The most common way to say “neighbor” in French is voisin (or its feminine form, voisine). But what if you want to talk about your whole neighborhood, or the person living just across the hall?

As you settle into a new French-speaking community, you'll definitely meet the people living nearby. Knowing the right word to use can make all the difference in starting a friendly conversation over the fence or in the apartment hallway!

Let's explore nine different ways to say “neighbor” in French to help you connect with your new community!

1. The standard 'neighbor' – un voisin / une voisine

The standard 'neighbor' – un voisin / une voisine

Voisin (masculine) and voisine (feminine) are the most common and direct translations for 'neighbor' in French. They refer to a person who lives near or next to another.

Like many French nouns for people, this word must agree in gender and number with the person it refers to:

• un voisin: a male neighbor
• une voisine: a female neighbor
• des voisins: multiple male neighbors or a mixed-gender group of neighbors
• des voisines: a group of exclusively female neighbors

These terms are perfectly suitable for all situations, from casual conversation to more formal contexts. Whether you're talking about the person living in the apartment next door or in the house down the street, voisin or voisine is the correct word to use.

Interestingly, voisin and voisine can also function as adjectives meaning 'neighboring', 'adjoining', or 'nearby'. When used this way, they must agree with the noun they modify.

This dual-use is very common. For instance, you could talk about la boulangerie voisine (the neighboring bakery) or les pays voisins (the neighboring countries). It's a versatile word that extends beyond just people.

💡 * Ma voisine est très sympathique.

• Nous avons invité tous nos voisins à la fête.
• Attention, le chien du voisin aboie souvent.
• Le bruit venait de la table voisine au restaurant.
• La France et l'Espagne sont des pays voisins.

The 'neighbor on the same landing' – un voisin de palier / une voisine de palier

A specific and common term in French life is un voisin de palier / une voisine de palier, which literally translates to 'a neighbor of the landing'.

This phrase refers to a neighbor who lives on the same floor or landing as you in an apartment building. The word palier is the key here, meaning the landing or the common area at the top of a flight of stairs on each floor.

Why is this so specific? In France, especially in cities, apartment living is the norm. Your relationship and interaction level with a neighbor on your immediate landing can be quite different from someone living on another floor. This term captures that specific proximity.

While you could just say mon voisin (my neighbor), using mon voisin de palier adds a layer of precision. It immediately tells the listener that this person lives just a few doors down, implying a closer, more immediate physical connection.

You might use this phrase when discussing everyday apartment life: asking your voisine de palier to water your plants, complaining about the noise from your voisin de palier, or simply greeting them as you both leave for work.

💡 * Ma voisine de palier est très gentille, elle m'a aidé à porter mes courses.

• J'entends toujours la musique de mon voisin de palier.
• On a invité nos voisins de palier pour l'apéritif.
• C'est pratique d'avoir un voisin de palier quand on oublie ses clés.

The 'neighbor across the street' – le voisin d'en face / la voisine d'en face

A common and very specific type of neighbor you might talk about is the one living directly across the street. In French, this is expressed with the phrase le voisin d'en face for a male neighbor or la voisine d'en face for a female neighbor.

Let's break down this useful phrase. Voisin (masculine) or voisine (feminine) means "neighbor." The part d'en face literally translates to "of in front" or more simply, "opposite." Together, they precisely describe someone who lives across from you.

Like other nouns, this phrase changes based on gender and number:

• le voisin d'en face: the male neighbor across the street
• la voisine d'en face: the female neighbor across the street
• les voisins d'en face: the male or mixed-gender neighbors across the street
• les voisines d'en face: the female neighbors across the street

This phrase is very common in everyday French. While you could technically say le voisin qui habite de l'autre côté de la rue (the neighbor who lives on the other side of the street), using d'en face is much more concise and natural for this specific situation.

The expression d'en face is not limited to neighbors. You can use it to describe anything located opposite you, such as le bâtiment d'en face (the building across the street) or le restaurant d'en face (the restaurant opposite).

💡 * Le voisin d'en face a un nouveau chien. (The neighbor across the street has a new dog.)

• J'ai parlé à ma voisine d'en face ce matin. (I spoke to my neighbor [female] across the street this morning.)
• Les voisins d'en face font toujours beaucoup de bruit le week-end. (The neighbors across the street always make a lot of noise on the weekend.)
• La boulangerie est juste en face. (The bakery is just opposite.)

The 'upstairs neighbor' – le voisin du dessus / la voisine du dessus

To talk about your 'upstairs neighbor' in French, you use the phrases le voisin du dessus for a male neighbor and la voisine du dessus for a female neighbor. This literally translates to 'the neighbor from above'.

This expression is quite literal. Voisin (masculine) or voisine (feminine) means 'neighbor,' and the prepositional phrase du dessus means 'from above' or 'of the top.' It's a straightforward way to specify their location relative to you.

If you're referring to multiple upstairs neighbors, you would use the plural form: les voisins du dessus. This can refer to an all-male group, a mixed-gender group, or even a family.

For contrast, the 'downstairs neighbor' is referred to as le voisin du dessous (male) or la voisine du dessous (female). The key change is dessus (above) to dessous (below).

💡 * Mon voisin du dessus fait beaucoup de bruit le soir. (My upstairs neighbor makes a lot of noise at night.)

• J'ai invité ma voisine du dessus à prendre un café. (I invited my upstairs neighbor (female) for a coffee.)
• Les voisins du dessus ont un nouveau chien. (The upstairs neighbors have a new dog.)
• Tu as rencontré la nouvelle voisine du dessus ? (Have you met the new upstairs neighbor (female)?)

The 'downstairs neighbor' – le voisin du dessous / la voisine du dessous

To talk about your 'downstairs neighbor' in French, you use the phrases le voisin du dessous (for a male neighbor) and la voisine du dessous (for a female neighbor).

This expression translates literally to 'the neighbor from below.' It's composed of voisin (neighbor) and du dessous (from below/downstairs).

It's essential to match the gender. Use le voisin for a man and la voisine for a woman. The second part of the phrase, du dessous, remains unchanged regardless of gender.

When referring to the people or family living downstairs, you use the plural form: les voisins du dessous. Even if the group includes women, the masculine plural voisins is used by default unless the group is exclusively female.

This is the standard, everyday term used in all situations, from casual conversation to formal complaints. It's a direct and neutral descriptor.

💡 * Mon voisin du dessous écoute de la musique très fort. (My downstairs neighbor listens to very loud music.)

• J'ai invité ma voisine du dessous à prendre un café. (I invited my [female] downstairs neighbor for a coffee.)
• Les voisins du dessous ont un nouveau-né, alors il faut être silencieux. (The downstairs neighbors have a newborn, so we must be quiet.)
• As-tu rencontré la nouvelle voisine du dessous ? (Have you met the new [female] downstairs neighbor?)

The 'adjoining neighbor' (in a semi-detached house) – le voisin mitoyen / la voisine mitoyenne

In French, the adjective mitoyen (masculine) or mitoyenne (feminine) describes something situated in the middle or shared between two things. In the context of housing, it almost always refers to a shared wall.

Therefore, un voisin mitoyen or une voisine mitoyenne is not just any neighbor; it's specifically the neighbor you share a common wall with in a semi-detached or terraced house. This is a very precise term, more specific than the general voisin (neighbor).

It's crucial to match the gender of the adjective with the noun. For a male neighbor, you use le voisin mitoyen. For a female neighbor, you use la voisine mitoyenne. This agreement is a fundamental rule in French grammar.

The term is also very commonly used to describe the wall itself. Le mur mitoyen means 'the party wall' or 'the adjoining wall'. Discussions about this wall, such as for noise, repairs, or decorations, are a common topic between such neighbors.

💡 * J'entends la télévision de mon voisin mitoyen tous les soirs.

• Ma voisine mitoyenne a un jardin magnifique.
• Nous devons obtenir l'accord de notre voisin mitoyen avant de faire des travaux sur le mur commun.
• C'est qui, cette nouvelle voisine mitoyenne ? Elle a l'air sympathique.

The 'people next door' (informal) – les gens d'à côté

The expression les gens d'à côté is a common and informal way to refer to your neighbors in French. It literally translates to 'the people from next door' and is used frequently in everyday conversation.

While the more formal word for neighbors is les voisins (masculine plural) or les voisines (feminine plural), les gens d'à côté is a casual alternative. It’s perfect for storytelling or general remarks about the people living next to you.

If you want to talk about a specific neighbor, you can adapt the phrase. For a male neighbor, you would say le voisin d'à côté, and for a female neighbor, you would use la voisine d'à côté.

💡 * Les gens d'à côté ont un nouveau chien. (The people next door have a new dog.)

• J'ai invité les gens d'à côté pour le dîner. (I invited the people next door for dinner.)
• Le bruit vient des gens d'à côté. (The noise is coming from the people next door.)
• Ma voisine d'à côté est très sympathique. (My (female) neighbor next door is very friendly.)

The 'neighborhood' or 'neighbors' as a collective – le voisinage

The 'neighborhood' or 'neighbors' as a collective – le voisinage

Le voisinage is a masculine noun that refers to both the neighbors as a collective group and the neighborhood or immediate vicinity as a place. It’s a very common term for discussing the people living around you.

Unlike un quartier, which often refers to a larger district or area of a town, le voisinage has a more intimate feel, focusing on the people and homes immediately surrounding you. The context of the sentence will tell you if the speaker means the people or the place.

You'll often hear this word in the context of community life, such as in the phrase la fête des voisins (Neighbors' Day), a popular event in France where people in a neighborhood get together.

💡 * J'ai de très bonnes relations avec mon voisinage. (I have very good relations with my neighbors.)

• Tout le voisinage s'est plaint du bruit hier soir. (The whole neighborhood complained about the noise last night.)
• C'est un voisinage très tranquille et familial. (It's a very quiet and family-friendly neighborhood.)

The 'fellow man' or 'neighbor' in a broader sense – mon prochain

The French phrase mon prochain translates literally to 'my next one.' However, its actual meaning is much more profound, referring to one's 'fellow man' or 'neighbor' in a broad, humanitarian sense. It encompasses all of humanity, not just the person living next door.

This term is deeply rooted in religious and philosophical contexts, most famously from the biblical commandment, « Aime ton prochain comme toi-même » ('Love your neighbor as yourself'). It signifies a moral or ethical duty to care for others in society, regardless of your relationship with them.

It is critical to distinguish mon prochain from mon voisin. A voisin is your literal, physical neighbor—the person living in the house or apartment next to yours. Mon prochain is an abstract concept representing any other human being you have a moral responsibility towards.

In modern French, mon prochain is considered formal and somewhat literary. You are more likely to encounter it in discussions about ethics, charity, philosophy, or religion rather than in casual, everyday conversation. Using it adds a layer of seriousness and moral weight to a statement.

💡 * Il faut toujours penser à son prochain.

• Aider son prochain est un acte de grande générosité.
• La règle d'or nous demande de traiter notre prochain comme nous voudrions être traités.
• Sa foi l'incitait à faire le bien pour son prochain.

Are there other ways to say 'neighbor' in French?

Are there other ways to say “neighbor” in French?

Our list covers the most common ways to say “neighbor” in French. But the French language is full of specific and regional terms you might encounter, from formal vocabulary to modern slang.

You can expand your vocabulary by searching online for terms like “comment on dit voisin au Québec” or “argot pour voisin” to find unique, regional, or informal alternatives.

When you discover a new synonym for voisin, be sure to check its definition and observe its use in context. Some words may be specific to a certain type of neighborhood or carry a slightly different connotation.

As you immerse yourself in French culture by reading books or watching films, listen for how people talk about those who live near them. This is a fantastic way to pick up on the subtle differences in meaning.

For more expressions related to neighbors and neighborhoods, the WordReference entry for voisin is an excellent starting point. It often includes compound nouns and related phrases.

I hope this article has been a helpful guide. Let's end with a well-known French proverb that perfectly sums up the value of community: Mieux vaut un voisin proche qu'un parent éloigné. (A neighbor nearby is better than a relative far away.)