Rental Income in Spanish | Say It Like a Landlord

In Spanish, “rental income” is most often “ingresos por alquiler”, with “rentas de alquiler” and “ingresos por arrendamiento” used by region and context.

If you’re trying to write or say Rental Income in Spanish for a lease, a tax form, a bank letter, or a message to a property manager, the tricky part isn’t the translation. It’s choosing the phrase that fits the setting. Spanish has several “right” options, and each one lands a bit differently: everyday talk, contract wording, or tax labels.

This article gives you the phrases native speakers actually use, shows where each one fits, and hands you copy-ready lines for forms and emails. You’ll also get a quick pronunciation cheat sheet so you can say it without second-guessing yourself.

Why “Rental Income” Has More Than One Spanish Match

English packs a lot into two words. Spanish often spells out the source of the money. That’s why you’ll see phrases built around ingresos (income), rentas (rents), and renting words like alquiler and arrendamiento.

Two everyday building blocks show up again and again:

  • Alquiler / alquilar — common in Spain and widely understood across the Spanish-speaking world.
  • Arrendamiento / arrendar — more formal; common in contracts and official writing in many places.

One detail that surprises learners: alquilar can mean either “to rent out” or “to rent from someone,” depending on context. Spanish speakers usually fix that with a short clarifier when it matters. RAE’s Diccionario panhispánico de dudas on “alquilar” explains that built-in ambiguity and how it works in real sentences.

What Most People Mean In Everyday Spanish

If you want a phrase that works in most daily situations, start here:

  • Ingresos por alquiler — the clean, widely understood match for “rental income.”
  • Ingresos por arrendamiento — more formal; fits letters and official paperwork.
  • Rentas de alquiler — common in some regions; reads naturally in summaries and reports.

If you’re speaking, ingresos por alquiler is usually the safest pick. It’s plain, clear, and doesn’t sound like contract language.

Where “Alquiler” And “Renta” Show Up

In Spain, alquiler is the everyday word you’ll hear most. In parts of Latin America, renta is also common in casual talk. You might hear “¿Cuánta renta te deja el departamento?” meaning “How much rent does the apartment bring you?”

In writing, ingresos por alquiler stays widely understood even where people say renta in conversation. If you want to avoid regional vibes in a document, pick ingresos por alquiler or ingresos por arrendamiento.

Pronunciation That Won’t Trip You Up

You don’t need a perfect accent to be understood. Aim for clean syllables and the right stress:

  • Ingresos: in-GREH-sos (stress on GREH).
  • Alquiler: al-kee-LEHR (stress on the last syllable).
  • Arrendamiento: a-ren-da-MYEN-to (stress on MYEN).

One small note: the double “rr” in arrendamiento is a rolled sound. If rolling is hard, a firmer “r” still works in most settings.

Rental Income in Spanish For Real Estate And Taxes

When money meets paperwork, Spanish often shifts from everyday words to labels and categories. That’s normal. The same concept can be written in plain Spanish in one spot and labeled as a tax category in another.

In Spain, you may see rental income from property labeled as rendimientos del capital inmobiliario on official guidance. That phrase is tax-category wording, not a phrase people use in casual talk. If you’re working inside Spain’s tax context, it’s smart to match the label you see on the page. Agencia Tributaria: “Rendimientos del capital inmobiliario” (IRPF manual) shows how that label appears in official guidance.

If you live in Finland and you’re reading Spanish-language public services pages, you may also see rendimientos del capital as a broad bucket for capital income in plain Spanish. InfoFinland’s Spanish taxation overview uses that term in a way that’s easy to map to everyday Spanish.

Quick rule that keeps things tidy: use ingresos por alquiler when you’re describing the money in your own words, and use the exact category name shown on the official form when you’re filling in that form.

Mini Glossary For Lease And Property Paperwork

These related words pop up around rental income, and knowing them helps you read Spanish forms faster:

  • Inquilino — tenant.
  • Arrendador — landlord (the person renting out the property).
  • Arrendatario — tenant (the person renting the property).
  • Contrato de alquiler — rental contract (common in Spain).
  • Contrato de arrendamiento — lease contract (more formal; common in legal writing).
  • Fianza — deposit (often a security deposit).
  • Gastos — expenses (a broad word used in many contexts).
  • Ingreso bruto — gross income.
  • Ingreso neto — net income.

If you’re translating a sentence and it contains arrendador and arrendatario, lean toward arrendamiento wording for “rental income” in that same document. It keeps the tone consistent.

Spanish Phrases For Rental Income And When To Use Them

Spanish Phrase Best Use Notes On Meaning
Ingresos por alquiler Everyday speech, emails, simple forms Direct match for “rental income”; reads natural across regions.
Ingresos por arrendamiento Contracts, official letters, formal reports More formal tone; pairs well with legal wording.
Rentas de alquiler Reports, summaries, property statements Common in some countries; close to “rent revenues.”
Rentas percibidas por alquiler Sworn declarations, tax statements “Rents received”; stresses money already collected.
Ingresos por renta Casual talk where “renta” is common Short phrase; can be vague, so add “de vivienda” if needed.
Ingresos del arrendamiento Accounting notes, property files Works well when “arrendamiento” is already defined earlier.
Rendimientos del capital inmobiliario Spain-specific tax pages and labels Tax category wording for property income, not casual speech.
Ingresos por alquileres Multiple units or tenants Plural “alquileres” can hint at more than one rental source.

How To Choose The Right Phrase In One Minute

If you’re stuck, pick based on the audience. This keeps you from sounding too casual on a form or too stiff in a text.

  • Talking to a tenant or friend: “ingresos por alquiler” or “lo que me deja el alquiler.”
  • Writing to a bank or insurer: “ingresos por arrendamiento” or “rentas de alquiler.”
  • Filling a tax portal: use the label shown on the page, even if it feels long.

When the reader might confuse who is renting from whom, add a short anchor: “ingresos por alquiler de mi piso” (rental income from my apartment) or “ingresos por alquiler de la vivienda” (rental income from the home). That single “de” phrase removes the guesswork.

Ready-To-Use Sentences For Forms, Emails, And Conversations

Below are lines you can copy as-is. Swap in your numbers, dates, and property type.

When You Need To State Monthly Rental Income

  • “Mis ingresos por alquiler son de 1.200 € al mes.”
  • “Los ingresos por arrendamiento ascienden a 1.200 € mensuales.”

When You Need To State Annual Rental Income

  • “En 2025, mis ingresos por alquiler fueron de 14.400 €.”
  • “Durante el año 2025, tuve rentas percibidas por alquiler por un total de 14.400 €.”

When You Need A Neutral Line About Expenses

  • “Los gastos del inmueble se descuentan de los ingresos del alquiler según corresponda.”
  • “Adjunto el desglose de ingresos y gastos del arrendamiento.”

Those lines stay neutral. They describe the situation without making claims about deduction rules. If you’re writing for an official process, follow the instructions on the form and match its labels.

Fill-In Templates That Sound Natural In Spanish

What You Want To Say Spanish Template Where It Fits
Rental income from one property “Ingresos por alquiler de [tipo de inmueble] en [ciudad]: [monto].” Bank letters, simple declarations
Rental income from multiple units “Ingresos por alquileres de [número] viviendas: [monto total].” Summaries, spreadsheets, reports
Income received during a period “Rentas percibidas por alquiler entre [fecha] y [fecha]: [monto].” Statements, proof requests
Lease contract wording “El arrendador percibirá una renta mensual de [monto].” Contracts and annexes
Proof of income wording “Se certifica que los ingresos por arrendamiento ascienden a [monto] mensuales.” Formal certificates
Short note for a message “El alquiler me deja [monto] al mes.” Texts and casual chat

How To Ask About Rental Income In Spanish

Sometimes you aren’t stating your own numbers. You’re asking someone else for theirs, or you’re verifying a figure for paperwork. These questions sound normal and polite.

  • “¿Cuáles son tus ingresos por alquiler al mes?”
  • “¿Cuánto ingresas por el alquiler de la vivienda?”
  • “¿Tienes un comprobante de ingresos por arrendamiento?”
  • “¿Me puedes enviar un resumen de rentas de alquiler del último año?”

If you want to soften the tone, add a reason in one short clause: “Lo necesito para el banco” or “Es para completar el formulario.” That keeps the request straightforward.

Common Mistakes People Make With “Rental Income” In Spanish

Mixing up “alquiler” and “renta” without context. In many places, renta can mean rent, yet it can also mean income in a broader sense. If the reader is looking at financial paperwork, add “de alquiler” to keep it clear.

Using “alquilar” in a way that blurs who pays whom. Since alquilar can mean renting in or renting out, a sentence like “Alquilo un piso” can mean “I rent an apartment” or “I rent out an apartment,” depending on context. If it matters, say “Alquilo mi piso” (I rent out my apartment) or “Alquilo un piso para vivir” (I rent an apartment to live in).

Over-formalizing a simple message. “Ingresos por arrendamiento” works in writing, yet it can sound stiff in a friendly chat. In casual talk, ingresos por alquiler sounds normal and clear.

Translating word-by-word into “ingreso de renta” without checking local usage. Spanish reads more naturally with “ingresos por…” for this meaning. It signals income coming from a source.

Short Checklist Before You Hit Send

  • Does your phrase match the document tone (casual vs. formal)?
  • Did you anchor the source with “de [property]” if confusion is possible?
  • Are you matching the labels already used on the form or portal?
  • Did you keep the line short enough that it won’t wrap awkwardly in a PDF form?

A One-Paragraph Recap You Can Reuse

If you want one safe line for most situations, write: “Ingresos por alquiler de [propiedad]: [monto]”. Use “ingresos por arrendamiento” when the document is formal, and match the exact category name when a tax portal provides one.

References & Sources