New here? This is lesson 138 of a free 240-lesson Japanese course.
Looking for a flat in Japanese
Leo hears that Ono-san has a vacant six-mat room in the old building next door. He finds her at the gate with a bamboo broom and a ring of keys.
She is brief, as always. He needs to ask if the flat is free, what it costs, and when he can see it.
You will ask about rent, utilities, the deposit, a viewing, and the move-in date.
Keep it polite. Signing comes later.
By the end of this lesson
Ask if a flat is free, what it costs, and when you can move in.
- そのアパートはまだ空いていますか。Is the apartment still available?
- 家賃は月いくらですか。How much is the rent per month?
- 光熱費は家賃に含まれていますか。Are utilities included in the rent?
- 敷金はいくらですか。How much is the security deposit?
- いつ部屋を見に行けますか。When can I come see the apartment?
- いつから入れますか。When can I move in?
Scene — a broom at the gate
Late afternoon on the lane. Leo stops at Ono-san's gate. She holds a bamboo broom and a ring of keys, and does not look ready for a long chat.
A vacant six-mat room sits empty on the second floor of the old building. Leo wants the rent and a time to see it before she goes back inside.
Learn — ask about the flat
These six lines let you check if a flat is free, then ask rent, utilities, deposit, a viewing, and the move-in date.
Ono-san answers in short polite lines. You ask; she does not wait.
そのアパートはまだ空いていますか。
Is the apartment still available?
When to use it: Ask if a listed flat is still free.
は marks the apartment as the topic of the question.
Say it: The い in 空いて is sounded; do not drop it.
家賃は月いくらですか。
How much is the rent per month?
When to use it: Ask the monthly rent before you decide.
月 here means per month, not a calendar month.
光熱費は家賃に含まれていますか。
Are utilities included in the rent?
When to use it: Check if gas, water, and electric come with the rent.
に after 家賃 marks what the utilities sit inside.
Say it: こう is a long o; keep both beats.
敷金はいくらですか。
How much is the security deposit?
When to use it: Ask the deposit after you hear the monthly rent.
いくらですか asks the amount after the topic 敷金.
Say it: Give ん its own beat; do not skip it.
いつ部屋を見に行けますか。
When can I come see the apartment?
When to use it: Ask when you can visit the empty room.
見に行く uses に for the purpose of the visit.
いつから入れますか。
When can I move in?
When to use it: Ask the first day you can move in.
から after いつ asks from which day you can move in.
Story — the six-mat room
Leo finds Ono-san at the gate. He asks if the six-mat room is free, then checks the rent, costs, and when he can visit.
Highlighted phrases are the new lines. Turn on Show English if you want a gloss.
- Leo stops at the gate. Ono-san is sweeping.
Leoすみません。Excuse me.
Onoはい。Yes.- Leo大野さんですか。Are you Ono-san?
- Onoはい、そうです。Yes, that's right.
- She nods at the old building and keeps the broom in her hand.
- Leoそのアパートはまだ空いていますか。Is the apartment still available?
- Onoはい、空いています。Yes, it's vacant.
- Leo家賃は月いくらですか。How much is the rent per month?
- Ono七万円です。It's 70,000 yen.
- Leo光熱費は家賃に含まれていますか。Are utilities included in the rent?
- Onoいいえ、別です。No, they're separate.
- Leo敷金はいくらですか。How much is the security deposit?
- Ono家賃の二か月分です。It's two months' rent.
- A cat walks past the metal staircase.
- Leoいつ部屋を見に行けますか。When can I come see the apartment?
- Ono明日の午後なら大丈夫です。Tomorrow afternoon is fine.
- Leoいつから入れますか。When can I move in?
- Ono来月から入れます。You can move in from next month.
Practice — pick the right question
Eleven short tasks wait in this round. You will listen, fill a gap, build a line, and pick the right question.
Each one is small, so you move on quickly.
0 of 11 done
What did you hear?
What did you hear?
Match the pairs
Japanese
家賃は月いくらですか。Drop the English here光熱費は家賃に含まれていますか。Drop the English here敷金はいくらですか。Drop the English hereいつから入れますか。Drop the English hereEnglish
What do you say?
What do you say?
You reach Ono-san's gate. She is sweeping. Get her attention first.
Fill the gap
Fill the gap
Are utilities included in the rent?
光熱費は家賃____含まれていますか。
What does it mean?
What does it mean?
敷金はいくらですか。
What do you say?
What do you say?
Ono says 「はい。」 after you get her attention. Confirm that she is Ono-san.
Build the line
Build the line
When can I come see the apartment?
。
Tap the words in order.
Swap the word
Swap the word
You want the first day you can move in. Fix the time word.
いつ____入れますか。
Find the mistake
Find the mistake
What do you say?
What do you say?
Ono-san says the six-mat room is still free. Ask the monthly rent.
Pick the reply
Ono says:
Pick the reply
来月から入れます。
You can move in from next month.
And you reply with:
Say it — your turn to speak
You are Leo at Ono-san's gate. When the cue is yours, tap the microphone and say the line.
Tap play first if you want to hear it. The recording stays on this device.
- Leo (you)Get Ono-san's attention politely.
Get Ono-san's attention politely.
すみません。
Excuse me (to get someone's attention)
0 of 5 said
Recap — what you can say now
| Japanese | English | Play |
|---|---|---|
| そのアパートはまだ空いていますか。 | Is the apartment still available? | |
| 家賃は月いくらですか。 | How much is the rent per month? | |
| 光熱費は家賃に含まれていますか。 | Are utilities included in the rent? | |
| 敷金はいくらですか。 | How much is the security deposit? | |
| いつ部屋を見に行けますか。 | When can I come see the apartment? | |
| いつから入れますか。 | When can I move in? |
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards
Keep these rent questions in your pocket. Open the Yak Cards for this lesson and run them on the train.
A short Yak Cards round before you visit a landlord keeps rent questions ready.
Open Yak Cards