B2 · Unit 3 · 38 words, 2 texts with translation
Describe the apartment you're looking for
Describe the apartment you want and what it should have, talk to a real estate agent and read private owners' replies to your ad.
Texts in this unit
Grammar in this unit
Busco un piso que tenga…: the subjunctive for things you don't have yet
You already know that que means "who, that, which" (la chica que vive aquí — A2, unit 17), and that the subjunctive is used for things that aren't real yet (B1, unit 18). Now let's put the two together.
When you're looking for an apartment, a job or a repairman, you're describing something you don't have yet. Spanish shows this difference in the verb. Before the verb after que, ask yourself: can I point at this thing?
| Form after que | Example | |
|---|---|---|
| It exists, I know it | normal form (indicative) | Tengo un piso que tiene terraza. — I have an apartment that has a terrace. |
| It doesn't exist yet: I'm looking for it, I want it, I need it | subjunctive | Busco un piso que tenga terraza. — I'm looking for an apartment that has a terrace. |
In English both sentences say "that has". In Spanish the verb changes: the second apartment is only a wish so far.
You use this after buscar, querer, necesitar, preferir and in questions like "is there anyone (or anything) like that?":
- Necesito un fontanero que venga hoy. — I need a plumber who can come today.
- ¿Hay alguien que hable inglés? — Is there anyone who speaks English?
- Quiero vivir en un barrio donde haya metro. — I want to live in a neighborhood where there's a metro. It works the same way with donde.
It's about the thing, not the verb. Busco el piso que tiene terraza: lo vi ayer en un anuncio — I'm looking for the apartment that has a terrace: I saw it in an ad yesterday. This apartment really exists, so the form is normal.
After a negative — always the subjunctive: the thing you're talking about simply doesn't exist.
- No hay nadie que sepa arreglarlo. — There's no one who knows how to fix it.
- No tengo nada que sea más barato. — I don't have anything cheaper.
- No conozco a nadie que viva allí. — I don't know anyone who lives there.
Compare: Conozco a alguien que vive allí — I know someone who lives there. This person exists, so the form is normal.
Common mistake: the normal form out of habit: ✗ busco un piso que tiene luz — the right form is que tenga luz. And the other way around: about a friend you really have, tengo una amiga que habla inglés — I have a friend who speaks English.
Cualquiera, donde quieras, lo que quieras: "any" and "wherever you want"
You already know cualquier — "any" (A2, unit 4) and the words lo que and donde (B1, unit 15). Now you'll learn how to say "I don't mind, you choose."
Cualquier and cualquiera. Before a noun, use the short form, the same for masculine and feminine: cualquier piso, cualquier zona. Without a noun, or after it, use the full form:
- —¿Qué día le viene bien? —Cualquiera. — What day works for you? (formal) — Any day.
- Cualquiera de los dos me vale. — Either of the two works for me.
- No es un piso cualquiera. — It's not just any apartment.
If you go on to describe the "any" thing, the verb after que is in the subjunctive, by the rule from the block above: Me vale cualquier piso que tenga luz — Any apartment that gets light works for me.
"Wherever you want, however you want." After donde, como, cuando and lo que, use the subjunctive when the choice hasn't been made yet and you leave it to the other person:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Quedamos donde quieras. | Let's meet wherever you want. |
| Hazlo como quieras. | Do it however you want. |
| Ven cuando quieras. | Come whenever you want. |
| Pide lo que quieras. | Order whatever you want. |
A tip from English: words with -ever (wherever, however, whenever, whatever) often point to the subjunctive in Spanish.
With usted (formal you): como usted quiera — as you wish, cuando usted pueda — whenever you can. The verb can be any verb: lo que necesites — whatever you need.
Compare. Compro lo que necesito — I buy what I need: I know exactly what it is, so the form is normal. Compra lo que necesites — buy whatever you need: what exactly is still unknown.
Common mistake: the full form before a noun: ✗ cualquiera día — the right form is cualquier día. And be careful: un cualquiera about a person is insulting — "a nobody".
Words in this unit
la inmobiliaria — real estate agency
Mañana voy a la inmobiliaria para ver pisos. — Tomorrow I'm going to the real estate agency to look at apartments.
la vivienda — home, housing
Busco una vivienda cerca del trabajo. — I'm looking for a home near work.
amplio — spacious, roomy
Busco un piso amplio para mi familia. — I'm looking for a spacious apartment for my family.
soleado — sunny
Quiero un piso soleado. — I want a sunny apartment.
ideal — ideal, perfect
Para mí, el piso ideal tiene terraza. — For me, the ideal apartment has a terrace.
económico — inexpensive, economical
Busco un alquiler económico. — I'm looking for an inexpensive rental.
asequible — affordable
Necesitamos una vivienda asequible. — We need affordable housing.
razonable — reasonable
El alquiler es razonable para esta zona. — The rent is reasonable for this area.
cercano — nearby, close, nearest
Busco un piso cercano al metro. — I'm looking for an apartment close to the metro.
bien comunicado — well connected (by public transportation)
Busco un barrio bien comunicado. — I'm looking for a well-connected neighborhood.
la ubicación — location
La ubicación del piso es perfecta. — The apartment's location is perfect.
la superficie — area, floor area
La superficie del piso es de ochenta metros. — The apartment's floor area is eighty square meters.
metro cuadrado — square meter
El piso tiene noventa metros cuadrados. — The apartment has ninety square meters.
imprescindible — essential, a must
Una terraza es imprescindible para mí. — A terrace is essential for me.
la prioridad — priority
Mi prioridad es vivir cerca del trabajo. — My priority is to live near work.
la característica — feature, characteristic
¿Qué características tiene el piso? — What features does the apartment have?
adecuado — suitable, right
Este piso es adecuado para una pareja. — This apartment is suitable for a couple.
decente — decent
Quiero un piso decente por un precio normal. — I want a decent apartment at a normal price.
atractivo — attractive
Es un piso muy atractivo. — It's a very attractive apartment.
particular — private; private individual
Alquilo mi piso de particular a particular. — I'm renting out my apartment directly, with no agency.
a ser posible — if possible, preferably
Quiero un piso con terraza, a ser posible. — I want an apartment with a terrace, if possible.
descartar — to rule out, to discard
Descarto este piso porque no tiene ascensor. — I'm ruling out this apartment because it doesn't have an elevator.
encajar — to fit
Este piso no encaja en mi presupuesto. — This apartment doesn't fit into my budget.
conformarse — to settle for, to make do with
Me conformo con un piso pequeño. — I'll settle for a small apartment.
permitirse — to afford, to allow yourself
No me puedo permitir un piso tan caro. — I can't afford such an expensive apartment.
disponer — to have (available)
El piso dispone de dos baños. — The apartment has two bathrooms.
aire acondicionado — air conditioning
El piso tiene aire acondicionado. — The apartment has air conditioning.
el electrodoméstico — household appliance, appliance
El piso viene con todos los electrodomésticos. — The apartment comes with all the appliances.
la piscina — swimming pool, pool
La urbanización tiene piscina. — The residential complex has a pool.
el trastero — storage room
El piso tiene un trastero en el sótano. — The apartment has a storage room in the basement.
el telefonillo — intercom
Suena el telefonillo. ¿Quién es? — The intercom is ringing. Who is it?
la madera — wood
El suelo es de madera. — The floor is made of wood.
el transporte — transportation
Voy al trabajo en transporte público. — I go to work on public transportation.
estrenar — to use for the first time
Hoy estreno zapatos. — Today I'm wearing new shoes for the first time.
a estrenar — brand-new, never used
Vendo un piso a estrenar. — I'm selling a brand-new apartment.
la descripción — description
La descripción del piso no dice cuánto cuesta. — The apartment's description doesn't say how much it costs.
costar un ojo de la cara — to cost an arm and a leg
Ese abrigo cuesta un ojo de la cara. — That coat costs an arm and a leg.
dar gato por liebre — to rip someone off, to con someone
En ese mercado intentaron darme gato por liebre. — At that market, they tried to rip me off.
Learn these words with flashcards
In the app, the unit’s words come to your flashcards a few at a time and repeat until they stick, and the texts show them in use. 15 minutes a day.
Start for freeEverything is open for free. No card needed to sign up.