Portuguese for Renting an Apartment: Rooms, Repairs, and Building Basics
Build a practical vocabulary set for viewing an apartment, asking about the building, and reporting a household issue.
Real Life Portuguese · 9 min read · Updated October 14, 2026
The short answer
An apartment is an apartamento; a house is a casa. Common room words include quarto (bedroom), banheiro (bathroom), cozinha (kitchen), sala (living room), and varanda (balcony). Learn them with an article—o quarto, a cozinha—so you remember both the noun and its gender for later descriptions.
Name the rooms and basic apartment features
During a viewing, ask how many bedrooms there are, whether the unit has a parking space, and what appliances stay. In Brazil, vaga can refer to a parking space. Confirm details in writing before agreeing to a rental; vocabulary helps you ask, but it does not replace a careful review of the contract.
Quantos quartos tem o apartamento?
How many bedrooms does the apartment have?
O apartamento tem varanda e vaga de garagem?
Does the apartment have a balcony and a parking space?
A cozinha já tem geladeira?
Does the kitchen already have a refrigerator?
Ask about rent and what is included
Aluguel is rent, condomínio is the building or condominium fee, and contas are bills. Ask whether the rent includes any of these costs and what payment date applies. The exact arrangement depends on the listing and agreement, so ask the landlord or agent to explain the amount and conditions clearly.
For a short-term or long-term rental, confirm the move-in date, minimum stay, deposit, and whether utilities are included. Repeat the amount and date back in Portuguese to check that you understood them correctly.
O condomínio está incluído no aluguel?
Is the building fee included in the rent?
Quais contas ficam por minha conta?
Which bills will I be responsible for?
Qual é a data de vencimento do aluguel?
What is the rent due date?
Report a repair or building problem
A simple repair report names the item, describes what is happening, and says when you noticed it. The words vazamento (leak), tomada (outlet), chuveiro (shower), and chave (key) are useful around a home. If something is unsafe, explain the problem directly and contact the responsible person or local service promptly.
Ask who handles a repair and when someone can inspect it. Avoid describing a technical cause unless you know it; say what you observe, such as water coming from under the sink or the shower not heating.
Tem um vazamento embaixo da pia.
There is a leak under the sink.
O chuveiro não está esquentando.
The shower isn’t heating up.
Uma tomada da sala não funciona.
An outlet in the living room doesn’t work.
Practice questions for a rental viewing
Make a checklist of the three details you need to verify. Ask one question about the apartment itself, one about the monthly costs, and one about maintenance. If an answer is fast, ask the person to repeat the amount or write it down. Clear questions are more valuable than trying to understand every word in a long explanation.
Use this guide alongside Real Life Portuguese lessons on numbers, asking questions, and home vocabulary. If you are moving to Brazil, ask a trusted local to review important rental documents and current rules. I Speak Portuguese teachers can help you rehearse the conversation so you can ask confidently during a viewing.
Posso visitar o apartamento esta semana?
Can I view the apartment this week?
Quem devo chamar se houver um problema no prédio?
Who should I contact if there is a problem in the building?
Você pode me enviar esses valores por escrito?
Could you send me those amounts in writing?
Put it into practice
Learn room names, aluguel, condomínio, contas, and a few repair words. Confirm costs, dates, and responsibilities in writing before you sign an agreement.
Quick practice
Which Portuguese example matches “How many bedrooms does the apartment have”?
Choose an answer to check yourself.
Keep practicing with the Real Life Portuguese app
Build on this guide with everyday expressions and native Brazilian audio. Choose iPhone, Android, or the web app.