Welcome to Lesson 121 — practical phrases for renting an apartment. We'll focus on polite, clear questions you can use when applying or signing a lease.
Listen, repeat, and then practice with short quizzes and speaking prompts to build confidence.
Level B1: In this lesson you'll practice key Spanish questions for renting an apartment: asking about repairs, renewing the lease, required documents, application fees, payment methods, extra charges, seeing the contract, notice periods, and checking for past problems. This CEFR-aligned lesson helps you handle real conversations with landlords or agencies.
After this lesson you'll be able to:
Ask and understand common rental questions at a B1 level.
Learn how to ask about documents, fees, payments, repairs and notice periods.
Practice speaking each phrase aloud so you can use them in real conversations.
Ready? Let's go!
When you tap play on phrases, we track your progress through this lesson.
1. Reading + Listening Practice
Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.
¿Quién se encarga de las reparaciones?
Who is responsible for repairs?
Meaning: Who is responsible for repairs?
When to use: Use this to ask who will handle maintenance or repair work in the apartment (landlord, agency, or tenant).
¿Quién se encarga de las reparaciones si se rompe la calefacción?
Who handles repairs if the heating breaks?
Antes de firmar pregunto: ¿Quién se encarga de las reparaciones durante el contrato?
Before signing I ask: who is responsible for repairs during the lease?
¿Puedo renovar el contrato cuando termine?
Can I renew the lease after it ends?
Meaning: Can I renew the lease after it ends?
When to use: Ask this to check whether you can extend the contract when the fixed term finishes.
Tip: Beginners sometimes ask 'extendir' — the natural verb here is 'renovar'.
¿Puedo renovar el contrato cuando termine si quiero quedarme otro año?
Can I renew the lease when it ends if I want to stay another year?
Me interesa la vivienda; ¿Puedo renovar el contrato cuando termine?
I'm interested in the apartment; can I renew the lease when it ends?
¿Qué documentos necesito para la solicitud?
What documents do I need for the application?
Meaning: What documents do I need for the application?
When to use: Use this when you want a checklist of paperwork (ID, proof of income, references, etc.) for applying.
¿Qué documentos necesito para la solicitud: nómina, identificación, referencias?
What documents do I need for the application: payslip, ID, references?
Voy a preparar todo. ¿Qué documentos necesito para la solicitud hoy?
I'll prepare everything. What documents do I need for the application today?
¿Hay que pagar algo por la solicitud?
Is there an application fee?
Meaning: Is there an application fee?
When to use: Ask this to confirm whether you must pay a fee to submit your rental application.
Antes de aplicar pregunto: ¿Hay que pagar algo por la solicitud?
Before I apply I ask: is there an application fee?
¿Hay que pagar algo por la solicitud o es gratis?
Is there an application fee or is it free?
¿Puedo pagar la renta por ___?
Can I pay the rent by ___?
Meaning: Can I pay the rent by ___?
When to use: Use this frame to ask about acceptable payment methods (bank transfer, app, card, cash).
Tip: Watch 'por' vs 'con': 'por' is natural with transferencia or app; with cash say 'con efectivo'.
¿Puedo pagar la renta por transferencia bancaria cada mes?
Can I pay the rent by bank transfer each month?
¿Puedo pagar la renta por una app de pagos o prefieren otro método?
Can I pay the rent by a payment app or do you prefer another method?
¿Hay cargos extra que deba conocer?
Are there any extra fees I should know about?
Meaning: Are there any extra fees I should know about?
When to use: Ask this to uncover additional costs like utilities, community fees, cleaning or administration charges.
Antes de firmar: ¿Hay cargos extra que deba conocer, como gastos de comunidad?
Before signing: are there extra fees I should know about, like community charges?
¿Hay cargos extra que deba conocer además de la renta mensual?
Are there extra fees I should know about besides the monthly rent?
¿Puedo ver una copia del contrato antes de firmar?
Can I see a copy of the lease before I sign?
Meaning: Can I see a copy of the lease before I sign?
When to use: Use this to request a copy of the contract so you can read terms and conditions ahead of signing.
Para revisar las condiciones, ¿Puedo ver una copia del contrato antes de firmar?
To review terms, can I see a copy of the lease before signing?
Quiero comprobar las cláusulas: ¿Puedo ver una copia del contrato hoy?
I want to check clauses: can I see a copy of the contract today?
¿Con cuánto tiempo de anticipación tengo que avisar si me voy a mudar?
What is the notice period for moving out?
Meaning: What is the notice period for moving out?
When to use: Ask this to find out how much advance notice you must give before ending the rental agreement.
Si necesito irme, ¿Con cuánto tiempo de anticipación tengo que avisar si me voy a mudar?
If I need to leave, how much notice must I give if I'm moving out?
¿Con cuánto tiempo de anticipación tengo que avisar si me voy a mudar: un mes o tres meses?
How much notice do I need to give if I move out: one month or three months?
¿Ha habido algún problema con ___?
Has there been any problem with ___?
Meaning: Has there been any problem with ___?
When to use: Use this to ask whether there have been past issues with the apartment (e.g., plumbing, neighbors, humidity).
¿Ha habido algún problema con la calefacción el año pasado?
Has there been any problem with the heating last year?
Antes de decidir, ¿Ha habido algún problema con los vecinos o el ruido?
Before deciding, has there been any problem with the neighbors or noise?
2. Conversational Listening Practice
Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.
Anna calls the rental agency to clarify documents, fees and repairs before signing.
What are Anna and David discussing?
Anna
Hola, tengo una pregunta: ¿Qué documentos necesito para la solicitud?
Hi, I have a question: what documents do I need for the application?
David
Necesitamos una copia del DNI, las nóminas y referencias. También, ¿hay que pagar algo por la solicitud?
We need a copy of your ID, payslips and references. Also, is there an application fee?
Anna
¿Hay cargos extra que deba conocer además de la renta?
Are there any extra fees I should know about besides the rent?
David
Solo la comunidad. Y si hay reparaciones: ¿quién se encarga de las reparaciones?
Only the community fee. And if there are repairs: who is responsible for repairs?
3. Guided Practice
Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.
How do you ask 'Is there an application fee?' in Spanish?
Which Spanish question asks about seeing the lease before signing?
If you want to know how to pay monthly rent by bank transfer, which phrase fits?
Which question asks how much notice you must give before moving out?
I want to check the contract before signing. Can I see a copy of the lease before I sign?
I want to check the contract before signing. ___
Do I need to bring pay slips and ID? What documents do I need for the application?
Do I need to bring pay slips and ID? ___
If something breaks, who will fix it? Who is responsible for repairs?
If something breaks, who will fix it? ___
Match the core phrases
Match the extra phrases
4. Speaking Practice
Say phrases yourself (mic/recording).
Recording stays on your device only. Check speech uses your browser's speech tools when available.
Say this phrase out loud:
¿Quién se encarga de las reparaciones?
Who is responsible for repairs?
Say this phrase out loud:
¿Puedo renovar el contrato cuando termine?
Can I renew the lease after it ends?
Say this phrase out loud:
¿Qué documentos necesito para la solicitud?
What documents do I need for the application?
Say this phrase out loud:
¿Hay que pagar algo por la solicitud?
Is there an application fee?
Say this phrase out loud:
¿Puedo pagar la renta por ___?
Can I pay the rent by ___?
Say this phrase out loud:
¿Hay cargos extra que deba conocer?
Are there any extra fees I should know about?
Say this phrase out loud:
¿Puedo ver una copia del contrato antes de firmar?
Can I see a copy of the lease before I sign?
Say this phrase out loud:
¿Con cuánto tiempo de anticipación tengo que avisar si me voy a mudar?
