1. Do you have any apartments for rent right now?
你们现在有没有公寓要出租啊?
假设今天我们在报纸上看到房屋出租 (To lease, To let) 的广告,接下来要做的就是打电话给租屋中介 (leasing agent) 或是房东 (landlord, landlady) 确定一下有没有房子要出租。寒暄一两句之后,就可以直接切入正题,"Do you have any apartments for rent right now?" 、 "Do you have any apartment available right now?" 或是 "Do you still have a vacancy?" (还有空的公寓吗?) 都是不错的讲法。
同样的问法也常见于去旅馆"开房间"时,通常一进旅馆,我就会先问,"Do you have any rooms available?" 或是 "Do you still have a vacancy?"不过很多旅馆特别是 Motel,招牌下都会挂一个 No Vacancy 的灯,如果还有空房间,则 No 是暗的,只见 Vacancy 的灯是亮着。如果客满的话,则整个 No Vacancy 的灯都是亮着的,各位不妨在进旅馆前先确定一下。
如果对方的确有公寓要出租,那我们就可以紧接着问对方,"What kind of apartment do you have?" (你们的公寓什么样啊?) 如果很不巧的房子刚刚才租出去 (lend out),你可以换别家试试,或者再确认一下,"When would you say that there would be an apartment available again?" (那你觉得什么时候才会有房子空出来呢?) 说不定再耐心等等就会有空房子了呢!
2. I'd like to rent either a studio or a one-bed room apartment.
我想租一间小套房或是一房一厅的公寓。