Looking for a one-bedroom apartment in Montréal?
Look for un trois et demie…
… or a three-and-a-half!
How does it work?
chambre à coucher (bedroom) = 1
salon (living room) = 1
cuisine (kitchen) = 1
salle de bains (bathroom) = ½
= 3½
Mon appartement, c’est un trois et demie.
I’ve got a one-bedroom apartment.
(i.e., it’s got a kitchen [1], living room [1], bedroom [1], and bathroom [½])
If you’re used to counting apartment sizes by the number of bedrooms, just add 2½ to convert.
1 bedroom + 2½ = un 3½ (un trois et demie)
2 bedrooms + 2½ = un 4½ (un quatre et demie)
3 bedrooms + 2½ = un 5½ (un cinq et demie)
Un 2½ is usually an apartment where the bedroom and living room are together in one room (1), plus a kitchen (1) and bathroom (½).
Un 1½ is a studio (1) which includes a kitchenette, plus a bathroom (½).
In short, the number before the half symbol tells you how many separate rooms are in the apartment (not just bedrooms but any kind of room), and the half symbol always represents the bathroom.
What if you have two bathrooms?!