Gecko Towers
MarbellaPropertyLawyers’ – An English-Spanish Property Glossary
Certain Spanish words creep into the everyday vocabulary of those English speakers involved in the property market in Spain. To the non-Spanish speaker reactions to this can range from confusion – as you don’t understand what’s being said – to irritation – you speak English so please do just that!.
Prime candidates amongst the most irritating and I am sure its not done deliberately – are “trastero” meaning “store-room” and “reform“ or ”reforma” – meaning renovation.
One of our roles at MarbellaPropertyLawyers is to make sure that our readers gather as much relevant information as they can ahead of their delve into the online searches, the glossy property magazines or flicking though an estate agent‘s particulars. Please see below, a glossary of the usual vocabulary – ok may be some would call it jargon – that we come across in our daily work in Marbella and the surrounding regions.
I am told by linguists that this is primarily Castellano (the form Spanish that is common outside the following three regions) in origin so if you are looking in Catalunya, Galicia or the Basque Country there is every chance that there is a completely different word for same item!
If the idea of reading a dictionary fills you with horror – don’t read on. However, if you have a passing interest in Spanish property, I can assure you that you will get something memorable out of this. Something that just might come in handy in the future.
We started this list over ten years ago and see this as a “living” glossary, so if you come across words and phrases that could usefully be added, please let us know. And, yes, we have deliberately put the Spanish expression first followed by the English – that way you need to study the list for those words sought – a great way to learn
A
Abogado – Lawyer
Adosado – Semi-detached or town house
Administrador de Fincas – Administrator for aCommunity of Property Owners
Aire acondicionado – Air conditioning
Agua/Agua potable – Water /drinking water
Albanil – Bricklayer
Alfombra – Carpet
Almacen – Warehouse storage
Amortización – Depreciation
Antigüedad(es) / tienda de – Antique/Antique shop
Aparcamiento – Parking
Arbol/Arbol de Navidad – Tree/Christmas Tree
Architecto – Architect
Arena – Sand
Armario – Cupboard/wardrobe
Assesoria Fiscales/Economica– Accountant or Tax Accountan
Aval Bancario – Bank Guarantee
Azulejos – Ceramic floor or wall tiles
B
Balcon – Balcony
Banco/cuenta de/targeta de – Bank/bank account/bank card
Bańo – Bathroom
Bañera – Bath
Barbacoa – Barbecue
Basura – Rubbish bins and rubbish taxes B
Bidé – Bidet
Bombilla – Light bulb
Buzón – Mailbox
C
Caja de Ahorros – Old fashioned Savings bank
Calefacción central – Central heating
Campo – The countryside
Cargas – Land charges registered against the property
Caro- Wheelbarrow
Casa unifamiliar – Detached house
Casita – Cottage
Cedula de Habitabilidad – Habitation Certificate
Cemento – Cement
Certificado Registral – Certificate showing debts attaching to a property
Cesped/Cortacesped – Grass/Lawnmower
Chalet – A small villa
Cocina – Kitchen
Comedor – Dining room
Comunidad de Propietarios – Committee of property owners/Residents association
Contrato de Builder – Constructor Compraventa Private – Property sales contract
Constructor – Builder
Construido – Built area, of property
Construir – Build
Cortafila – Strimmer
Costa Azahar – The Orange Blossom Coast
Costa Blanca – The White Coast
Costa del Sol – The Sun Coast
Costa del la Luz – Coast of Light
Corriente or la luz – Electricity
Cortijo – A country property inland with farming roots
Cuadro – Picture or painting
Cuarto de Bano – Bathroom
Cuba – Skip
Cubo – Bucket
D
Documento Informativo Abreviado – Property Information Pack
Documento privado – Private document
Documento público – Public document
Dormitorio – Bedroom
Ducha – Shower
Duplex – Apartment over two floors
E
Ebanista /carpintero – Joiner
Edificio – Building
Electrician – Electricista
Endesa – Electrical supply company
Escaleras – Stairs
Escayolista/Yesero – Plasterer
Escritura – Deeds of ownership
Escritura pública de compraventa – Title Deeds
Espejo – Mirror
Estatutos – By-Laws of the Resident’s Association
Euribor – Variable interest rate set by European banks
F
Fontanero – Plumber
Ficha Informativa – Home Inventory
Finca – Farm house or small estate
Fin de Obra – Formal Completion of Works on a new property
Fuente – Fountain
G
Garaje – Garage
Gas Butano – Butane gas often used for cooking and water heating
Gestoría – Specialists used to obtain official authorisations, permits and licences
Grifo(s) – Tap(s)
H
Habitación – A Room – often a bedroom
Hierro – Iron including RSJ
Hipoteca – Mortgage
Hormigon – Concrete
I
Impuesto extraordinario sobre el patrimonio – Wealth Tax – extraordinary tax on assets
Impuesto sobre Bienes Inmuebles (‘IBI”) – Property tax levied yearly (Akin to English Council Tax or Local Authority Rates)
Impuesto sobre el Incremento del Valor de los Terrenos – Tax on the increase of land value
Impuesto sobre el patrimonio – Capital gains tax
Incremento de patrimonio – A Capital gain
Impuesto sobre Transmisiones Patrionales (“ITP”) – Property Transfer Tax levied on all re-sale (previously owned) property.
Impuesto sobre Actos Juridicos Documentados – AJD – Akin to English Stamp Duty
Inmobiliaria/agente – Estate agent
Inversion en terreno – Land investment in Spain
Impuesto sobre el Valor Añadido (“IVA”) – “VAT” – Value Added tax levied on sales of new property.
J
Jardin – Garden
Junta General – Annual General Meeting (Community)
L
Ladrillo – Brick
Lavabo – Washing basin
Lena – Firewood
Libre de Cargas – Debt free
Libro del Edificio – Documents from the promoter when building is finished
Licencia de prima ocupación – Licence to occupy a completed property
Licencia de obra – Building permission
Limpiadora – A Cleaner
M
Madera – Wood for woodworks
Manija de la puerta – Door handle
Mangera – Hose pipe or petrol hose
Mármol – Marble
Martillo – Hammer
Metros cuadrados – Square metres – units floor area is measured in
Mortero – Mortar
Motosierra – Chainsaw
N
N.I.E. – Número de Identificación de Extranjero- Identity Number for Foreigners – required for a property purchase
N.I.F. – Número de Identificación Fiscal – A Spanish citizen’s Fiscal Identification Number.
Notario – Notary – records the legal details of property and land sales
Nota Simple – Certificate from Property Registry
O
Obra Nueva – Document certifying a new building
Oferta vinculante – Bank document specifying mortgage conditions
Ordenador – Computer
P
Pago en efectivo – Cash payment
Parcela – Lot or plot
Pestillo – Door lock
Pintor – Painter
Piscina – Swimming pool
Piso – a tourism orientated Apartment
Playa – Beach
Planta Baja – Ground or first floor
Plusvalía – Municipal Capital gains tax on the sale of property
Podar- To prune
Poder – Power of Attorney
Pozo – Well
Préstamo/ con techo – Loan/with variable interests with fixed minimum and maximum
Préstamo hipotecario – Mortgage loan
Pueblo – Town or village
Puerta – Door
R
Registro de la Propiedad – Register of Property Ownership
Representante fiscal – Foreigner’s official tax representative
Resale Property – A second hand property, already registered at the property register in Spain.
Residencia – Residency permit
Residente – Resident
Reforma – To renovate a property
Riego – Irrigation
S
Sala/salon – Lounge
Se vende or en venta – For sale
Se alquila – For Rent
Sevillana – Electricity company
Seguro de amortización de préstamos – Loan repayment insurance
Seguro Multirriesgo Hogar – House insurance
Señal – Deposit or down payment
Solar – Lot for building
Sótano – Basement
Subasta – Auction
Suelo – Floor or surface
Suelo Radiante – Underfloor heating
T
Tasación – Independent valuation of property
Tasa de cambio – Exchange rate
Tasadores – Official Bank Valuers
Techo – Roof
Teja – Roof tile
Terraza – Terrace
Terreno – Land
Terreno en venta – Land for sale
Terreno – Plot of land
Terreno para construir – Building land on the Costa del Sol
Tijeras – Scissors or Secateurs
Tipo de interés – Rate of interest
Título de propiedad – Deeds stating the ownership of property, date of sale etc.
Trastero – Storeroom
V
Valor Catastral – Assessed value of property for tax purposes
Ventana – Window
Vidriero – Glazier
Villa – A detached house
Y
Yeso/Escayola/Perlita – Gypsum Plaster/Moulding/Fine Plaster
Should you be interested in discussing the processes involved in buying a property in the Marbella region, we would be delighted to assist you. Our team of bi-lingual, highly experienced and wholly independent team of Abogados are ready to help you.
Please call me, Mark FR Wilkins, during usual business hours on +34 600 343 917 or, if you prefer, or e-mail me at mark@roslegal.es
Please note that our posts are for general interest. They is no substitute for proper legal advice tailored to your specific circumstances as provided by a qualified Abogado who is experienced in the application of the Spanish Law.
Nothing contained in this article should be seen or taken as the writer or the publisher providing legal or financial advice.
© Mark FR Wilkins 2021. All rights reserved.
We help you to buy your home in the Marbella region. 