Negotiating lease renewal terms | Learn Spanish in English

Spanish lesson set in a contemporary Madrid everyday setting: In a housing office discussion, a tenant asks which lease renewal terms may be negotiable for a longer and more stable commitment..

EN → ES / Level: B2

About This Lesson

Use Negotiating lease renewal terms to practice Spanish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

He recibido el aviso de renovación y me gustaría hablar sobre las condiciones.

eh reh-see-BEE-doh el ah-BEE-soh deh reh-noh-vah-SYON ee meh goos-tah-REE-ah ah-BLAR soh-BREH lahs kohn-dee-SYOH-nehs. I received the renewal notice and would like to discuss terms.
B

Podemos revisar la renovación en conjunto y ver qué aspectos se pueden ajustar.

poh-DEH-mohs reh-bee-SAR lah reh-noh-vah-SYON ehn kohn-HOON-toh ee behr keh ah-SPEHK-tohs seh PWEH-dehn ah-hoos-TAR. We can look at the renewal together and see where there is room to adjust.
A

He sido un inquilino fiable y mantengo el apartamento con cuidado.

eh SEE-doh oon een-kee-LEE-noh FYAH-bleh ee mahn-TEHN-goh el ah-pahr-tah-MEHN-toh kohn kwee-DAH-doh. I have been a reliable tenant and maintain the apartment carefully.
B

Eso me da un contexto útil antes de hablar con el propietario.

EH-soh meh dah oon kohn-TEHK-stoh OO-teehl AHN-tehs deh ah-BLAR kohn el proh-pee-eh-TAH-ryoh. That gives me helpful context before I speak with the owner.
A

Espero poder tener un contrato de alquiler más largo y con condiciones más estables.

eh-SPEH-roh poh-DEHR teh-NEHR oon kohn-TRAH-toh deh ahl-kee-LEHR mahs LAHR-goh ee kohn kohn-dee-SYOH-nehs mahs ehs-TAH-blehs. I am hoping for a longer lease with more stable terms.
B

Si puede comprometerse con un contrato de alquiler más largo, puedo preguntar por unas condiciones más previsibles.

see PWEH-deh kohm-proh-meh-TEHR-seh kohn oon kohn-TRAH-toh deh ahl-kee-LEHR mahs LAHR-goh, PWEH-doh preh-goon-TAR pohr OO-nahs kohn-dee-SYOH-nehs mahs preh-bee-SEE-blehs. If you can commit to a longer lease, I can ask about more predictable terms.
A

¿Podría explicarme qué condiciones se pueden negociar realmente?

poh-DREE-ah ehk-splee-KAR-meh keh kohn-dee-SYOH-nehs seh PWEH-dehn neh-goh-SYAR reh-ahl-MEHN-teh? Could you outline which terms are actually negotiable?
B

La política general es fija, pero las condiciones de renovación pueden tener cierta flexibilidad.

lah poh-LEE-tee-kah heh-neh-RAHL ehs FEE-hah, PEH-roh lahs kohn-dee-SYOH-nehs deh reh-noh-vah-SYON PWEH-dehn teh-NEHR SYEHR-tah flehk-see-bee-lee-DAHD. The general policy is fixed, but the renewal conditions may have some flexibility.

Word by Word

He “He” means “I have” here and helps form “He recibido”, meaning “I have received”. It is used before a past participle in this dialogue. A useful pattern is the combination shown in “He recibido”.
recibido “Recibido” means “received” in “He recibido el aviso”. It is the form used after “He” to describe receiving the notice. The same form can be reused after “He” when referring to something received.
el “El” means “the” before the masculine singular noun “aviso”. Together, “el aviso” means “the notice”. Use “el” directly before a matching masculine singular noun.
aviso “Aviso” means “notice” in “el aviso de renovación”. The phrase identifies the notice the tenant received about the renewal. It can be used with “de” to specify what the notice concerns.
de “De” links “aviso” to “renovación”, giving the meaning “notice of renewal”. It commonly connects a noun with the subject or purpose associated with it. The exact pattern here is “aviso de renovación”.
renovación “Renovación” means “renewal” in “el aviso de renovación” and “la renovación”. Here it refers to renewing the rental agreement. It can follow “de” to describe the subject of a notice.
y “Y” means “and” and joins two related actions in “He recibido el aviso de renovación y me gustaría hablar”. It connects the receipt of the notice with the wish to discuss it. Use it to link words, phrases, or complete statements.
me “Me” means “to me” in “me gustaría hablar”, marking the person who has the wish. Its meaning is understood together with “gustaría”, not by itself as “would like”. The useful expression shown here is “me gustaría hablar” when politely expressing a wish to talk.
gustaría “Gustaría” helps express the polite wish “would like” in “me gustaría hablar”. With “me”, it presents talking about the terms as the speaker’s desired action. It is useful before an infinitive, as in “me gustaría hablar”.
hablar “Hablar” means “to talk” or “to speak” in “hablar sobre las condiciones”. It appears as an infinitive after “me gustaría”. The expression “hablar sobre” is used to introduce the topic of a discussion.
sobre “Sobre” means “about” in “hablar sobre las condiciones”. It introduces the subject being discussed. Use it after “hablar” when naming the topic, as in the dialogue phrase “hablar sobre las condiciones”.
las “Las” means “the” before the feminine plural noun “condiciones”. In “las condiciones”, it refers to the specific terms under discussion. Use “las” directly before a matching feminine plural noun.
condiciones “Condiciones” means “conditions” or “terms” in this lease discussion. It appears in “las condiciones” and refers to the terms of the renewal. It can also be modified by an adjective, as in “condiciones más estables”.
Podemos “Podemos” means “we can” in “Podemos revisar la renovación”. It introduces an action that the speakers are able or willing to do together. A useful pattern is “Podemos” followed by an infinitive, as in “Podemos revisar”.
revisar “Revisar” means “to review” in “Podemos revisar la renovación”. It is an infinitive following “Podemos”. It can be used before the thing being examined, here “la renovación”.
la “La” means “the” before a feminine singular noun. In the dialogue it appears in “la renovación” and, at the start of a sentence, as “La política”. Use this article before a matching feminine singular noun.
en “En” means “in” in the expression “en conjunto”. Here it helps form the meaning “together” or “as a group”. It commonly appears before a noun in fixed or ordinary expressions of place, manner, or situation.
conjunto “Conjunto” contributes the idea of a group or whole in “en conjunto”, which means “together” here. The phrase describes reviewing the renewal jointly. Use it with “en” in this expression rather than treating it as the complete meaning of “together” by itself.
ver “Ver” means “to see” in “ver qué aspectos se pueden ajustar”. Here it introduces the question of which aspects can be changed. It can be followed by “qué” and a clause explaining what is to be determined.
qué “Qué” means “which” or “what” in “ver qué aspectos se pueden ajustar” and “qué condiciones se pueden negociar”. It introduces the specific things being identified or discussed. Use the accented form in these question or indirect-question expressions.
aspectos “Aspectos” means “aspects” in “qué aspectos se pueden ajustar”. It refers to particular parts of the renewal that may be changed. It can be followed by a description of what can happen to those parts.
se “Se” helps present “se pueden ajustar” without naming the person who would make the adjustment. With “aspectos”, the expression means that the aspects can be adjusted. A reusable pattern shown in the dialogue is “se pueden” followed by an infinitive.
pueden “Pueden” means “can” or “are possible” in “se pueden ajustar”. It expresses that the aspects are capable of being adjusted. In this expression, it appears with the plural noun “aspectos”.
ajustar “Ajustar” means “to adjust” in “se pueden ajustar”. It is an infinitive following “pueden” and refers to changing the renewal aspects. The pattern “se pueden ajustar” is useful when the possible action matters more than the person doing it.
sido “Sido” means “been” in “He sido un inquilino fiable”. It appears after “He” to describe the speaker’s status or qualities over the relevant period. The dialogue provides the useful combination “He sido”.
un “Un” means “a” or “an” before the masculine singular noun “inquilino”. In “un inquilino fiable”, it introduces the speaker as one reliable tenant. Use it before a matching masculine singular noun.
inquilino “Inquilino” means “tenant” in “un inquilino fiable”. It identifies the person renting the apartment. In this dialogue, it is used with “ser” to describe the speaker’s role.
fiable “Fiable” means “reliable” in “un inquilino fiable”. It describes the tenant’s conduct as a reason for discussing the renewal. It can follow a noun to give a personal or professional quality, as shown here.
mantengo “Mantengo” means “I maintain” or “I keep” in “mantengo el apartamento con cuidado”. It describes the speaker’s ongoing care of the apartment. It can be followed directly by the thing being maintained, here “el apartamento”.
apartamento “Apartamento” means “apartment” in “mantengo el apartamento con cuidado”. It is the property that the tenant maintains. It appears after the verb and is introduced by “el”.
con “Con” means “with” in “con cuidado”. Together, the phrase describes doing something carefully or with care. Use “con” before a noun that expresses the manner or quality accompanying an action.
cuidado “Cuidado” means “care” in “mantengo el apartamento con cuidado”. The phrase explains how the apartment is maintained. “Con cuidado” is a useful expression for describing careful action.
Eso “Eso” means “that” and refers to the tenant’s preceding statement about being reliable and maintaining the apartment. In “Eso me da un contexto útil”, it makes that previous information the subject of the next statement. It can be used to refer back to an idea just mentioned.
da “Da” means “gives” in “Eso me da un contexto útil”. The subject is “Eso”, and “me” identifies the recipient. A useful pattern shown here is a subject followed by “da”, a recipient, and the thing given.
contexto “Contexto” means “context” in “un contexto útil”. Here it means useful background information before speaking with the owner. It can be modified by an adjective placed after it, as in “contexto útil”.
útil “Útil” means “useful” in “un contexto útil”. It describes the context as helpful for the next conversation. It can follow a noun to state that the noun has practical value.
antes “Antes” means “before” in “antes de hablar con el propietario”. It places the conversation with the owner after the speaker has received this context. It is commonly followed by “de” and an infinitive, as in the dialogue phrase “antes de hablar”.
propietario “Propietario” means “owner” or “landlord” in “hablar con el propietario”. It refers to the person responsible for the rented property. The dialogue uses it after “con” to identify the person being spoken with.
Espero “Espero” means “I hope” in “Espero poder tener un contrato de alquiler más largo”. It introduces the speaker’s desired outcome for the renewal. It can be followed by “poder” and another infinitive, as shown here.
poder “Poder” means “to be able to” in “Espero poder tener”. It expresses the possibility of having the desired lease and follows “Espero”. The pattern “Espero poder” is useful for stating a hoped-for ability or possibility.
tener “Tener” means “to have” in “poder tener un contrato de alquiler”. It is an infinitive after “poder” and introduces what the speaker hopes to obtain. It can be followed by the thing possessed or obtained, here “un contrato de alquiler”.
contrato “Contrato” means “contract” in “un contrato de alquiler”. It refers to the formal rental agreement. The noun can be followed by “de” and another noun to specify the type of contract.
alquiler “Alquiler” means “rental” in “contrato de alquiler”. The phrase means “rental contract” or “lease”. It follows “de” to identify the contract’s purpose.
más “Más” means “more” in “más largo” and “más estables”. It increases the degree of the following descriptions, giving “longer” and “more stable”. It is used before an adjective when making this comparison.
largo “Largo” means “long” and, with “más”, gives “longer” in “un contrato de alquiler más largo”. It describes the duration of the lease. Here it matches the masculine singular noun “contrato”.
estables “Estables” means “stable” in “condiciones más estables”. With “más”, it means “more stable”. It describes the terms and appears in the plural because it refers to “condiciones”.
Si “Si” means “if” in “Si puede comprometerse con un contrato de alquiler más largo”. It introduces a condition for the speaker’s offer to ask about other terms. It is useful at the beginning of a conditional statement.
puede “Puede” means “you can” in this formal exchange. In “Si puede comprometerse”, it addresses the tenant respectfully and introduces the action they may be able to take. It is followed by an infinitive, here “comprometerse”.
comprometerse “Comprometerse” means “to commit oneself” in “comprometerse con un contrato de alquiler más largo”. The reflexive ending shows that the person commits themselves. It is followed here by “con” and the commitment being made.
puedo “Puedo” means “I can” in “puedo preguntar por unas condiciones más previsibles”. It states what the speaker is able or willing to do. It is followed by an infinitive, here “preguntar”.
preguntar “Preguntar” means “to ask” or “to inquire” in “preguntar por unas condiciones más previsibles”. The expression focuses on asking about the terms. A useful pattern shown here is “preguntar por” followed by the subject of the inquiry.
por “Por” means “about” in “preguntar por unas condiciones más previsibles”. It introduces the information being requested. In this context, it belongs with “preguntar” to form the inquiry pattern “preguntar por”.
unas “Unas” means “some” before the feminine plural noun “condiciones”. In “unas condiciones más previsibles”, it introduces possible terms that the speaker may ask about. Use it before a matching feminine plural noun.
previsibles “Previsibles” means “predictable” in “unas condiciones más previsibles”. It describes terms whose future behavior or effect would be easier to anticipate. With “más”, it means “more predictable” and matches plural “condiciones”.
Podría “Podría” expresses a formal and polite “could” in “¿Podría explicarme...?”. It makes the request for an outline of the negotiable terms respectful rather than direct. It is useful for polite requests addressed to someone formally.
explicarme “Explicarme” means “explain to me” in “¿Podría explicarme qué condiciones...?”. The ending “me” identifies the person receiving the explanation. It follows “Podría” as an infinitive and is attached to that infinitive in this form.
negociar “Negociar” means “to negotiate” in “se pueden negociar realmente”. It describes the possibility of reaching an arrangement about the conditions. It appears as an infinitive after “pueden” in the passive-style expression “se pueden negociar”.
realmente “Realmente” means “really” or “actually” in “se pueden negociar realmente”. It emphasizes whether the conditions are genuinely open to negotiation. It modifies the statement about their negotiability.
política “Política” means “policy” in “La política general”. It refers to the general rule that applies to the renewal discussion. It is introduced by “La” and modified by “general”.
general “General” means “general” in “La política general”. It describes the policy as applying broadly rather than identifying a specific individual term. It follows the noun it modifies in this phrase.
es “Es” means “is” in “La política general es fija”. It links the general policy with the description “fija”. A useful pattern shown here is a noun followed by “es” and an adjective.
fija “Fija” means “fixed” in “La política general es fija”. It describes the general policy as not open to adjustment in this discussion. It matches the feminine singular noun “política”.
pero “Pero” means “but” and contrasts the fixed general policy with the possible flexibility of the renewal conditions. It connects the two parts of the final statement. Use it to introduce an exception or contrast.
cierta “Cierta” means “some” or “a certain amount of” in “cierta flexibilidad”. It indicates that the renewal conditions may have a limited or unspecified degree of flexibility. It matches the feminine singular noun “flexibilidad”.
flexibilidad “Flexibilidad” means “flexibility” in “las condiciones de renovación pueden tener cierta flexibilidad”. It refers to the possibility that some renewal terms can be adjusted. It can be used after “tener” to describe the amount of room for adjustment available.

Grammar Points

comprometerse a + infinitivo

El inquilino puede comprometerse a negociar.

ehl een-kee-LEE-noh PWEH-deh kohm-proh-meh-TEHR-seh ah neh-goh-SYAR.

The tenant can commit to negotiating.

The reflexive verb comprometerse uses a before a following infinitive.

en conjunto

El propietario y el inquilino revisan las condiciones en conjunto.

ehl proh-pee-eh-TAH-ryoh ee ehl een-kee-LEE-noh reh-BEE-sahn lahs kohn-dee-SYOH-nehs ehn kohn-HOON-toh.

The owner and the tenant review the terms together.

En conjunto is an adverbial phrase meaning together or as a whole.

Spanish Vocabulary

ajustar verb
ah-hoos-TAR to adjust

Ver qué aspectos se pueden ajustar.

aviso noun
ah-BEE-soh notice

He recibido el aviso de renovación.

con cuidado phrase
kohn kwee-DAH-doh carefully; with care

Mantengo el apartamento con cuidado.

condiciones noun
kohn-dee-SYOH-nehs terms; conditions

Me gustaría hablar sobre las condiciones.

contexto noun
kohn-TEHK-stoh context

Eso me da un contexto útil.

en conjunto phrase
ehn kohn-HOON-toh together; as a whole

Podemos revisar la renovación en conjunto.

fiable adj
FYAH-bleh reliable

He sido un inquilino fiable.

inquilino noun
een-kee-LEE-noh tenant

He sido un inquilino fiable.

mantengo verb
mahn-TEHN-goh I maintain; I keep

Mantengo el apartamento con cuidado.

propietario noun
proh-pee-eh-TAH-ryoh owner; landlord

Antes de hablar con el propietario.

renovación noun
reh-noh-vah-SYON renewal

He recibido el aviso de renovación.

revisar verb
reh-bee-SAR to review

Podemos revisar la renovación en conjunto.

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

I maintain; I keep

Show Answermantengo

to review

Show Answerrevisar

reliable

Show Answerfiable

to adjust

Show Answerajustar