A "good" neighbor is someone...

Un "bon" voisin est quelqu'un...

who helps you move in and out

who is tolerant, considerate

who will collect your mail when you're on vacation

who says hello and knows you are.

that does not mingle to much in one's affairs.

who you are friends with, who watches your kids

who you can trust enough to leave a spare key with

whom you can trust your keys with.

who keeps an eye out for you

who is friendly, and responsible.

who is helpful and not noisy

like Kenroy

who doesn't let their pets run wild outside

who cares about others

who says hello and treats you well.

who helps you out when in need

who is very friendly and helpful

who tries to be friendly, meet and help neighbours

whom you can trust to watch your house.

friendly and doesn't interfere with your property

who watches your kids or lends you a cup of sugar

who is friendly but does not pry into your life.

who looks out for you and is friendly

who would water the plants when i'm on vacation.

who is quiet, but friendly.

who helps guard the safety of the other neighbours

who walks your dogs for you when you are on vacati

waters your flowers for you, says hi

sympathic

 

n'appelle pas la police au premier bruit

garde la clé pendant les vacances

respecte les autres

ne fait pas trop de bruit

ne mêt pas la musique trop fort

rend des services mais n'épie pas.

est amical et qui est obligeant.

ne nous importune pas à toute heure

dit bonjour

nous laisse tranquille

respecte votre vie privée

te dit "Salut" tous les matins.

est respectueux de la vie des autres

est près à m'accueillir quand j'oublie mes clefs

est poli et discrêt

vous invite chez lui à manger ou boire

respecte ses voisins

peut rendre service en cas de problème

est serviable

ne fait pas trop de boucan

n'a pas de chien.

prète sa tondeuse

prète sa tondeuse

dit bonjour, rend service

ne fait pas de bruit

Discussion

----Judging from the responses to the "voisin" sentence completion list, it seems like French people are more guarded and less trusting of their neighbors than the Americans. Is this really the case? Are the French more concerned about their privacy than Americans?

----I get the impression from some of the French students that a good neighbor is anyone who doesn't cause problems. A lot of the things said by the French students were someone who doesn't do this or that. Is it difficult to be friends with your neighbors? Why so many negative comments?

----C'est vrai qu'il y a des reponses bien differentes sur le theme des "voisins" entre francais et americains. Je crois que cela vient en grande partie du fait qu'aux USA, les gens de meme milieu socio- professionnel se retrouvent souvent dans les memes quartiers, et s'entendent mieux sur leurs points communs et leur mode de vie. J'ai deux images en tete. Celle des campus americains, recreant une ville dans la ville, dans lesquels on cotoie surtout des etudiants, et on partage beaucoup de choses entre voisins. Personnellement, j'habite dans un immeuble en ville et ma voisine ne supporte pas que l'on discute dans le couloir, ou que l'on ait des affiches sur notre porte. Elle appelle la police a la moindre occasion et trafique notre boite aux lettres, je ne la supporte pas. La seconde image, c'est celle de quartiers americains aises et entierement cloisonnes, surveilles par des services de securite jour et nuit (il faut rentrer avec un badge). J'imagine qu'a l'interieur, tout se passe bien entre voisins proches, mais vis-a-vis de l'exterieur, cela doit etre bien different. Avez-vous cette impression de cloisonnement entre quartiers au USA ? ----

----The French responses led me to think that they prefer a neighbor who is quiet, nice, and usually barely there. In France, is the general opinion that a good neighbor is a neighbor who doesn't exist?

----I was wondering why the French responses about neighbors didn't seem very positive while the French responses to smiling to a stranger were very positive. Are neighbors not considered potential friends?