How to Ask About Renting an Apartment Short-Term in Italian
Learn to ask 'Is this apartment available for a month?' in Italian and use key short-term rental vocabulary for bookings, bills and deposits.
By SofiaGetting around · Yapr Learn
When you want a place in Italy for a month or a few weeks, the key question is whether the apartment is free for your dates. In Italian, availability is usually expressed with the adjective libero (free, available), and the period is introduced with per (for). This lesson gives you the exact question to ask, plus the vocabulary for bills, deposits and contracts that landlords and agencies use in short-term rentals.
By the end, you can…
- ask whether an apartment is available for a specific period.
- understand and use key short-term rental terms such as affitto, bollette and caparra.
- ask about the minimum stay and what is included in the price.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Questo appartamento è libero per un mese?
Is this apartment available for a month?
KWEH-sto ap-par-ta-MEN-to eh LEE-beh-ro per un MEH-zeh
The core question. Libero agrees with appartamento (masculine singular). Use this with landlords, agencies or in messages.
È disponibile dal primo al trenta?
Is it available from the first to the thirtieth?
eh dis-po-NEE-bee-leh dal PREE-mo al TREN-ta
Disponibile is common in agency listings and online booking sites. Dal... al... means 'from... to...'.
Quanto costa al mese?
How much does it cost per month?
KWAN-to KOS-ta al MEH-zeh
Al mese means 'per month'. For a weekly price, ask Quanto costa a settimana?
Le bollette sono incluse?
Are the bills included?
leh bol-LET-teh SO-no in-KLOO-zeh
Bollette means utility bills (electricity, gas, water). In short-term rentals they are often included, but always ask.
Qual è la caparra?
What is the deposit?
kwal eh la ka-PAR-ra
Caparra is the security deposit. In short-term stays it may also be called deposito cauzionale.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To ask about availability for a period, use: Essere + libero/disponibile + per + duration. Examples: L'appartamento è libero per due settimane? (Is the apartment available for two weeks?) La camera è disponibile per tre mesi? (Is the room available for three months?) For dates, use da... a...: È libero da giugno ad agosto? (Is it available from June to August?) Remember that libero changes form: libero (masculine singular), libera (feminine singular), liberi (masculine plural), libere (feminine plural).
When to use it
Use libero in direct questions to a landlord or in a phone call: È libero per un mese? Use disponibile when reading or writing online listings, because it is the standard word in ads. If you need a contract, ask: Si può fare un contratto? (Can we make a contract?) For a short stay, ask about the minimum period: Qual è il periodo minimo? (What is the minimum stay?) These questions help you avoid misunderstandings before paying.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Buongiorno, ho visto il suo annuncio. L'appartamento è libero per un mese?
Good morning, I saw your ad. Is the apartment available for a month?bwon-JOR-no, o VEE-sto il soo-oh an-NOON-cho. lap-par-ta-MEN-to eh LEE-beh-ro per un MEH-zehSì, è libero da settembre. Le bollette sono incluse.
Yes, it is available from September. The bills are included.see, eh LEE-beh-ro da set-TEM-breh. leh bol-LET-teh SO-no in-KLOO-zehQuanto costa al mese e qual è la caparra?
How much does it cost per month and what is the deposit?KWAN-to KOS-ta al MEH-zeh eh kwal eh la ka-PAR-raCosta ottocento euro al mese. La caparra è di duecento euro.
It costs eight hundred euros per month. The deposit is two hundred euros.KOS-ta ot-to-CHEN-to EH-oo-ro al MEH-zeh. la ka-PAR-ra eh dee doo-EH-hen-to EH-oo-roA little context goes a long way
In Italy, short-term rentals are often arranged privately or through agencies. Prices may be quoted al mese (per month) or a settimana (per week). A caparra is normal, but always ask for a ricevuta (receipt). In informal messages, landlords may use the tu form; in agencies, the Lei form is standard.
One thing to watch for
Saying 'È libero per un mese?' with the wrong adjective agreement, for example 'È libera per un mese?' for an appartamento.
Try this instead: Match the adjective to the noun: appartamento is masculine, so use libero. Say: L'appartamento è libero per un mese? For a feminine noun like casa, use libera: La casa è libera per un mese?
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask 'Is this apartment available for a month?' in Italian?
Show a sample answer
Questo appartamento è libero per un mese?
This uses the masculine singular libero to agree with appartamento, and per un mese for the duration. You could also say È disponibile per un mese? in a more formal or online context.
2What does 'Le bollette sono incluse?' mean?
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Are the bills included?
Bollette are utility bills. The question asks whether they are part of the price. A landlord might answer Sì, sono incluse or No, non sono incluse.
3How do you ask 'What is the deposit?' in Italian?
Show a sample answer
Qual è la caparra?
Caparra is the standard word for a security deposit. In some contexts you may also hear deposito cauzionale; both are correct, but caparra is more common in everyday speech.
Ask Questo appartamento è libero per un mese? and check bollette and caparra before you agree. Use libero for availability and disponibile in listings.
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