How to Ask If Utilities Are Included in Rent in Italian
Learn to ask 'Are utilities included?' in Italian, name common bills, and understand extra rental costs with polite, standard phrases.
By SofiaGetting around · Yapr Learn
When you rent a home in Italy, the advertised rent may not cover gas, electricity, water, or building charges. This lesson teaches you how to ask directly whether utilities are included, how to name the main bills, and how to ask what costs are extra. You will use polite standard Italian that works with landlords and estate agents, and you will learn the key phrase 'spese incluse'.
By the end, you can…
- ask whether utilities are included in the rent.
- name common utilities such as electricity, gas, water, and building charges.
- ask which costs are extra and understand a simple answer about monthly bills.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Le spese sono incluse?
Are the utilities included?
leh SPEH-zeh SOH-noh een-KLOO-zeh
The most direct and common way to ask if bills are part of the rent. 'Spese' covers utilities and building charges in rental listings.
Nel prezzo è compreso anche il riscaldamento?
Is heating also included in the price?
nel PREHT-tsoh eh kohm-PREH-zoh AN-keh eel ree-skal-dah-MEN-toh
Use this when you want to check a specific cost, especially in colder regions where heating can be expensive.
Quanto si paga di bollette al mese?
How much do you pay for bills per month?
KWAHN-toh see PAH-gah dee bol-LET-teh al MEH-zeh
'Bollette' are the utility bills themselves. This question asks for an average monthly amount.
L'affitto è tutto compreso o ci sono costi extra?
Is the rent all-inclusive, or are there extra costs?
laf-FEET-toh eh TOOT-toh kohm-PREH-zoh oh chee SOH-noh KOS-tee EKS-trah
A clear either/or question. 'Tutto compreso' means everything is included; 'costi extra' means additional costs.
Le spese condominiali sono a carico mio o del proprietario?
Are the building charges my responsibility or the landlord's?
leh SPEH-zeh kohn-doh-mee-NYAH-lee SOH-noh ah KAH-ree-koh MEE-oh oh del proh-preh-TAH-ryoh
'Spese condominiali' are shared building costs. 'A carico di' means paid for by someone.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
Use 'È compreso...?' for one item and 'Sono compresi...?' for more than one. Examples: 'È compreso il gas?' (Is gas included?), 'Sono comprese le bollette?' (Are the bills included?). The past participle agrees with the noun: 'compreso' for masculine singular, 'compresa' for feminine singular, 'compresi' and 'comprese' for plurals. 'Spese' is feminine plural, so use 'comprese' with it.
When to use it
Ask 'Le spese sono incluse?' before viewing a flat or signing anything. If the answer is 'No, le bollette sono separate', ask 'Quanto si paga di bollette al mese?' to get a realistic figure. For shared building costs, ask 'Le spese condominiali sono incluse?' In northern Italy, heating is often the largest extra cost, so ask 'È compreso il riscaldamento?' separately.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Buongiorno, ho visto l'annuncio per il bilocale. Le spese sono incluse?
Good morning, I saw the ad for the one-bedroom flat. Are the utilities included?bwohn-JOHR-noh, oh VEES-toh lan-NOON-choh per eel bee-loh-KAH-leh. leh SPEH-zeh SOH-noh een-KLOO-zehNo, le bollette sono separate. Si paga circa ottanta euro al mese.
No, the bills are separate. You pay about eighty euros a month.noh, leh bol-LET-teh SOH-noh seh-pah-RAH-teh. see PAH-gah CHEER-kah oht-TAHN-tah EH-oo-roh al MEH-zehCapisco. È compreso il riscaldamento o è una spesa extra?
I see. Is heating included, or is it an extra cost?kah-PEES-koh. eh kohm-PREH-zoh eel ree-skal-dah-MEN-toh oh eh OO-nah SPEH-zah EKS-trahIl riscaldamento è extra, ma le spese condominiali sono incluse nell'affitto.
Heating is extra, but the building charges are included in the rent.eel ree-skal-dah-MEN-toh eh EKS-trah, mah leh SPEH-zeh kohn-doh-mee-NYAH-lee SOH-noh een-KLOO-zeh nel-laf-FEET-tohA little context goes a long way
In Italian rental listings, 'spese incluse' often means shared building charges are included, not necessarily gas and electricity. 'Spese condominiali' are regular building costs such as cleaning and maintenance. Always ask separately about 'bollette' and 'riscaldamento'. In informal spoken Italian, 'bollette' is the everyday word for utility bills; 'utenze' is more formal and appears in contracts.
One thing to watch for
Using 'incluso' without matching the noun, as in 'Le spese sono incluso?'
Try this instead: Make the participle agree with the noun. 'Spese' is feminine plural, so say 'Le spese sono incluse?' If you ask about one masculine noun, use 'incluso': 'Il riscaldamento è incluso?'
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask 'Are the utilities included?' in standard Italian?
Show a sample answer
Le spese sono incluse?
This is the most common direct question. 'Sono comprese le spese?' is also correct and means the same thing.
2You want to ask specifically whether heating is included. What do you say?
Show a sample answer
È compreso il riscaldamento?
'Riscaldamento' is masculine singular, so the participle is 'compreso'. 'Il riscaldamento è incluso?' is also correct.
3The landlord says bills are separate. How do you ask how much bills cost per month?
Show a sample answer
Quanto si paga di bollette al mese?
This asks for a monthly amount. You could also ask 'Quanto sono le bollette al mese?' Both are natural and polite.
Ask 'Le spese sono incluse?' first, then check 'bollette' and 'riscaldamento' separately, because in Italy included building charges do not always mean included utilities.
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