Permis PrêtHousing vocabulary in Québec: bail, cinq et demi, July 1, TAL
Renting in Québec also means learning a vocabulary of its own.
Short answer : A “cinq et demi” is an apartment of five rooms plus the bathroom (which counts as a half). The “bail” is the lease, the “avis de reconduction” its renewal notice, and the TAL (Tribunal administratif du logement) handles disputes between tenants and landlords. Listen to July 1st: lease and moving day and On the phone with Hydro-Québec.
Beta. The voices are synthetic voices supplied by your device and vary from one device to another. The content was written with the help of artificial intelligence; a review by a native Québécois speaker is under way. Found a mistake? Write to [email protected] with the item id (F-logement).
Words and phrases
| Québec | Standard French | English | Dialogue |
|---|---|---|---|
| bail | contrat de location | lease | July 1st: lease and moving day |
| avis de reconduction | avis de renouvellement | lease renewal notice | July 1st: lease and moving day |
| Tribunal administratif du logement (TAL) | tribunal des litiges locatifs | housing tribunal for tenant-landlord disputes | July 1st: lease and moving day |
| un cinq et demi (5 ½) | appartement de cinq pièces plus une salle de bain | a 5½ apartment: 5 rooms plus bathroom | July 1st: lease and moving day |
| avoir fait ses devoirs | s’être bien informé | to have done one’s homework | July 1st: lease and moving day |
| c’est la folie | c’est la cohue | it’s chaos | July 1st: lease and moving day |
| plinthes | radiateurs électriques bas | baseboard heaters | On the phone with Hydro-Québec |
| versements égaux | mensualités égales | equal payment plan | On the phone with Hydro-Québec |
| à l’appareil | au téléphone | speaking (on the phone) | On the phone with Hydro-Québec |
| sous la main | à portée de la main | at hand | On the phone with Hydro-Québec |
| courriel | e-mail (courrier électronique) | On the phone with Hydro-Québec |
Why July 1?
Many leases end on June 30, and July 1 becomes a collective moving day: this is what the dialogue calls “la folie” (chaos). These dialogues are for understanding the words; for a real lease situation, consult the official TAL sources.
Dialogues to listen to
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Vocabulary fiche. The content is in beta: a review by a native Québécois speaker is under way.