Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
How to Say Apartment in Spanish
Apartamento · noun · ah-par-tah-MEN-toh
Apartamento is the most internationally understood Spanish word for apartment. In Mexico and several South American countries, departamento is the everyday choice. In Spain, piso is the standard term for a flat in a multi-story building.
ah-par-tah-MEN-toh / deh-par-tah-MEN-toh / PEE-soh
Acabo de mudarme a un apartamento en el centro de la ciudad.
I just moved into an apartment in the city center.
Apartment in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for apartment, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| apartamento | apartment | ah-par-tah-MEN-toh | Default, widely understood |
| departamento | apartment | Mexico, parts of South America | |
| piso | apartment | Spain |
How Native Speakers Use Apartamento
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Real estate listing
Se alquila departamento amueblado de dos recámaras.
Furnished two-bedroom apartment for rent.
In Mexican real estate ads, departamento is universal; apartamento would sound foreign.
Conversation in Spain
Mi piso tiene tres habitaciones y un balcón con vistas al mar.
My apartment has three rooms and a balcony with sea views.
Spaniards say piso for an apartment unit and reservan apartamento for smaller vacation flats.
General usage
Estamos buscando un apartamento más cerca de la oficina.
We are looking for an apartment closer to the office.
Apartamento is neutral enough to be understood throughout the Spanish-speaking world.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Apartamento
Using piso in Mexico
Incorrect: Renté un piso nuevo en la Ciudad de México.
Correct: Renté un departamento nuevo en la Ciudad de México.
In Mexico, piso means floor (as in the ground), not an apartment. Using it for housing will cause confusion.
Confusing departamento with department
Incorrect: Trabajo en el departamento de ventas (meaning apartment).
Correct: Vivo en un departamento cerca del trabajo.
Departamento also means department (of a company or store). Context and verb choice (vivir, rentar vs. trabajar) clarify the meaning.
Lock in Apartment Vocabulary with the Parrot Method
Why word lists alone don't stick
Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.
See Apartamento used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using apartamento in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Acabo de mudarme a un apartamento en el centro de la ciudad. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
Save, review, repeat, stay consistent
Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.
Common Questions About Apartment in Spanish
- Which word should I use if I do not know my audience's region?
- Apartamento is the safest choice. It is widely understood across Latin America and Spain, even if locals prefer their regional term.
- Does piso only mean apartment in Spain?
- In Spain, piso can mean apartment or floor level depending on context. Vivo en el tercer piso means 'I live on the third floor,' while Tengo un piso means 'I have an apartment.'
- Is departamento used in Spain at all?
- In Spain, departamento refers exclusively to a department within an organization or institution. Spaniards do not use it for housing.