borrowing money from a neighbour

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A man was up on his roofTOIT repairing some shinglesBARDAGES / TUILLES when a neighbour walking by stopped and called up to him.

“Excuse me! Can I talk to you for a second?”

“Yeah, sure — what can I do for you?” the man answered, glancing downBAISSANT LES YEUX.

The neighbour hesitated for a moment, then said: “I have something to ask you… but it would be better if you came down firstSI TU DESCENDAIS D’ABORD.”

The roofer shruggedHAUSSA LES ÉPAULES, set his tools asideDE CÔTÉ, climbed down the ladderÉCHELLE, brushed some dust off his clothes and walked over.

“Okay, I’m listeningJE T’ÉCOUTE. What’s upQU’Y A-T-IL ?”

The neighbour lowered his voiceBAISSA LA VOIX, looking a little embarrassedGÊNÉ.

“Sorry to bother youDÉSOLÉ DE TE DÉRANGER, but… could you lend meME PRÊTER some money?”

The man looked at him for a second, then noddedHOCHA LA TÊTE calmly.

“Alright… follow me.”

He turned, climbed back up the ladder, and the neighbour — somewhat surprisedQUELQUE PEU SURPRIS — followed him onto the roof.

Once they were both standing there again, the roofer turned to face himSE TOURNAT VERS LUI and said simply:

“No.”

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Vocabulary

Shingles: thin pieces of material (wood, slate, asphalt…) used to cover a roof.

Lend me: give someone money temporarily with the expectation it will be returned.

He was repairing some shinglesBARDAGES / TUILLES.

Could you lend meME PRÊTER some money?

Grammar

The joke mainly uses past simple for the main sequence of events and past continuous to describe background actions.

Past simple: A man was up on his roof… a neighbour stopped and called up to him.

Past continuous: He was repairing some shingles when a neighbour walking by stopped.

Reported / indirect request: It would be better if you came down first.

Synonyms & Alternatives

Shingles: roof tiles, slates, roofing tiles.

Embarrassed: awkward, sheepish, uncomfortable.

Lend me: loan me (more formal), give me a loan.

Nodded: inclined his head, gave a nod.

Mini Dialogue

Clara: Could you lend meME PRÊTER your car this weekend?

Tom: I’m not sure… I’ll be using it Saturday morning.

Clara: Sorry to bother youDÉSOLÉ DE TE DÉRANGER, but I really need it.

Tom (after thinking): Alright… but only Sunday. Deal?

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