Japanese for Renting an Apartment Short-Term: Ask 'Is This Apartment Available for a Month?'
Learn elementary Japanese to ask whether a furnished apartment is available for one month, understand key short-term rental terms, and check availability politely.
By SofiaGetting around · Yapr Learn
When you want a place in Japan for only a month, the usual long-term rental process does not fit. You need to ask directly whether a monthly mansion or short-term rental is available. In this lesson you will learn the core question このアパートは一か月借りられますか (Kono apāto wa ikkagetsu kariraremasu ka), plus useful words such as 家具付き (kagu-tsuki, furnished) and 光熱費 (kōnetsuhi, utilities). You will also practice polite requests and simple follow-up questions. The focus is on speaking clearly and understanding the answer, not on reading a full lease.
By the end, you can…
- ask whether an apartment is available for one month.
- understand and use basic short-term rental terms such as furnished and utilities.
- ask about the monthly price and whether utilities are included.
- respond politely when an apartment is not available.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
このアパートは一か月借りられますか。
Can I rent this apartment for one month?
Kono apāto wa ikkagetsu kariraremasu ka.
The main question. 借りられますか is the polite potential form of 借ります (to rent). Use it for a specific apartment you are looking at. Note that 一か月 is read いっかげつ (ikkagetsu), not いちかげつ.
家具付きですか。
Is it furnished?
Kagu-tsuki desu ka.
家具付き means furniture included. Short-term rentals often include furniture and appliances, so this is a key question.
光熱費は含まれていますか。
Are utilities included?
Kōnetsuhi wa fukumarete imasu ka.
光熱費 covers electricity, gas, and water. 含まれていますか asks whether something is included in the price.
一か月いくらですか。
How much is it for one month?
Ikkagetsu ikura desu ka.
A simple price question. 一か月 means one month; いくら asks the amount.
来月からお願いします。
I would like it starting next month, please.
Raigetsu kara onegaishimasu.
来月から means from next month. お願いします makes the request polite and natural in a rental inquiry. Note that 来月 is read らいげつ (raigetsu), not らいつき.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To ask if a place can be rented for a period, use [place] は [period] 借りられますか。For example, この部屋は一週間借りられますか (Kono heya wa isshūkan kariraremasu ka) means 'Can I rent this room for one week?' Change 一か月 (one month) to 二か月 (two months) or 三か月 (three months) as needed. The particle は marks the apartment as the topic, and 借りられますか is the polite question form. If you want to sound a little softer, you can add ちょっと before the question, but it is not required. Note the readings: 一か月 is いっかげつ (ikkagetsu), 一週間 is いっしゅうかん (isshūkan), 二か月 is にかげつ (nikagetsu), and 三か月 is さんかげつ (sankagetsu).
When to use it
Use these questions when you are speaking with a landlord, a real estate agent, or a company that manages monthly mansions. For example, after asking このアパートは一か月借りられますか, you can follow up with 家具付きですか and 光熱費は含まれていますか. If the answer is はい、大丈夫です (Hai, daijōbu desu, 'Yes, that's fine'), you can ask 一か月いくらですか. If the answer is すみません、空いていません (Sumimasen, aite imasen, 'Sorry, it is not available'), say わかりました。ありがとうございます (Wakarimashita. Arigatō gozaimasu) and ask about another place. Note that 空いていません is read あいていません (aite imasen), from the verb 空く (aku, 'to be vacant').
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
すみません、このアパートは一か月借りられますか。
Excuse me, can I rent this apartment for one month?Sumimasen, kono apāto wa ikkagetsu kariraremasu ka.はい、一か月から大丈夫です。家具付きですよ。
Yes, one month or longer is fine. It is furnished.Hai, ikkagetsu kara daijōbu desu. Kagu-tsuki desu yo.光熱費は含まれていますか。一か月いくらですか。
Are utilities included? How much is it for one month?Kōnetsuhi wa fukumarete imasu ka. Ikkagetsu ikura desu ka.光熱費は別です。一か月八万円です。
Utilities are separate. It is 80,000 yen per month.Kōnetsuhi wa betsu desu. Ikkagetsu hachiman en desu.A little context goes a long way
In Japan, short-term rentals often use terms like マンスリーマンション (monthly mansion) or ウィークリーマンション (weekly mansion). These are not the same as a regular apartment lease, which usually requires a guarantor, key money, and a two-year contract. When speaking with a manager, polite です/ます forms are expected. Avoid casual forms like 借りられる until you know the person well. Also, 一か月借りられますか may be understood as a request for a one-month contract, so be ready to say 来月からお願いします to clarify the start date. Note that マンスリーマンション and ウィークリーマンション are wasei-eigo (Japanese-made English); マンション in Japanese means a concrete apartment building, not a large house.
One thing to watch for
Using 借ります instead of 借りられますか: このアパートは一か月借りますか.
Try this instead: 借りますか asks whether you rent it, not whether it is possible. Use the potential form 借りられますか: このアパートは一か月借りられますか。This politely asks if renting for one month is possible. Note that 借りますか is grammatically possible but sounds like you are asking about your own habit or a general fact, not about availability.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask 'Is this apartment available for one month?' in polite Japanese?
Show a sample answer
このアパートは一か月借りられますか。
This uses このアパートは for the topic and 借りられますか, the polite potential question form. 一か月 means one month. You could also say このアパートを一か月借りられますか, but は is more natural when asking about availability. Note that 一か月 is read いっかげつ (ikkagetsu).
2What Japanese word means 'furnished'?
Show a sample answer
家具付き
家具付き literally means 'furniture attached' and is the standard term for furnished rentals. 家具 alone means furniture, but 付き shows it is included.
3Ask whether utilities are included.
Show a sample answer
光熱費は含まれていますか。
光熱費 means utility costs, and 含まれていますか asks whether they are included. You can also ask 光熱費込みですか (Kōnetsuhi komi desu ka), which is shorter and common in casual rental listings. Note that 込み (komi) means 'included' and is read with a short o.
To rent short-term in Japanese, master one core question: このアパートは一か月借りられますか。Then check 家具付き and 光熱費, and ask 一か月いくらですか. Keep your tone polite with です/ます.
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