Traditional Chinese course

Lesson 132 of 240

New here? This is lesson 132 of a free 240-lesson Traditional Chinese course.

Signing the lease in Traditional Chinese

Signing a lease is a big step, so Maya checks the details before she commits. Mr. Wang reads each clause aloud once while she photographs the pages.

Practise asking about repairs, renewal, notice, extra fees, and the documents to prepare. These clear questions help you understand what you are agreeing to.

Notice how question words such as 誰 and 哪些 stay in the question. Then take Maya's role and ask Mr. Wang what you need to know.

By the end of this lesson

Ask a landlord about reviewing and signing a lease, repairs, renewal, moving out, fees, and required documents.

  • 簽約前可以先看租約嗎?Can I read the lease before signing?
  • 維修是誰負責?Who's responsible for repairs?
  • 租約到期後可以續租嗎?Can I renew when the lease ends?
  • 如果要搬走,要提前多久通知?How far ahead must I give notice to move out?
  • 還有其他費用嗎?Are there other charges?
  • 申請需要準備哪些文件?What documents do I need to prepare?

Scene — checking the lease

Maya meets Mr. Wang at her apartment to sign the lease. He reads each clause aloud once, and she takes pictures of the pages as he goes.

Before signing, Maya wants to check the repair rules, possible fees, and what to do when the lease ends. Her questions keep the meeting practical and clear.

Maya holds a phone toward the open pages while Mr. Wang reads them at the apartment table.

Learn — questions before signing

These questions help you check a rental agreement before signing. Ask about the people responsible, what happens later, and what you need to prepare.

Listen for question words in the middle of a sentence, not only at the beginning.

  1. Maya asks to look through the pages before signing while Mr. Wang pauses with them open.

    簽約前可以先看租約嗎?

    Can I read the lease before signing?

    When to use it: Ask to review an agreement before you sign it.

    簽約前 puts the timing before the main action.

  2. Maya asks who handles repairs as she points toward a small household fixture, and Mr. Wang listens.

    維修是誰負責?

    Who's responsible for repairs?

    When to use it: Ask who handles repairs in a rental home.

    誰 stays where the answer would go; no extra question word is needed.

  3. Maya asks about renewing while indicating the open pages, and Mr. Wang considers her question.

    租約到期後可以續租嗎?

    Can I renew when the lease ends?

    When to use it: Ask whether you can rent the home again after the agreement ends.

    後 marks the point after the lease expires.

  4. Maya asks how far ahead she must give notice before moving out, gesturing toward a small packed box.

    如果要搬走,要提前多久通知?

    How far ahead must I give notice to move out?

    When to use it: Ask how much notice to give before moving out.

    如果 introduces a condition; the comma separates it from the next request.

  5. Maya asks whether there are other charges while gesturing toward a few blank slips beside the pages.

    還有其他費用嗎?

    Are there other charges?

    When to use it: Check whether you will pay anything beyond the rent.

    還有 asks whether something else exists; 嗎 marks a yes-or-no question.

  6. Maya asks what she needs to prepare, indicating a neat stack of blank papers and a plain card.

    申請需要準備哪些文件?

    What documents do I need to prepare?

    When to use it: Ask which documents are needed for an application.

    哪些 asks which items when choosing from several documents.

Story — Maya meets Mr. Wang

Maya meets Mr. Wang at her apartment to sign the lease. He reads each clause aloud once, and Maya takes pictures as she follows along.

She asks about the agreement, repairs, fees, documents, renewal, and notice before moving out.

  1. Maya王先生,早安。Good morning, Mr. Wang.
  2. Maya簽約前可以先看租約嗎?Can I read the lease before signing?
  3. Mr. Wang可以,我每一條念一次。Sure, I'll read each clause once.
  4. Maya好,我先拍照。Okay, I'll take pictures first.
  5. Maya申請需要準備哪些文件?What documents do I need to prepare?
  6. Mr. Wang身分證和工作證明。Your ID and proof of employment.
  7. Maya維修是誰負責?Who's responsible for repairs?
  8. Mr. Wang房東負責房子的維修。The landlord is responsible for repairs to the home.
  9. Maya還有其他費用嗎?Are there other charges?
  10. Mr. Wang水電費另外算。Utilities are charged separately.
  11. Maya租約到期後可以續租嗎?Can I renew when the lease ends?
  12. Mr. Wang可以,照租約規定辦理。Yes, follow the terms in the lease.
  13. Maya如果要搬走,要提前多久通知?How far ahead must I give notice to move out?
  14. Mr. Wang提前一個月通知就可以。Giving notice one month ahead is fine.
  15. Maya謝謝。Thank you.
  16. Mr. Wang不客氣。You're welcome.

Practice — check the details

Try ten short exercises about reviewing a lease and asking for practical information. Choose the question or response that fits each situation.

Some questions use a word like who or which in the same place where an answer would go.

0 of 10 done

  1. What does it mean?

    What does it mean?

    簽約前可以先看租約嗎?

  2. What do you say?

    What do you say?

    Greet Mr. Wang when you meet him in the morning.

  3. Build the line

    Build the line

    What documents do I need to prepare?

    ?

    Tap the words in order.

  4. Fill the gap

    Fill the gap

    Are there other charges?

    還有其他____嗎?

  5. What did you hear?

    What did you hear?

  6. What do you say?

    What do you say?

    Ask who is responsible for repairs in the apartment.

  7. Match the pairs

    Traditional Chinese

    簽約前可以先看租約嗎?Drop the English here
    維修是誰負責?Drop the English here
    租約到期後可以續租嗎?Drop the English here
    還有其他費用嗎?Drop the English here

    English

  8. What do you say?

    What do you say?

    Ask whether you can renew the lease after it ends.

  9. Fill the gap

    Fill the gap

    What documents do I need to prepare?

    申請需要準備____文件?

  10. What do you say?

    What do you say?

    Mr. Wang has finished helping you. Thank him.

Say it — ask before you sign

You play Maya at the apartment while Mr. Wang reviews the lease with you. Listen to his cue, then ask your question out loud.

Tap the microphone to speak. You can replay the landlord's response before moving on to the next question.

  1. Maya checks the lease before signing.
  2. Mr. Wang好,我們開始看租約。你先問吧。All right, let's review the lease. Go ahead and ask.
  3. Maya (you)Ask to read the lease before you sign.

    Ask to read the lease before you sign.

    簽約前可以先看租約嗎?

    Can I read the lease before signing?

0 of 4 said

Recap — what you can say now

Every line from this lesson
Traditional ChineseEnglishPlay
簽約前可以先看租約嗎?Can I read the lease before signing?
維修是誰負責?Who's responsible for repairs?
租約到期後可以續租嗎?Can I renew when the lease ends?
如果要搬走,要提前多久通知?How far ahead must I give notice to move out?
還有其他費用嗎?Are there other charges?
申請需要準備哪些文件?What documents do I need to prepare?
Next: lesson 133What's in the flat

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

Save today's questions in Yak Cards and review them before your next housing conversation.

Practise one question at a time so you can ask clearly when details matter.

Open Yak Cards