Trash & Recycling Rules
Essential phrases for sorting your recycling, finding the bins, and understanding collection rules in your building.
Key Phrases
Les poubelles sont où ?
casualWhere are the bins?
Very common spoken word order to use with neighbors or roommates.
Est-ce que vous savez où est le local à poubelles ?
neutralDo you know where the trash room is?
Good for asking the caretaker or a neighbor you don't know well.
C'est quel jour pour le ramassage ?
casualWhat day is the collection?
A simple way to ask when you need to put the bins out.
Est-ce qu'ils passent le matin ou le soir ?
neutralDo they come in the morning or the evening?
Asking about the garbage truck schedule.
Ça va dans la poubelle jaune, le carton ?
casualDoes cardboard go in the yellow bin?
Putting the topic at the end is very common in everyday spoken French.
Est-ce qu'il y a des règles pour le tri ici ?
politeAre there rules for sorting here?
Useful when first moving into a new building to ask for guidelines.
On ne jette pas ça avec les ordures ménagères.
casualWe don't throw that out with the regular household waste.
A good reminder for roommates. 'Ordures ménagères' means regular non-recyclable trash.
Vous devez mettre le verre dans la poubelle verte.
neutralYou have to put glass in the green bin.
Clear and direct rule statement using the modal verb 'devoir'.
Est-ce que je peux laisser ça à côté des poubelles ?
neutralCan I leave this next to the bins?
Use this to ask the caretaker about bulky items or extra bags.
J'ai oublié, c'est quelle poubelle pour le plastique ?
casualI forgot, which bin is it for plastic?
Uses the past tense to admit you need a quick reminder of the rules.
Je vais descendre mes poubelles maintenant.
casualI am going to take my trash down now.
Uses the near future to announce an immediate action.