 14
Le sèche-linge, ça prend combien de temps ?
How long does the dryer take?
- 15
Excusez-moi, c'est votre linge ?
Excuse me, is this your washing?
Tip: Polite, to a stranger.
- 16
Je voudrais faire nettoyer ce costume.
I'd like to have this suit dry-cleaned.
- 17
Ce sera prêt quand ?
When will it be ready?
- 18
Il y a une tache sur le col.
There's a stain on the collar.
- 19
J'ai horreur de repasser.
I can't stand ironing.
- 20
On plie les draps ensemble ?
Shall we fold the sheets together?