Renting and buying vocabulary in Spanish, including essential terms for apartments, contracts, payments, and real estate transactions.
Navigating housing discussions requires knowing key terms for renting and buying. This guide covers essential Spanish vocabulary for contracts, payments, property types, and more.
Renting is a common way to find housing, especially for temporary stays. These words will help you understand contracts, communicate with landlords, and manage your rental.
| Spanish | English | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| alquilar | to rent | Voy a alquilar un apartamento. | I'm going to rent an apartment. |
| contrato de alquiler | rental contract | Firmamos el contrato de alquiler ayer. | We signed the rental contract yesterday. |
| fianza | security deposit | La fianza es de un mes de renta. | The security deposit is one month's rent. |
| propietario/a | landlord | El propietario vive en el mismo edificio. | The landlord lives in the same building. |
| inquilino/a | tenant | Soy inquilina de un apartamento pequeño. | I am a tenant in a small apartment. |
| mes de renta | month's rent | La renta se paga el primer día. | The rent is paid on the first day. |
| avisar con | to give notice (time) | Hay que avisar con un mes de anticipación. | You have to give one month's notice. |
| gastos incluidos | utilities included | ¿Están los gastos incluidos en la renta? | Are the utilities included in the rent? |
| amueblado/a | furnished | Prefiero un apartamento amueblado. | I prefer a furnished apartment. |
| vecindario | neighborhood | El vecindario es muy tranquilo. | The neighborhood is very quiet. |
Firmamos el ___ ayer.
We signed the ___ yesterday.
contrato de alquiler
'Contrato de alquiler' is the rental contract, so signing it means agreeing to rent the property.
Buying property is a big step and involves specific vocabulary. These terms will help you understand the process, from mortgages to real estate agents.
| Spanish | English | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| comprar | to buy | Quiero comprar una casa en las afueras. | I want to buy a house in the suburbs. |
| hipoteca | mortgage | Estamos pagando la hipoteca mensualmente. | We are paying the mortgage monthly. |
| escritura | deed | La escritura está a nombre de mi padre. | The deed is in my father's name. |
| agente inmobiliario | real estate agent | El agente inmobiliario nos mostró varias casas. | The real estate agent showed us several houses. |
| tasación | appraisal | La tasación del inmueble fue alta. | The property's appraisal was high. |
| cuota inicial | down payment | La cuota inicial es del 20%. | The down payment is 20%. |
| oferta | offer | Hicimos una oferta por el apartamento. | We made an offer for the apartment. |
| compraventa | sale contract | La compraventa se firmó ayer. | The sale contract was signed yesterday. |
| gastos de cierre | closing costs | Los gastos de cierre son aproximadamente 3%. | The closing costs are about 3%. |
| inmueble | property | El inmueble está en una zona céntrica. | The property is in a central area. |
La ___ del inmueble fue alta.
The property's ___ was high.
tasación
'Tasación' is the appraisal, or valuation, of the property's worth.
Understanding payment methods is crucial for both renting and buying. These terms cover common ways to transfer money and confirm transactions.
| Spanish | English | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| transferencia bancaria | bank transfer | Pago la renta por transferencia bancaria. | I pay the rent by bank transfer. |
| efectivo | cash | El depósito se hizo en efectivo. | The deposit was made in cash. |
| recibo | receipt | Siempre pido un recibo de pago. | I always ask for a payment receipt. |
| pagar a plazos | pay in installments | Compramos la casa y pagamos a plazos. | We bought the house and paid in installments. |
| débito automático | automatic debit | Tengo la renta en débito automático. | I have the rent on automatic debit. |
| cheque | check | Pagué con cheque el mes pasado. | I paid by check last month. |
These words describe common problems or situations that can arise when renting or buying. Being able to explain issues is helpful for resolving them smoothly.
| Spanish | English | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| avería | breakdown | Hay una avería en la caldera. | There's a breakdown in the boiler. |
| reparaciones | repairs | El propietario se encargó de las reparaciones. | The landlord took care of the repairs. |
| cláusula | clause | El contrato tiene una cláusula de penalización. | The contract has a penalty clause. |
| desalojar | to evict | El inquilino fue desalojado por impago. | The tenant was evicted for non-payment. |
| retraso en el pago | late payment | Hay un retraso en el pago de la renta. | There is a late rent payment. |
| ruina | dilapidation | El edificio está en ruina. | The building is in dilapidation. |
El edificio está en ___.
The building is in ___.
ruina
'Ruina' means the building is dilapidated or in very poor condition.
El inquilino fue ___ por impago.
The tenant was ___ for non-payment.
desalojado
'Desalojado' means evicted, usually due to failure to pay rent.
Flashcards (1 of 32)
- English: to rent
- English Example: I'm going to rent an apartment.
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
