Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
Rent in Spanish: Alquiler, Renta, Arriendo
Alquiler · noun (masculine) / verb · ahl-kee-LEHR
Rent in Spanish has major regional variation: alquiler dominates in Spain, renta is standard in Mexico and Central America, and arriendo is preferred in Colombia and Chile. The verb to rent follows the same pattern: alquilar, rentar, or arrendar.
ahl-kee-LEHR
El alquiler de este apartamento es demasiado caro.
The rent for this apartment is too expensive.
Rent in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for rent, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| alquiler | rent | ahl-kee-LEHR | Default, widely understood |
| renta | rent | Mexico, Central America | |
| arriendo | rent | Colombia, Chile | |
| alquilar | rent | verb: to rent |
How Native Speakers Use Alquiler
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Monthly housing cost
Pago mil doscientos euros de alquiler al mes.
I pay twelve hundred euros in rent per month.
Discussing housing expenses in Spain.
Renting a car in Mexico
Vamos a rentar un coche para el viaje a Cancún.
We're going to rent a car for the trip to Cancún.
Rentar is the standard verb in Mexico.
Lease agreement in Colombia
Firmamos el contrato de arriendo por un año.
We signed the lease for one year.
Arriendo is the Colombian and Chilean term.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Alquiler
Using rentar in Spain
Incorrect: Quiero rentar un piso en Barcelona.
Correct: Quiero alquilar un piso en Barcelona.
Rentar sounds foreign in Spain — Spaniards use alquilar exclusively. In Mexico the reverse is true: alquilar sounds overly formal while rentar is everyday speech.
Confusing renta with income tax
Incorrect: La renta de mi apartamento incluye agua. (in Spain)
Correct: El alquiler de mi piso incluye agua.
In Spain, renta primarily means income or refers to the income tax declaration (declaración de la renta), not monthly housing payment — using renta for rent in Spain causes confusion.
Lock in Rent 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 Alquiler used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using alquiler in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear El alquiler de este apartamento es demasiado caro. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
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Common Questions About Rent in Spanish
- How do you say 'rent' in Spanish?
- The noun depends on region: alquiler in Spain, renta in Mexico and Central America, and arriendo in Colombia and Chile. All three are correct and universally understood, but using the local term sounds more natural.
- What is the verb 'to rent' in Spanish?
- The verb mirrors the noun: alquilar (Spain), rentar (Mexico), and arrendar (Colombia, Chile, formal). Each conjugates as a regular -ar verb — alquilo un apartamento, rento un departamento, arriendo un piso.
- Does renta mean rent or income?
- In Mexico, renta primarily means rent (la renta mensual = the monthly rent). In Spain, renta primarily means income (declaración de la renta = income tax return). Context and country determine which meaning applies.