Lesson 34: Housing & Renting an Apartment

1. Introduction | 介绍 | Introdução

Finding a place to live is one of the most important tasks when moving to a new city or country. Being able to communicate about rent, apartment features, utilities, and contracts in English, Mandarin, and Portuguese is essential for anyone relocating or traveling long-term.

In this lesson, you will:

• Learn housing and rental vocabulary.

• Use phrases for searching, negotiating, and signing rental agreements.

• Practice real-life dialogues between tenants and landlords.

• Understand cultural tips about housing and renting in different countries.

• Reinforce knowledge through exercises and a review.

2. Vocabulary Table | 词汇表 | Vocabulário

3. Useful Phrases | 实用短语 | Frases Úteis

Searching for a Place | 找房子 | Procurar Casa

• “I’m looking for a one-bedroom apartment in the city center.”
  我想在市中心找一间一居室公寓。
  Wǒ xiǎng zài shì zhōngxīn zhǎo yì jiān yījūshì gōngyù.
  Estou à procura de um apartamento T1 no centro da cidade.

• “Is the apartment furnished?”
  这个公寓带家具吗？
  Zhège gōngyù dài jiājù ma?
  O apartamento está mobilado?

• “How much is the monthly rent?”
  每月租金是多少？
  Měiyuè zūjīn shì duōshǎo?
  Qual é a renda mensal?

Negotiating & Signing | 谈判和签合同 | Negociar e Assinar Contrato

• “Is the deposit refundable?”
  押金可以退还吗？
  Yājīn kěyǐ tuìhuán ma?
  O depósito é reembolsável?

• “Can we include utilities in the rent?”
  水电费可以包含在租金里吗？
  Shuǐdiàn fèi kěyǐ bāohán zài zūjīn lǐ ma?
  As contas podem estar incluídas na renda?

• “I’d like to sign a one-year lease.”
  我想签一年的租赁合同。
  Wǒ xiǎng qiān yì nián de zūlìn hétóng.
  Gostaria de assinar um contrato de um ano.

Moving & Maintenance | 搬家和维修 | Mudança e Manutenção

• “When can I move in?”
  我什么时候可以搬进去？
  Wǒ shénme shíhòu kěyǐ bān jìnqù?
  Quando posso mudar-me para o apartamento?

• “The sink is leaking, could you fix it?”
  水槽漏水了，你能修理吗？
  Shuǐcáo lòushuǐ le, nǐ néng xiūlǐ ma?
  O lavatório está a vazar, pode consertar?

• “How much notice is required to move out?”
  搬出需要提前多久通知？
  Bānchū xūyào tíqián duōjiǔ tōngzhī?
  Quanto tempo de aviso é necessário para sair?

4. Dialogues | 对话 | Diálogos

Dialogue 1: Finding an Apartment

English
Tenant: Hi, I saw your ad for a two-bedroom apartment. Is it still available?
Landlord: Yes, it is. Are you looking for a furnished or unfurnished place?
Tenant: Furnished, please. How much is the monthly rent?
Landlord: $800 per month, including utilities.
Tenant: Great. When can I see the place?

中文 (Pinyin)
房客：你好，我看到你发布的两居室公寓广告。还可以租吗？
(fángkè: nǐhǎo, wǒ kàndào nǐ fābù de liǎngjūshì gōngyù guǎnggào. hái kěyǐ zū ma?)
房东：可以的。你是想要带家具还是不带家具？
(fángdōng: kěyǐ de. nǐ shì xiǎng yào dài jiājù háishì bú dài jiājù?)
房客：带家具，谢谢。每月租金是多少？
(fángkè: dài jiājù, xièxie. měiyuè zūjīn shì duōshǎo?)
房东：每月八百美元，包含水电费。
(fángdōng: měiyuè bābǎi měiyuán, bāohán shuǐdiàn fèi.)
房客：好的，我什么时候可以看房？
(fángkè: hǎode, wǒ shénme shíhòu kěyǐ kàn fáng?)

Português
Inquilino: Olá, vi o seu anúncio de um apartamento T2. Ainda está disponível?
Senhorio: Sim. Procura mobilado ou sem mobília?
Inquilino: Mobilado, por favor. Qual é a renda mensal?
Senhorio: 800 dólares por mês, incluindo contas.
Inquilino: Ótimo. Quando posso visitar o apartamento?

Dialogue 2: Maintenance Issue

English
Tenant: Hello, the heater in my apartment isn’t working.
Landlord: I’m sorry about that. I’ll send a technician today.
Tenant: Thank you. Can I also get a copy of the rental agreement?
Landlord: Of course. I’ll bring it when the technician arrives.

中文 (Pinyin)
房客：你好，我公寓里的暖气坏了。
(fángkè: nǐhǎo, wǒ gōngyù lǐ de nuǎnqì huài le.)
房东：不好意思，我今天会派维修工人过去。
(fángdōng: bù hǎoyìsi, wǒ jīntiān huì pài wéixiū gōngrén guòqù.)
房客：谢谢。能顺便给我一份租赁合同的副本吗？
(fángkè: xièxie. néng shùnbiàn gěi wǒ yí fèn zūlìn hétóng de fùběn ma?)
房东：当然，我会和维修工一起带过去。
(fángdōng: dāngrán, wǒ huì hé wéixiū gōng yìqǐ dài guòqù.)

Português
Inquilino: Olá, o aquecimento do meu apartamento não está a funcionar.
Senhorio: Lamento. Vou enviar um técnico hoje mesmo.
Inquilino: Obrigado. Pode também trazer uma cópia do contrato de arrendamento?
Senhorio: Claro. Levarei quando o técnico chegar.

5. Cultural Tips | 文化提示 | Dicas Culturais

1. In China, a deposit is usually 1–3 months of rent, refundable at the end if no damage is found.

2. In Portugal and Brazil, many landlords prefer cheques pré-datados (post-dated checks) or bank transfers.

3. Always ask about utility costs—in some countries, water and electricity are not included.

4. Polite negotiation is important: in Mandarin, use “可以…吗？” (kěyǐ…ma?) and in Portuguese, “É possível…?”.

6. Practice Exercises | 练习 | Exercícios

1. Translate into Mandarin and Portuguese:

   • “Is internet included in the rent?”

   • “I’d like to rent this apartment for six months.”

   • “Could you fix the broken window?”

2. Fill in the blanks (English):

   • “How much is the ______ for this apartment?” (rent)

   • “I’d like to sign a one-year ______.” (lease)

   • “Is the deposit ______?” (refundable)

3. Roleplay

   • One person is a landlord, the other a tenant negotiating a contract. Practice in all three languages.

7. Review | 总结 | Revisão

In this lesson, you learned:

• Key vocabulary for housing and renting apartments.

• Phrases for searching, negotiating, and reporting maintenance issues.

• Practical dialogues with landlords.

• Cultural tips to make rental discussions smooth in three languages.

Learn to rent apartments, negotiate contracts, and handle maintenance in English, Mandarin (with Pinyin), and Portuguese with dialogues and key phrases.