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alquilar

al-kee-LAHR/alkiˈlaɾ/

to rent

Also: to hire, to lease
VerbA1regular ar
Mexico and USASpain
A person handing a set of keys to another person in front of a small apartment building.
gerundalquilando
past Participlealquilado
infinitivealquilar

📝 In Action

Queremos alquilar un coche para ir a la playa.

A1

We want to rent a car to go to the beach.

Ella alquila un apartamento pequeño en el centro.

A1

She rents a small apartment downtown.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • rentar (to rent (common in Latin America))
  • arrendar (to lease/rent out (more formal))

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • alquilar un piso – to rent a flat/apartment
  • coche de alquiler – rental car
  • en alquiler – for rent

to rent out

Also: to let
VerbA2regular ar
A person standing next to a 'For Rent' sign shaped like a house, handing a key to a new tenant.

📝 In Action

Mis padres alquilan una habitación a un estudiante.

A2

My parents are renting out a room to a student.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • subarrendar (to sublet)

Common Collocations

  • se alquila – for rent (sign seen on buildings)

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesalquilaran
yoalquilara
túalquilaras
vosotrosalquilarais
nosotrosalquiláramos
él/ella/ustedalquilara

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesalquilen
yoalquile
túalquiles
vosotrosalquiléis
nosotrosalquilemos
él/ella/ustedalquile

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedesalquilaron
yoalquilé
túalquilaste
vosotrosalquilasteis
nosotrosalquilamos
él/ella/ustedalquiló

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesalquilaban
yoalquilaba
túalquilabas
vosotrosalquilabais
nosotrosalquilábamos
él/ella/ustedalquilaba

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesalquilan
yoalquilo
túalquilas
vosotrosalquiláis
nosotrosalquilamos
él/ella/ustedalquila
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "alquilar" in Spanish:

to hire→to lease→to let→to rent→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: alquilar

Question 1 of 2

How do you say 'I want to rent a bike'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
alquiler(the rent (the payment or the concept)) — Noun
alquilado(rented) — Adjective
inquilino(tenant) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Arabic word 'al-kirā', which means 'the rent' or 'the act of hiring'.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: alugar

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'alquilar' and 'rentar'?

They mean the same thing. 'Alquilar' is the most common word in Spain, while 'rentar' is very common in Mexico and parts of Latin America.

Can I use 'alquilar' for people?

No, 'alquilar' is only for things like houses, cars, or equipment. For hiring employees, use 'contratar'.