The conflicting meanings of the word "rent"
Rent can be a noun or a verb, and the verb can apply to the landlord or the tenant
The word "rent" can be very confusing to a non-native speaker of English. It denotes two fundamentally different concepts (as a noun or a verb), further complicated by the verb's application to both parties in a transaction.
The primary1 meaning of "rent" revolves around a transactional agreement. In this context, it refers to a payment made by a user (lessee) to an owner (lessor) for the temporary use of a space or commodity. A typical example is renting an apartment.
Here is what makes "rent" particularly confusing: The verb can describe the actions of both the tenant and the landlord. For instance:
A student might rent an apartment to live near her university. Here, “rent” is a verb, and the student (tenant) rents the apartment from the landlord.
The landlord is looking to rent out the office space. Here, “rent out” is a prepositional verb, and the landlord is seeking a tenant.
The rent for the apartment is due on the first of each month. Here, “rent” is a noun, and it refers to the payment.
I take the following steps to minimize confusion.
If I use the word “rent” as a noun for the payment to the landlord (lessor), then I use the term “rental fee” or “rental payment”.
If I use the word “rent” as a verb, then I take the initiative to label the landlord (lessor) and/or the tenant (lessee). “Jim is the tenant. He is renting the basement suite from Susan, who owns the house.”
I differentiate between renting (by the tenant) and renting out (by the landlord).
The English language can be very confusing to non-native English speakers, because one word can have multiple (and even conflicting) meanings. By taking a few extra steps to specify what you mean, you can erase this confusion and make yourself absolutely clear to everyone involved in a discussion.
The word “rent” has other meanings in other contexts, like “rent-seeking” in economics. I will elaborate on this in a future post.