Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| apartamento | /apaɾtaˈmento/ | Central America, Colombia, Uruguay, Venezuela, masculine |
| departamento | /depaɾtaˈmento/ | Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Peru, masculine |
| piso | /ˈpiso/ | Spain, masculine |
| depa | /ˈdepa/ | Latin America, masculine |
All forms of this word refer to a domicile that occupies part of a building.
Which one should you use?
While apartamento and departamento both refer to an apartment, the term piso is specifically used in Spain, where it can also mean 'floor' in other contexts.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The term depa is a common colloquial shortening used in many parts of Latin America. Additionally, the word casa (house) is often used colloquially to refer to an apartment.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, piso is the standard term and the diminutive pisito is frequently used to refer to a small, cozy apartment. In Mexico, Chile, Argentina and Peru, the standard term is departamento. In Central American countries such as Costa Rica and Nicaragua, as well as in Colombia, Uruguay and Venezuela, apartamento is commonly used. The shortened form depa is used throughout Latin America.
How does it change in a sentence?
All provided forms are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/apaɾtaˈmento/
Did you know?
- The term apartamento is a linguistic circle, having been borrowed from Italian appartamento, which originally came from the Spanish word apartamiento.
- Depending on whether you are in Mexico or Colombia, choosing between departamento and apartamento can immediately signal your regional origin to a native speaker.
Examples in context
- Vivo en un apartamento.I live in an apartment.This sentence is useful for stating where you live using apartamento.Tatoeba #431921 by Leono, translation #252968 by CK
- Vive en un apartamento.He lives in an apartment.This sentence is useful for stating where someone else lives using apartamento.Tatoeba #1132661 by Shishir, translation #1959969 by CN
- Me gusta mucho tu piso.I like your apartment a lot.This sentence is useful for expressing liking someone's apartment using piso.Tatoeba #7946612 by arh, translation #7932656 by CK
- Vivo en un piso en el quinto pisoI live in a fifth-floor apartment
- Ella vive en un departamento de una habitaciónShe lives in a one-bedroom apartment
- Voy a visitar la casa de mi amigoI'm going to visit my friend's apartment
- Ellos tienen un pisito monísimoThey have a cute little apartment
- Busco dep. amoblado en SantiagoLooking for a furnished apartment in Santiago
- 147 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and Elena are discussing real estate options.
- Alejandro¿Te gusta este apartamento?Do you like this apartment?
- ElenaSí, el apartamento es hermoso.Yes, the apartment is beautiful.
- AlejandroEs un poco caro para mí.It is a bit expensive for me.
- ElenaPero es muy cómodo, Alejandro.But it is very comfortable, Alejandro.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “apartment” translations and entries apartamento, departamento, piso, depa, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries apartamento, departamento, piso, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
