Renting a flat in Portugal: the Portuguese you'll need
T1, caução, fiador, renda: the words in every rental ad and contract, plus the questions to ask before you sign.
Reading the ads
T0, T1, T2… is the number of bedrooms: a T0 is a studio, a T2 has two bedrooms (plus living room). Arrendar is to rent (in everyday speech also alugar); arrendamento is the rental; mobilado means furnished.
Renda is the monthly rent (not “income”). Despesas incluídas means bills included; condomínio is the building's service charge.
The contract
Senhorio (landlord) and inquilino (tenant). Caução is the deposit; rendas adiantadas are months paid in advance; a fiador is a guarantor. Ask for the contrato de arrendamento and the recibo de renda (rent receipt).
Questions to ask
Portuguese for real life in Portugal
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