How to Ask About Renting an Apartment in French: Short-Term Availability
Learn to ask if a furnished apartment is available for a month, understand key rental terms, and handle a short-term rental inquiry politely in French.
By SofiaGetting around · Yapr Learn
When you want to rent a furnished apartment in France for a short stay, you need to ask clearly whether it is available for a specific period. This lesson teaches you the essential question 'Est-ce que cet appartement est disponible pour un mois ?' and the vocabulary to understand the answer. You will practice polite forms, learn terms like 'meublé', 'charges comprises', and 'caution', and see how a typical exchange with a landlord or agency might go. The focus is on short-term rentals, not long-term leases.
By the end, you can…
- ask if an apartment is available for a month.
- understand and use key short-term rental terms like 'meublé', 'disponible', 'caution', and 'charges comprises'.
- ask about the rent and what it includes.
- respond politely when an apartment is not available.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Est-ce que cet appartement est disponible pour un mois ?
Is this apartment available for a month?
ess-kuh set ta-par-tuh-mahn eh dee-spo-nee-bluh poor uhn mwah
Standard polite question. Use 'cet' before a masculine singular noun starting with a vowel sound. For a feminine noun, say 'cette'.
Je voudrais louer un studio meublé pour un mois.
I would like to rent a furnished studio for a month.
zhuh voo-dreh loo-ay uhn stoo-dyo muh-bleh poor uhn mwah
Use 'je voudrais' for a polite request. 'Meublé' means furnished, common for short-term rentals.
Le loyer est de combien par mois ?
How much is the rent per month?
luh lwa-yay eh duh kohn-byan par mwah
Asks the monthly rent. In short-term rentals, you might also hear 'le prix' for the total price.
Est-ce que les charges sont comprises ?
Are utilities included?
ess-kuh lay sharzh son kohn-preez
'Charges' often refers to building fees and sometimes utilities. 'Comprises' means included.
Il faut verser une caution ?
Do I need to pay a deposit?
eel foh vair-say oon koh-syon
'Caution' is a security deposit. For short stays, it may be called 'dépôt de garantie'.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To ask if something is available, use 'Est-ce que ... est disponible pour ... ?' For example: 'Est-ce que l'appartement est disponible pour une semaine ?' (Is the apartment available for a week?) or 'Est-ce que le studio est disponible pour deux mois ?' (Is the studio available for two months?). You can replace the time expression: 'pour un mois', 'pour une semaine', 'pour trois nuits'. The structure stays the same. For negative answers, you may hear 'Non, il n'est pas disponible' or 'Non, il est déjà loué' (No, it is already rented).
When to use it
Use these questions when you contact a landlord, agency, or owner directly about a short-term rental. It is common to ask first about availability, then about price and included charges. For example: 'Bonjour, est-ce que l'appartement est disponible pour un mois ?' Then follow with 'Le loyer est de combien ?' and 'Est-ce que les charges sont comprises ?' If you are writing, you can start with 'Bonjour, je suis intéressé(e) par votre annonce.' This shows you have read the listing. In spoken French, 'Est-ce que' is very common and less formal than inversion.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Bonjour, est-ce que cet appartement est disponible pour un mois ?
Hello, is this apartment available for a month?bohn-zhoor, ess-kuh set ta-par-tuh-mahn eh dee-spo-nee-bluh poor uhn mwahOui, il est disponible à partir du 1er juin. Le loyer est de 900 euros par mois, charges comprises.
Yes, it is available from June 1st. The rent is 900 euros per month, utilities included.wee, eel eh dee-spo-nee-bluh ah par-teer doo pruh-myay zhwan. luh lwa-yay eh duh nuf sahn uh-ro par mwah, sharzh kohn-preezD'accord. Il faut verser une caution ?
Okay. Do I need to pay a deposit?da-kor. eel foh vair-say oon koh-syonOui, une caution de 500 euros. Elle est remboursée à la fin du séjour.
Yes, a deposit of 500 euros. It is refunded at the end of the stay.wee, oon koh-syon duh sink sahn uh-ro. el eh rahn-boor-say ah lah fan doo say-zhoorA little context goes a long way
In France, short-term rentals are often furnished ('meublé') and may include charges like water and electricity. The 'caution' is usually returned after the stay if there is no damage. For very short stays, some owners use platforms like Airbnb, where the terms may be in English. When speaking with a French landlord, using 'vous' is standard unless invited to use 'tu'. In Quebec, 'appartement' is often shortened to 'appart', and 'loyer' is used similarly.
One thing to watch for
Saying 'Est-ce que cet appartement est disponible pour un mois ?' but using 'une mois' because 'mois' looks feminine.
Try this instead: 'Mois' is masculine: 'un mois'. So say 'pour un mois'. Example: 'Je voudrais louer pour un mois.' Note that 'jour' is also masculine ('un jour'), while 'semaine' and 'année' are feminine ('une semaine', 'une année').
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask if a studio is available for a week?
Show a sample answer
Est-ce que le studio est disponible pour une semaine ?
This uses the same pattern with 'une semaine'. You could also say 'Est-ce que le studio est libre pour une semaine ?' but 'disponible' is more common in rental contexts.
2What does 'charges comprises' mean?
Show a sample answer
Utilities included (or charges included).
'Charges' refers to building fees and sometimes utilities like water. 'Comprises' means included. In some listings, you may see 'charges comprises' or 'tout compris'.
3Translate: 'Do I need to pay a deposit?'
Show a sample answer
Il faut verser une caution ?
This is a common way to ask. You could also say 'Est-ce qu'il faut une caution ?' or 'Il y a une caution ?' The word 'caution' is standard for a security deposit.
To ask about a short-term rental in French, start with 'Est-ce que cet appartement est disponible pour un mois ?' Then ask about rent and charges. Remember 'un mois' is masculine, and 'caution' is the deposit. Use 'vous' to be polite.
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