How to Say Someone Left Their Laundry in the Machine in French
Learn polite French phrases for when a washing machine is still full: say there is laundry inside, that it is not yours, and ask staff what to do without touching it.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
You arrive at the laverie with a full bag, and every machine is running except one — which is stopped, door closed, still packed with wet clothes. You do not want to touch a stranger's laundry, and you do not want to sound accusing. This lesson gives you three reusable French patterns for exactly this moment: saying what is in the machine, making clear it is not yours, and asking a member of staff what to do. The register throughout is patient and non-confrontational, because in a shared laundrette the goal is a free machine, not an argument.
By the end, you can…
- say that there is laundry inside a machine using il y a du linge dedans.
- clarify that the clothes are not mine with ce n'est pas à moi.
- ask staff what to do and say I am waiting for someone to remove it.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Il y a du linge dedans.
There is laundry inside.
eel ee ah dew lanzh duh-DAN
Your main observation phrase. Use it when a machine is stopped but still full. Linge is an uncountable mass noun here, so it stays singular: du linge, not des linges.
Ce n'est pas à moi.
That is not mine. / Those are not mine.
suh nay pah ah mwah
Says clearly that the clothes belong to someone else. The pattern être à plus a stressed pronoun expresses ownership: c'est à moi (it's mine), c'est à elle (it's hers). It works for one item or several.
J'attends qu'on le retire.
I'm waiting for someone to take it out.
zhah-TAHN kon luh ruh-TEER
Patient and non-confrontational. After attendre que, French uses the subjunctive: qu'on retire. Use it to explain that you are not going to empty the machine yourself.
Excusez-moi, il y a du linge dans cette machine. Qu'est-ce que je peux faire ?
Excuse me, there is laundry in this machine. What can I do?
eks-kew-zay mwah, eel ee ah dew lanzh dan set ma-SHEEN. kess kuh zhuh puh fair
A complete, polite approach to staff. The question Qu'est-ce que je peux faire ? asks for instructions without demanding a specific solution.
Je ne veux pas toucher le linge de quelqu'un d'autre.
I don't want to touch someone else's laundry.
zhuh nuh vuh pah too-shay luh lanzh duh kel-kun DOHTR
Explains your hesitation and shows respect for the other person's things. Use it if staff seem to expect you to just remove the clothes.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core structure is il y a + du linge + a location word: Il y a du linge dedans (there is laundry inside), Il y a du linge dans cette machine (there is laundry in this machine). To add whose it is, use the preposition à: C'est à quelqu'un d'autre (it belongs to someone else), Ce n'est pas à moi (it isn't mine). To say what you are waiting for, use attendre que + subjunctive: J'attends qu'on le retire (I'm waiting for someone to take it out). These three patterns cover the whole situation without ever sounding like an accusation.
When to use it
Start with the neutral observation Il y a du linge dedans when you notice the machine. If a staff member or another customer looks at you as if the clothes were yours, add Ce n'est pas à moi. If they suggest you simply empty the machine, reply J'attends qu'on le retire or Je ne veux pas toucher le linge de quelqu'un d'autre. Then ask for guidance: Qu'est-ce que je peux faire ? or Est-ce que vous pouvez m'aider ? Keep your tone calm; these phrases are factual, not confrontational.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Bonjour, excusez-moi. Il y a du linge dans cette machine, mais elle est arrêtée.
Hello, excuse me. There is laundry in this machine, but it has stopped.bon-ZHOOR, eks-kew-zay mwah. eel ee ah dew lanzh dan set ma-SHEEN, may el et ah-reh-TAYAh oui, quelqu'un a oublié son linge. Ce n'est pas à vous ?
Ah yes, someone forgot their laundry. Is it not yours?ah wee, kel-kun ah oo-blee-ay son lanzh. suh nay pah ah vooNon, ce n'est pas à moi. Je ne veux pas toucher le linge de quelqu'un d'autre. Qu'est-ce que je peux faire ?
No, it's not mine. I don't want to touch someone else's laundry. What can I do?non, suh nay pah ah mwah. zhuh nuh vuh pah too-shay luh lanzh duh kel-kun DOHTR. kess kuh zhuh puh fairVous pouvez attendre un peu, ou revenir plus tard. Je vais voir avec le responsable.
You can wait a little, or come back later. I'll check with the manager.voo poo-vay ah-TAHNDR un puh, oo ruh-vuh-NEER plew tar. zhuh vay vwahr ah-vek luh res-pon-SABLA little context goes a long way
In France, laveries are usually unattended or only partly supervised, and staff may be present only at certain hours. Politeness matters: begin with Bonjour and excusez-moi before stating the problem. Avoid touching another person's laundry, and avoid accusing anyone; simply describe the situation and ask what to do. Regional note: in Quebec, the place is often called une buanderie or un lavoir, and linge is still the normal word for laundry.
One thing to watch for
Saying Ce n'est pas mon linge to mean "it's not mine."
Try this instead: Ce n'est pas mon linge is understandable, but the natural everyday way to say an item does not belong to you is Ce n'est pas à moi. Use mon linge only when you mean "my laundry" as a mass: Où est mon linge ? (Where is my laundry?).
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1A machine is stopped and full of wet clothes. Say there is laundry inside.
Show a sample answer
Il y a du linge dedans.
This is the neutral observation phrase. You could also say Il y a du linge dans cette machine if you want to point to one specific machine.
2Staff ask if the clothes are yours. Say they are not.
Show a sample answer
Ce n'est pas à moi.
This clearly marks ownership. Ce n'est pas mon linge is also possible, but ce n'est pas à moi is the more natural everyday choice.
3You do not want to remove the clothes yourself. Say you are waiting for someone to take them out.
Show a sample answer
J'attends qu'on le retire.
This uses attendre que plus the subjunctive qu'on retire. It keeps the tone patient and shows you are not taking matters into your own hands.
When a machine is full and stopped, stay factual and polite: Il y a du linge dedans, ce n'est pas à moi, j'attends qu'on le retire. Then ask staff Qu'est-ce que je peux faire ? and leave the clothes untouched.
Progress is saved on this browser.
Practice real time conversations on Yapr for faster learning.
Put today’s French into a conversation with an AI tutor. Speak, make mistakes, and try again.
Practice on Yapr