Simplified Chinese course

Lesson 238 of 240

New here? This is lesson 238 of a free 240-lesson Simplified Chinese course.

Start hereHow this works

Renew the lease in Simplified Chinese

Mr. Wang waits in the doorway of your apartment above the scooter shop. The lease is nearly up, and you have decided Banyan Lane still feels like home.

Learn to ask for another year, check the rent and the terms, and say you will stay. Thank the landlord for looking after you.

Later at breakfast, Auntie Lin puts on her glasses and finally reads the slip. A-Li finishes his soy milk and says goodbye.

By the end of this lesson

Renew the lease, ask about rent and terms, and say you have decided to stay.

  • 我想续租一年I'd like to renew for a year.
  • 租金会调整吗？Will the rent be adjusted?
  • 这次我想签两年This time I'd like to sign for two years.
  • 条件跟之前一样吗？Are the terms the same as before?
  • 我决定留下来I've decided to stay.
  • 谢谢你一直这么照顾我Thanks for always looking after me.

Scene — a doorway on Banyan Lane

Maya's apartment sits above the scooter shop on Banyan Lane. Mr. Wang stands in the doorway with the keys, brief as ever, waiting to hear what she wants to do about the lease.

He is not here to chat. After they talk, Maya walks to Banyan Breakfast, where Auntie Lin keeps the slip in the till and A-Li sits with soy milk on the table.

On a clear morning on Banyan Lane, Maya's walk-up sits above a scooter shop while Mr. Wang waits in the open doorway with keys and Maya faces Mr. Wang on the threshold.

Learn — renewing a Taipei lease

These six lines help you renew a lease in Taipei. Listen, then say each one.

You will ask about rent and terms, choose how long to stay, and thank the landlord.

  1. Maya steps forward in the apartment doorway with one hand at the collarbone and the other open toward Mr. Wang, who waits just outside with the keys.

    我想续租一年

    I'd like to renew for a year.

    When to use it: Say this when you want to keep the flat for another year.

    续租 is the usual verb for renewing a rental contract in Taiwan.

    Say it: The 一 before 年 is spoken as a falling tone.

  2. Maya tilts to one side and lifts one palm in a questioning pose toward Mr. Wang, who stays in the doorway with the keys.

    租金会调整吗？

    Will the rent be adjusted?

    When to use it: Ask this if you need to know whether next year's rent will change.

    会 marks a likely future change, and 吗 turns this into a yes-no question.

  3. Maya plants both feet in the apartment doorway and makes a wide horizontal hand gesture toward Mr. Wang, standing firmer than before.

    这次我想签两年

    This time I'd like to sign for two years.

    When to use it: Use this when you want a two-year contract this time.

    这次 contrasts with last time, and 签 here means to sign a lease.

  4. Maya leans toward a folded paper in Mr. Wang's hand at the apartment doorway while Mr. Wang also holds the keys.

    条件跟之前一样吗？

    Are the terms the same as before?

    When to use it: Ask this to check that deposit, bills, and rules have not changed.

    跟…一样 compares the new terms with the old ones.

  5. Maya rests a hand on the apartment doorframe with a small nod, settled in place, while Mr. Wang watches from the threshold with the keys.

    我决定留下来

    I've decided to stay.

    When to use it: Say this when you have made up your mind not to leave.

    来 in 留下来 shows you will stay here, not go away.

  6. At Banyan Breakfast, Maya gives Auntie Lin a small bow by the till while A-Li the yak sits on a pair of stools with soy milk and a paper slip rests beside the till.

    谢谢你一直这么照顾我

    Thanks for always looking after me.

    When to use it: Thank someone who has helped you over a long stretch of time.

    一直这么 before a verb stresses that the care went on the whole time.

Story — staying on Banyan Lane

Listen as Maya renews her lease with Mr. Wang in the doorway. Then she stops at Banyan Breakfast.

Auntie Lin puts on her glasses and reads the slip. Nobody makes a speech.

  1. Mr. Wang租约下个月到期。The lease is up next month.
  2. Maya租约到期后可以续租吗？Can I renew when the lease ends?
  3. Mr. Wang可以啊。Sure, you can.
  4. Maya我想续租一年。I'd like to renew for a year.
  5. Mr. Wang一年没问题。A year is no problem.
  6. Maya租金会调整吗？Will the rent be adjusted?
  7. Mr. Wang会涨一点，不多。It'll go up a little, not much.
  8. Maya这次我想签两年。This time I'd like to sign for two years.
  9. Mr. Wang两年也可以。Two years is fine too.
  10. Maya条件跟之前一样吗？Are the terms the same as before?
  11. Mr. Wang押金和水电都一样。The deposit and utilities stay the same.
  12. Maya我决定留下来。I've decided to stay.
  13. Maya谢谢你一直这么照顾我。Thanks for always looking after me.
  14. Mr. Wang好，我去准备合约。All right, I'll go prepare the contract.
  15. He gives a small nod, still standing in the doorway.
  16. Maya王先生，谢谢你。Mr. Wang, thank you.
  17. Later at Banyan Breakfast, A-Li sits on two stools. Auntie Lin puts on her glasses.
  18. Auntie Lin美女，来了喔。There you are.
  19. Maya我决定留下来。I've decided to stay.
  20. Auntie Lin我戴眼镜看一下。Let me put my glasses on and take a look.
  21. Auntie Lin写的是“大冰奶，少冰，带走”。It says large iced milk tea, less ice, to go.
  22. Maya这样喔。Oh, is that so?
  23. Auntie Lin这是我自己的字。This is my own handwriting.
  24. A-Li豆浆喝完了。The soy milk is finished.
  25. A-Li再见。Goodbye.
  26. Auntie Lin再坐一下吧。Stay a bit longer.

Practice — ask and stay

Work through these exercises to renew, ask about changes, and say you will stay.

Read the English meaning on gap items; only one word fits each blank.

0 of 10 done

  1. What does it mean?

    我想续租一年

  2. What do you say?

    You only want to know about next year's monthly rent, not the rest of the contract.

  3. Build the line

    I've decided to stay.

    Tap the words in order.

  4. Fill the gap

    Are the terms the same as before?

    条件跟____一样吗？

  5. What did you hear?

  6. Swap the word

    Thank Mr. Wang for looking after you this whole time, not for helping with one chore.

    谢谢你一直这么____我

  7. Match the pairs

    Simplified Chinese

    我想续租一年Drop the English here
    租金会调整吗？Drop the English here
    条件跟之前一样吗？Drop the English here
    我决定留下来Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its Simplified Chinese, or tap one and then the other.

  8. What does it mean?

    租约到期后可以续租吗？

  9. What do you say?

    Mr. Wang still has the keys in the door. Give him a short thank-you that uses his name.

  10. Fill the gap

    Will the rent be adjusted?

    租金会____吗？

Say it — tell Mr. Wang

You play Maya at the doorway. Mr. Wang is brief, so keep your lines clear.

Tap the microphone and say each line. You can replay his turn before you speak.

  1. Mr. Wang is in the doorway with the keys. The lease is nearly up.
  2. Maya (you)Tell him you would like to keep the flat for another year.

    我想续租一年

    I'd like to renew for a year.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

Simplified ChineseEnglish
我想续租一年I'd like to renew for a year.
租金会调整吗？Will the rent be adjusted?
这次我想签两年This time I'd like to sign for two years.
条件跟之前一样吗？Are the terms the same as before?
我决定留下来I've decided to stay.
谢谢你一直这么照顾我Thanks for always looking after me.
Next: lesson 239Everyone around the counter

Save your progress — it’s free

Keep your place in the course and see which lines you’ve learned.

Want the next lesson in your inbox?

Get the next lesson by email, one a day.

Where should we start?
Join the newsletter

Daily lesson emails are coming soon. Newsletter subscribers get them first.

Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Today's lease lines are in Yak Cards with more useful lines for staying in Taipei.

Review a few housing cards each day so renewing a lease feels ordinary.

Open Yak Cards