租房子 · Renting an Apartment

来lái北京Běijīng工作gōngzuò以后,yǐhòu我wǒ做zuò的de第一件dì yī jiàn大事dàshì就是jiùshì租房子。zū fángzi

After coming to Beijing for work, the first big thing I did was rent an apartment.

我wǒ在zài网上wǎng shàng看kàn了le很多hěn duō房子fángzi的de照片,zhàopiàn可是kěshì照片zhàopiàn常常chángcháng比bǐ真的zhēn de好看。hǎokàn

I looked at many photos of apartments online, but photos are often better-looking than the real thing.

后来hòulái朋友péngyou介绍jièshào我wǒ认识rènshi了le一位yí wèi中介。zhōngjiè

Later a friend introduced me to an agent.

他tā带dài我wǒ一个yí ge下午xiàwǔ看kàn了le四套sì tào房子。fángzi

In one afternoon he showed me four apartments.

第一套dì yī tào离lí地铁站dìtiě zhàn很近,hěn jìn但是dànshì太tài贵guì了。le

The first was very close to the subway station, but far too expensive.

第二套dì èr tào房租fángzū便宜,piányi可是kěshì楼lóu太tài旧,jiù厨房chúfáng也yě很小。hěn xiǎo

The second had cheap rent, but the building was too old and the kitchen was tiny.

第三套dì sān tào朝北,cháo běi一天到晚yì tiān dào wǎn都dōu晒不到shài bú dào太阳。tàiyáng

The third faced north and got no sun from morning to night.

最后zuìhòu一套yí tào在zài六楼,liù lóu没有méiyǒu电梯,diàntī不过búguò房间fángjiān又yòu干净gānjìng又yòu亮。liàng

The last was on the sixth floor with no elevator, but the rooms were clean and bright.

我wǒ站zhàn在zài窗户chuānghu前面,qiánmiàn看见kànjiàn楼下lóu xià有yǒu一棵yì kē大树。dà shù

I stood in front of the window and saw a big tree down below.

就是jiùshì那棵nà kē树shù让ràng我wǒ决定juédìng租zū下来。xiàlái

It was that tree that made me decide to take the place.

签qiān合同hétong的时候,de shíhou我wǒ看kàn得de特别tèbié仔细。zǐxì

When I signed the contract, I read it especially carefully.

押金yājīn是shì两个月liǎng ge yuè的de房租,fángzū这zhè在zài北京Běijīng很hěn常见。chángjiàn

The deposit was two months' rent, which is very common in Beijing.

搬进去bān jìnqù的de那天nà tiān晚上,wǎnshang我wǒ坐zuò在zài空空的kōngkōng de地板上dìbǎn shàng吃chī泡面。pàomiàn

The night I moved in, I sat on the empty floor eating instant noodles.

虽然suīrán什么shénme家具jiājù都dōu没有,méiyǒu但dàn我wǒ觉得juéde心里xīn lǐ很hěn踏实。tāshi

Although I had no furniture at all, I felt settled inside.