Rogue Renter
Ask about rent, deposits, and rules, then lock in a viewing — confidently, in Spanish, out loud.
Stay polite and use usted with a landlord you've just met, and get the money questions out early. The one people forget is ¿los servicios están incluidos? (are utilities included?) — always check what sits on top of the rent. Know your region's words: rent is la renta in Mexico and el alquiler in Argentina and Spain; the apartment is el depa in Mexico, el depto in Argentina, el piso in Spain; and in Spain the deposit is la fianza. When you like the place, say so: me interesa mucho el piso.
Below: the phrases for a full viewing from first call to signing, the regional words that shift country to country, and a way to walk the whole visit out loud before you meet the landlord.
Say this
Regional Spanish
Textbooks teach one word. Locals use several — pick your region's and stay consistent.
| English | Mexico | Argentina |
|---|---|---|
| apartment | el depa | el depto |
| bedroom | la recámara | el dormitorio |
| rent | la renta | el alquiler |
| I love this place | me late el depa | me copa |
Watch out
The part no phrase list can do
Isabella
Your conversation teacher for this pack
In the Rogue Renter pack, the final lesson drops you inside a one-bedroom apartment you found online, on a Saturday late morning, with a 30-minute viewing slot. Isabella plays the owner-landlord: practical, no-nonsense, usted, opening with mire... and honestly pointing out both the good features and one small drawback. She wants to know who you are and whether you're serious; you want the rent, the deposit, what's included, and the rules — before you decide. You walk it room by room. Out loud. And she screens you right back:
Blank mid-sentence and nothing bad happens — she waits. That's the practice, without unnecessary judgement.
Finish the 5 lessons and Rogue Renter is yours — earned, not given.
First 10 lessons free · 10-minute spoken lessons · your AI coaching team remembers you
Quick answers
Ask ¿cuánto es el alquiler mensual? (how much is the monthly rent?). In Mexico you'll more often say la renta — ¿cuánto es la renta al mes? — while Argentina and Spain use el alquiler.
Ask ¿los servicios están incluidos? (are utilities included?), and get specific with ¿incluye agua y electricidad?. Don't forget the extras — ¿hay gastos de comunidad? (are there community fees?), called expensas in Argentina.
They all mean apartment, split by region. Spain: el piso. Mexico: el depa. Argentina: el depto (short for departamento). Colombia and the Caribbean: el apartamento. Note that in Spain piso can also mean floor.
Ask ¿cuánto es el depósito? (how much is the deposit?). In Spain the deposit is la fianza — ¿la fianza son dos meses?. It's worth confirming the conditions for getting it back before you sign.
Signal interest clearly: me interesa mucho el piso (I'm very interested in the apartment). Then handle logistics: ¿cuándo puedo mudarme? (when can I move in?), ¿qué documentos necesito para firmar?, and ¿cuándo se paga el primer mes?.
