Complaining to a Neighbour in Czech
Say "Mohl/a byste prosím ztišit hudbu?" (Could you please turn the music down?) to politely ask a noisy neighbour to quiet down. If it keeps happening, Czech apartment buildings have a domovní řád (house rules) that usually sets quiet hours you can point to.
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Loud music at midnight, a dog that won't stop barking, a party that's gone on three hours too long...it'll drive you up the wall! Here's how you can deal with it, from the first polite ask to the point where you call the police.
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Key PhrasesBack to top
| Czech | English |
|---|---|
| Promiňte, mohl/a byste ztišit hudbu? | Excuse me, could you turn the music down? |
| Je tady docela slyšet skrz zeď. | It's quite loud through the wall here. |
| Snažím se usnout / pracovat. | I'm trying to sleep / work. |
| Je to už podruhé, co Vás prosím o klid. | This is the second time I'm asking you for quiet. |
| Víte, že po desáté hodině má být klid? | Do you know there should be quiet after 10pm? |
| Díky, že jste to ztišili. | Thanks for turning it down. |
| Budu muset zavolat majiteli / policii. | I'll have to call the landlord / police. |
Pro tip
Mohl byste...? (if a man answers the door) / Mohla byste...? (if a woman) / Mohli byste...? (if addressing multiple people) (Could you...?) is the polite conditional form. It's always safer to open with this than a blunt imperative, even with a neighbour you already know.
Sample DialogueBack to top
A fairly typical exchange at the door, after one too many loud evenings.
Frequently Asked QuestionsBack to top
How do I politely ask a neighbour to be quieter in Czech?
The most common polite phrase is "Mohl/a byste prosím ztišit hudbu?" (Could you please turn the music down?) — "mohl byste" is the polite conditional form of "can you," and prosím (please) softens any request.
What do I say if the noise doesn't stop?
You can escalate with "Je to už podruhé, co vás prosím o klid" (This is the second time I'm asking you for quiet). If it continues, Czech apartment buildings (and the domovní řád, or house rules) usually set quiet hours, and you can mention calling the police (zavolám policii) as a last resort.
Is it rude to complain directly to a neighbour instead of the landlord?
No — in Czech culture, talking to the neighbour directly first is normal and expected before involving the landlord (majitel) or police (policie). Going straight to the landlord without talking to the neighbour first can come across as passive-aggressive.
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