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A1 verb #4,000 most common 6 min read

mieten

Top 4,000

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips mieten in 30 Seconds

Explanation mieten in your Level:

At the A1 level, 'mieten' is one of the first 'life' verbs you learn. You need it to talk about where you live or how you travel. You should focus on the present tense: 'Ich miete eine Wohnung' (I rent an apartment) or 'Wir mieten ein Auto' (We rent a car). At this stage, you don't need to worry about complex legal terms. Just remember that 'mieten' means you are the one paying the money. It is a regular verb, but remember that because the stem ends in 't', you add an 'e' before the endings in the 'du' and 'er/sie/es' forms to make it easier to say: 'du mietest', 'er mietet'. Without that 'e', it would be almost impossible to pronounce the 't' sounds together. You will most likely use this word when talking about vacation plans or looking for a room in a shared flat (WG). It is always followed by the accusative case, so 'der Wagen' becomes 'den Wagen'.

At the A2 level, you begin to use 'mieten' in the past tense (Perfekt). Since it is a regular verb, it uses 'haben' and the participle 'gemietet'. You might say, 'Letztes Jahr haben wir ein Ferienhaus gemietet' (Last year we rented a holiday house). You also start to distinguish between 'mieten' and its opposite 'vermieten'. You should be able to describe a simple rental process: finding an ad, visiting the apartment (Besichtigung), and signing the contract (Mietvertrag). You might also use the reflexive form 'sich etwas mieten' to sound more natural: 'Ich miete mir ein Fahrrad'. This 'mir' is in the dative case and indicates that you are doing the action for your own benefit. This is a very common way for native speakers to express the idea of renting something for personal use.

By B1, you should be comfortable using 'mieten' in more complex sentence structures, including subordinate clauses and with modal verbs. For example: 'Ich weiß noch nicht, ob ich das Auto für drei oder vier Tage mieten soll' (I don't know yet if I should rent the car for three or four days). You will also encounter related nouns like 'der Mieter' (the tenant), 'die Vermieterin' (the landlady), and 'die Mietminderung' (rent reduction). At this level, you should understand the cultural context of renting in Germany, such as the 'Kaution' (deposit) and 'Nebenkosten' (additional costs). You might also use 'mieten' in the subjunctive II (Konjunktiv II) to express wishes or hypothetical situations: 'Wenn ich mehr Geld hätte, würde ich ein größeres Haus mieten' (If I had more money, I would rent a larger house).

At the B2 level, you use 'mieten' in professional and formal contexts. You might discuss the 'Mietpreisbremse' (rent control) or legal disputes between tenants and landlords. You should be able to understand the nuances of 'anmieten' (to rent/lease in a more formal or official capacity) and 'untervermieten' (to sublet). You will likely encounter the word in news articles about the housing market. Your vocabulary should expand to include terms like 'Gewerbemietvertrag' (commercial lease) or 'Staffelmiete' (stepped rent). You should also be able to use the passive voice fluently: 'Die Wohnung wurde bereits an einen anderen Interessenten vermietet' (The apartment has already been rented out to another interested party). Note how 'vermieten' is used here because the focus is on the landlord's action.

At the C1 level, 'mieten' is used in abstract and metaphorical ways, although less frequently than concrete ones. You might analyze the socio-economic implications of 'Mietbelastung' (rent burden) in urban areas. You should be able to navigate complex legal texts regarding 'Mietrecht' (tenancy law). You will recognize the verb in formal business reports, such as when a company 'Büroräume anmietet' to expand its operations. You should also be aware of the stylistic differences between 'mieten', 'pachten', and 'leasen' in legal and financial contexts. Your ability to use the verb should be near-native, including the use of various prefixes like 'abmieten' (to rent from someone, though rare) or 'einmieten' (to take up residence/lodging).

At the C2 level, you have a complete mastery of 'mieten' and its entire word family. You can discuss the historical development of the word from the Middle High German 'miete' (payment/reward). You can engage in high-level debates about 'Mietendeckel' (rent caps) and the philosophy of property ownership versus rental. You understand the subtle connotations of using 'mieten' in literature or high-level journalism to describe the transient nature of modern life. You can use the verb and its derivatives with perfect grammatical accuracy in any register, from slang ('eine Bude mieten') to the most formal legal 'Amtsdeutsch'. You are also familiar with idiomatic expressions and can distinguish the finest shades of meaning between 'mieten' and its synonyms in every possible context.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

mieten in 30 Seconds

Mieten means to rent something from someone else for money.
It is a regular verb: ich miete, du mietest, er mietet.
The person renting is the Mieter; the owner is the Vermieter.
Commonly used for apartments (Wohnungen) and cars (Autos).

The German verb mieten is a fundamental pillar of daily life in German-speaking countries, where the culture of renting is significantly more prevalent than in many other parts of the world. At its core, mieten means to acquire the temporary use of an object or property in exchange for a fee. While it is most commonly associated with housing, its utility extends to vehicles, equipment, and even specialized services.

The Residential Context: In Germany, over 50% of the population lives in rented accommodation. Therefore, eine Wohnung mieten (to rent an apartment) is a phrase you will hear in almost every social circle. It implies a legal contract (Mietvertrag) and a monthly payment (Miete).
Mobility and Travel: When traveling, you might ein Auto mieten or ein Fahrrad mieten. This usage is identical to the English 'to rent' or 'to hire'. It focuses on short-term utility rather than long-term residence.
The Legal Distinction: Unlike leihen, which can mean to borrow for free or to lend, mieten always implies a commercial transaction. You are paying for the right to use something that belongs to someone else (the Vermieter).

Wir möchten für unseren Urlaub ein kleines Haus an der Ostsee mieten.

— Translation: We would like to rent a small house on the Baltic Sea for our vacation.

Understanding the nuances of mieten involves recognizing the direction of the transaction. In German, the prefix ver- changes the direction of many verbs. While you mieten (rent from), the landlord will vermieten (rent out to). This distinction is crucial to avoid confusion during negotiations. If you say "Ich möchte dieses Haus vermieten," a German speaker will think you are the owner looking for a tenant.

Es ist heutzutage sehr schwierig, in Berlin eine bezahlbare Wohnung zu mieten.

The verb is also used in abstract or business contexts. Companies might Serverkapazitäten mieten (rent server capacity) or Personal mieten (though leasen or beauftragen is more common there). In everyday A1-A2 German, however, stick to objects you can touch: apartments, cars, tools, and sports equipment.

Grammatically, mieten is a weak (regular) verb, which makes its conjugation straightforward for learners. It follows the standard pattern for verbs ending in -en. It is a transitive verb, meaning it requires a direct object in the accusative case.

Present Tense (Präsens): Ich miete, du mietest, er/sie/es mietet, wir mieten, ihr mietet, sie mieten. Note the extra -e- in mietest and mietet for easier pronunciation because the stem ends in t.
Past Tense (Perfekt): The perfect tense uses the auxiliary verb haben. The past participle is gemietet. Example: "Wir haben ein Auto gemietet" (We rented a car).

Morgen mieten wir uns Fahrräder und fahren zum See.

Often, you will see mieten used with a reflexive pronoun in the dative case (sich etwas mieten). This adds a sense of "for oneself." For example: "Ich miete mir eine Wohnung" vs. "Ich miete eine Wohnung." The meaning is essentially the same, but the reflexive version is very common in spoken German.

In more advanced contexts, you might encounter the passive voice: Das Haus wurde gemietet (The house was rented). You might also see the word in the future tense with werden: Ich werde ein Büro mieten. Regardless of the tense, the core meaning of temporary paid usage remains constant.

You will encounter mieten in several specific environments. Recognizing these contexts helps you anticipate the vocabulary that will accompany it.

At the Rental Agency (Autovermietung): When you arrive at an airport or train station, signs for Mietwagen (rental cars) are everywhere. You will hear: "Haben Sie eine Reservierung, oder möchten Sie jetzt ein Fahrzeug mieten?"
Housing Platforms (Immobilienportale): Websites like ImmoScout24 are filled with listings. Filters will offer options to Kaufen (buy) or Mieten (rent). The listings will specify the Kaltmiete (rent without utilities) and Warmmiete (rent including heating and utilities).

Kann man hier auch Skiausrüstung für das Wochenende mieten?

In casual conversation, friends might talk about Zwischenmiete (subletting). If someone is going away for three months, they might say, "Ich suche jemanden, der mein Zimmer zur Zwischenmiete mietet." This is a very common scenario for students and young professionals in cities like Munich, Hamburg, or Vienna.

Furthermore, in the era of the sharing economy, the word is evolving. While apps like Nextbike or Tier might use the word ausleihen or entsperren (unlock), the underlying legal and financial process is still a form of mieten. You are a Mieter (tenant/renter) of that scooter for the duration of your ride.

Even though mieten seems simple, English speakers often trip over a few specific hurdles due to the way 'rent' functions in English.

Confusion with 'Vermieten': In English, 'to rent' can work both ways: "I rent an apartment" (I am the tenant) and "I rent out an apartment" (I am the landlord). In German, these are strictly separated. Mieten is for the tenant; Vermieten is for the landlord. Mixing them up can lead to confusing legal or social situations.
Mieten vs. Leihen: English speakers often use 'borrow' for free things and 'rent' for paid things. German uses leihen for both borrowing (free) and sometimes for commercial hiring (like a bike). However, mieten is never free. If you borrow a pen from a friend, never say "Darf ich deinen Stift mieten?" unless you intend to pay them money for it.

Falsch: Ich vermiete ein Auto bei Sixt.
Richtig: Ich miete ein Auto bei Sixt.

Another mistake is the preposition. In English, we say "rent *from* someone." In German, you use bei for companies (Ich miete bei Europcar) or von for individuals (Ich miete von Herrn Müller). Avoid using aus or ab in this context.

To sound more natural, you should know when to use mieten and when to reach for a more specific alternative.

Pachten: This is used for land or businesses (like a restaurant or a garden) where the person renting also gets to keep the profits generated from the property. You mieten an apartment to live in, but you pachten a farm or a café.
Leasen: Directly borrowed from English, this is used almost exclusively for cars and high-end office equipment in a business context, usually involving a bank or finance company.
Anmieten: A slightly more formal version of mieten, often used in news reports or official documents. "Die Stadt hat neue Büroflächen angemietet.".

Der Unterschied zwischen mieten und leihen ist oft die Bezahlung.

In summary, mieten is your all-purpose verb for paid, temporary use. Use leihen for friends, pachten for business land, and leasen for financial contracts on cars.

How Formal Is It?

Formal

Neutral

Informal

Child friendly

Slang

Fun Fact

The word is related to the English word 'meed' (a deserved share or reward), which is now archaic but was common in Old English.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /ˈmiːtn̩/

US /ˈmitn̩/

Stress is on the first syllable: MIE-ten.

Rhymes With

bieten nieten rieten Suiten Gebieten vermieten anbieten verbieten

Common Errors

Pronouncing 'ie' as a short 'i' (like 'mitten'). It must be long.
Forgetting the extra 'e' in 'mietest' and 'mietet'.
Pronouncing the 'en' too clearly like 'ten'; in natural speech, it's a very short 'n' sound.

Difficulty Rating

Reading 1/5

The word is short and appears frequently in signs and ads.

Writing 2/5

Remember the extra 'e' in 'mietest' and 'mietet' and the 'ie' spelling.

Speaking 1/5

Easy to pronounce once the long 'ie' is mastered.

Listening 2/5

Can be confused with 'bieten' or 'leihen' in fast speech.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

wohnen das Haus das Auto bezahlen haben

Learn Next

vermieten der Mietvertrag die Kaution umziehen kündigen

Advanced

die Mietpreisbremse die Zweckentfremdung die Eigenbedarfskündigung

Grammar to Know

Weak Verb Conjugation

mieten -> gemietet (regular pattern)

Verbs with stems ending in -t

du mietest, er mietet (inserting 'e' for pronunciation)

Accusative Direct Object

Ich miete den (Akk) Wagen.

Dative Reflexive Pronouns

Ich miete mir (Dat) ein Haus.

Infinitive with 'zu'

Es ist teuer, ein Auto zu mieten.

Examples by Level

Ich miete eine kleine Wohnung.

I rent a small apartment.

Present tense, 1st person singular.

Mietest du das Fahrrad?

Are you renting the bicycle?

Question form, note the extra 'e' in 'mietest'.

Wir mieten ein Auto für den Urlaub.

We are renting a car for the vacation.

Present tense, 1st person plural.

Er mietet ein Zimmer in Berlin.

He is renting a room in Berlin.

Present tense, 3rd person singular.

Mieten Sie das Haus?

Are you renting the house? (Formal)

Formal 'Sie' form.

Sie mieten heute kein Boot.

They are not renting a boat today.

Negation with 'kein'.

Ich möchte einen Transporter mieten.

I would like to rent a van.

Modal verb 'möchte' + infinitive 'mieten'.

Hier kann man Ski mieten.

One can rent skis here.

Impersonal 'man' + modal verb 'kann'.

Hast du schon ein Auto gemietet?

Have you already rented a car?

Perfekt tense with 'haben'.

Wir haben letztes Jahr eine Wohnung in Wien gemietet.

We rented an apartment in Vienna last year.

Perfekt tense, regular past participle 'gemietet'.

Ich miete mir ein Moped für den Tag.

I'm renting (myself) a moped for the day.

Reflexive 'mir' (dative) indicating personal benefit.

Können wir diese Garage mieten?

Can we rent this garage?

Modal verb 'können' in a question.

Sie mieteten ein Ferienhaus am Meer.

They rented a vacation house by the sea.

Präteritum (simple past), mostly used in written stories.

Warum mietest du kein Fahrrad?

Why don't you rent a bike?

Interrogative 'warum' with present tense.

Ich habe das Werkzeug im Baumarkt gemietet.

I rented the tools at the hardware store.

Perfekt tense with local preposition 'im'.

Wir mieten die Wohnung ab dem ersten Mai.

We are renting the apartment starting from May 1st.

Preposition 'ab' indicating a starting point.

Ich würde gerne ein Wohnmobil mieten, um durch Europa zu reisen.

I would like to rent a motorhome to travel through Europe.

Konjunktiv II 'würde' + infinitive.

Es ist oft günstiger, ein Auto online zu mieten.

It is often cheaper to rent a car online.

Infinitive clause with 'zu'.

Bevor wir die Wohnung mieten, müssen wir den Vertrag prüfen.

Before we rent the apartment, we must check the contract.

Subordinate clause starting with 'bevor'.

Er hat sich endlich ein eigenes Büro gemietet.

He finally rented his own office.

Reflexive 'sich' + Perfekt.

Wenn die Miete nicht so hoch wäre, würde ich das Haus mieten.

If the rent weren't so high, I would rent the house.

Conditional sentence using Konjunktiv II.

Haben Sie schon einmal ein Boot für eine Woche gemietet?

Have you ever rented a boat for a week?

Perfekt tense with 'schon einmal' (ever).

Wir mieten das Equipment für die Party bei einem Spezialisten.

We are renting the equipment for the party from a specialist.

Preposition 'bei' used for a business provider.

Man kann dort Kostüme für Karneval mieten.

One can rent costumes for Carnival there.

Impersonal 'man' + plural object.

Wir haben uns dazu entschlossen, die Lagerhalle langfristig zu mieten.

We have decided to rent the warehouse long-term.

Reflexive verb 'sich entschließen' + 'zu' + infinitive.

Trotz der hohen Kosten mieten viele Firmen Büros in der Innenstadt.

Despite the high costs, many companies rent offices in the city center.

Preposition 'trotz' (genitive) and plural subject.

Es ist ratsam, ein Auto mit Vollkaskoversicherung zu mieten.

It is advisable to rent a car with full comprehensive insurance.

Adjective 'ratsam' + infinitive construction.

Nachdem sie die Wohnung gemietet hatten, stellten sie Mängel fest.

After they had rented the apartment, they discovered defects.

Plusquamperfekt (past perfect) in a 'nachdem' clause.

Die Stadt plant, zusätzliche Unterkünfte für Geflüchtete zu mieten.

The city plans to rent additional accommodation for refugees.

Infinitive construction with 'zu'.

Anstatt zu kaufen, mieten immer mehr junge Leute ihre Möbel.

Instead of buying, more and more young people are renting their furniture.

Prepositional phrase 'anstatt zu' + present tense.

Wer ein Instrument mieten möchte, muss eine Kaution hinterlegen.

Anyone who wants to rent an instrument must leave a deposit.

Relative clause 'Wer...' and modal verb 'müssen'.

Die Räumlichkeiten wurden für die Konferenz angemietet.

The premises were rented for the conference.

Passive voice with the formal verb 'anmieten'.

In Zeiten explodierender Immobilienpreise bleibt vielen nichts anderes übrig, als lebenslang zu mieten.

In times of exploding real estate prices, many have no choice but to rent for life.

Complex sentence with 'nichts anderes übrig bleiben als'.

Das Unternehmen beabsichtigt, zusätzliche Serverkapazitäten in der Cloud zu mieten.

The company intends to rent additional server capacity in the cloud.

Formal verb 'beabsichtigen' + infinitive.

Es fragt sich, ob es ökonomisch sinnvoller ist, Maschinen zu mieten oder zu kaufen.

The question arises whether it is economically more sensible to rent or buy machines.

Reflexive 'es fragt sich' (it is questionable).

Hätten wir das Auto früher gemietet, hätten wir einen besseren Preis bekommen.

Had we rented the car earlier, we would have gotten a better price.

Irrealer Konditionalsatz (hypothetical past) with Konjunktiv II.

Die Tendenz, Werkzeuge nur bei Bedarf zu mieten, schont Ressourcen.

The tendency to rent tools only when needed conserves resources.

Noun-infinitive construction 'Die Tendenz... zu mieten'.

Er mietete sich in ein billiges Hotel am Stadtrand ein.

He took up lodging in a cheap hotel on the outskirts of town.

Separable verb 'sich einmieten'.

Das Gesetz erschwert es Vermietern, Wohnraum zweckentfremdet zu mieten.

The law makes it difficult for landlords to rent living space for non-residential purposes.

Infinitive clause with 'es' as a placeholder.

Viele Start-ups mieten sich in Co-Working-Spaces ein, um flexibel zu bleiben.

Many start-ups rent space in co-working spaces to remain flexible.

Reflexive separable verb 'sich einmieten'.

Die prekäre Lage auf dem Wohnungsmarkt zwingt Geringverdiener dazu, völlig überteuerte Objekte zu mieten.

The precarious situation on the housing market forces low-income earners to rent completely overpriced properties.

Verb 'zwingen' + 'dazu' + infinitive.

Es ist ein weit verbreiteter Irrtum, dass man durch das Mieten von Wohneigentum Kapital vernichtet.

It is a common misconception that one destroys capital by renting residential property.

Substantivized infinitive 'das Mieten'.

Die Klägerin behauptet, das Fahrzeug unter falschen Voraussetzungen gemietet zu haben.

The plaintiff claims to have rented the vehicle under false pretenses.

Infinitive of the past 'gemietet zu haben'.

In der Sharing Economy verschwimmt die Grenze zwischen Besitzen und Mieten zunehmend.

In the sharing economy, the line between owning and renting is increasingly blurred.

Substantivized infinitives used as subjects.

Er mietete sich bei ihr ein, ohne zu ahnen, dass dies sein Leben verändern würde.

He moved in with her as a lodger, without suspecting that this would change his life.

Reflexive 'sich einmieten' with 'ohne zu' clause.

Die großflächige Anmietung von Ackerland durch Investoren wird kritisch gesehen.

The large-scale leasing of farmland by investors is viewed critically.

Formal noun 'Anmietung' in a passive construction.

Trotz intensiver Suche gelang es ihm nicht, ein geeignetes Atelier zu mieten.

Despite an intensive search, he did not succeed in renting a suitable studio.

Impersonal 'es gelang ihm nicht' + infinitive.

Das Recht, eine Wohnung zu mieten, wird oft als Menschenrecht diskutiert.

The right to rent an apartment is often discussed as a human right.

Infinitive clause modifying a noun.

Common Collocations

eine Wohnung mieten

ein Auto mieten

ein Zimmer mieten

Fahrräder mieten

ein Haus mieten

Büroräume mieten

Skiausrüstung mieten

ein Boot mieten

Werkzeug mieten

Lagerplatz mieten

Common Phrases

zur Miete wohnen

— To live in a rented place (as opposed to owning it).

Wohnen Sie zur Miete oder gehört Ihnen das Haus?

eine Wohnung zur Zwischenmiete

— A short-term sublet of an apartment.

Ich suche eine Wohnung zur Zwischenmiete für drei Monate.

Miete zahlen

— To pay the rent.

Ich muss am Ersten des Monats die Miete zahlen.

den Mietvertrag unterschreiben

— To sign the rental contract.

Wir haben gestern den Mietvertrag unterschrieben.

die Miete erhöhen

— To increase the rent.

Der Vermieter möchte die Miete erhöhen.

eine Anzeige mieten

— Actually 'eine Anzeige schalten' (to place an ad), but 'Mietanzeige' is the ad itself.

Ich habe die Mietanzeige in der Zeitung gelesen.

unbefristet mieten

— To rent for an indefinite period.

Wir haben die Wohnung unbefristet gemietet.

möbliert mieten

— To rent furnished.

Es ist teurer, eine Wohnung möbliert zu mieten.

die Kaution mieten

— Incorrect, but 'Mietkaution' is the security deposit.

Die Mietkaution beträgt drei Monatsmieten.

ein Auto tage weise mieten

— To rent a car by the day.

Man kann das Auto auch tageweise mieten.

Often Confused With

mieten vs vermieten

Vermieten is what the owner does; mieten is what the customer does.

mieten vs leihen

Leihen can be free (borrowing from a friend), while mieten always involves payment.

mieten vs pachten

Pachten is for commercial land/businesses where you keep the profit.

Idioms & Expressions

"Sich irgendwo einmieten"

— To take up residence or stay in a place, often implying a hotel or guest house.

Wir haben uns für das Wochenende in einer kleinen Pension eingemietet.

neutral

"Miete sparen"

— To save rent (often by moving in with someone or living in a cheaper place).

Durch die WG kann ich viel Miete sparen.

informal

"In der Kreide stehen"

— To be in debt (can relate to unpaid rent).

Er steht bei seinem Vermieter in der Kreide.

informal

"Ein Dach über dem Kopf haben"

— To have a roof over one's head (often via renting).

Hauptsache, wir haben eine Wohnung gemietet und ein Dach über dem Kopf.

neutral

"Die Miete ist fällig"

— The rent is due.

Morgen ist der Erste, die Miete ist fällig!

neutral

"Wohnen wie Gott in Frankreich"

— To live in great luxury (regardless of whether it's rented or owned).

In dieser gemieteten Villa wohnt man wie Gott in Frankreich.

informal

"Jemanden vor die Tür setzen"

— To kick someone out (often ending a rental agreement abruptly).

Der Vermieter hat ihn einfach vor die Tür gesetzt.

informal

"Kaltmiete vs. Warmmiete"

— Not an idiom, but a crucial cultural distinction in rental life.

Die Kaltmiete ist billig, aber die Warmmiete ist sehr hoch.

neutral

"Mietnomade sein"

— To be a 'rent nomad' (someone who moves from place to place without paying rent).

Vermieter haben Angst vor Mietnomaden.

informal/colloquial

"Sich dumm und dusselig zahlen"

— To pay an exorbitant amount of money (often for rent).

Für diese kleine Wohnung zahlt man sich dumm und dusselig.

slang

Easily Confused

mieten vs leihen

Both involve temporary use.

Leihen is often free or informal; mieten is always commercial and contractual.

Kannst du mir 5 Euro leihen? (Borrow) vs. Ich miete ein Zimmer. (Rent)

mieten vs bieten

Sounds similar.

Bieten means 'to offer' or 'to bid'.

Er bietet mir Hilfe an. (He offers help.)

mieten vs leasen

Common in car contexts.

Leasing is a specific financial long-term contract; mieten is general and often shorter.

Ich lease den Firmenwagen für 3 Jahre.

mieten vs kaufen

Opposite action of acquiring.

Kaufen is permanent ownership; mieten is temporary use.

Ich kaufe das Haus. (It's mine forever.)

mieten vs pachten

Similar legal structure.

Pachten allows you to keep the 'fruits' (profits) of the property.

Der Bauer pachtet das Feld.

Sentence Patterns

Ich miete [Objekt].

Ich miete ein Zimmer.

Ich habe [Objekt] gemietet.

Ich habe ein Auto gemietet.

Ich miete mir [Objekt].

Ich miete mir ein Fahrrad.

Ich möchte [Objekt] mieten, weil...

Ich möchte ein Haus mieten, weil ich Urlaub mache.

Es ist [Adjektiv], [Objekt] zu mieten.

Es ist einfach, ein Rad zu mieten.

Anstatt zu kaufen, miete ich...

Anstatt zu kaufen, miete ich die Ausrüstung.

Das [Substantiv] wurde angemietet, um...

Das Büro wurde angemietet, um zu expandieren.

Unter der Voraussetzung, dass..., würde ich mieten.

Unter der Voraussetzung, dass die Lage stimmt, würde ich mieten.

Word Family

Nouns

Verbs

Adjectives

How to Use It

frequency

Extremely high in urban areas and travel contexts.

Common Mistakes

Ich vermiete ein Auto bei Europcar. → Ich miete ein Auto bei Europcar.
You are the customer, so you 'miete'. Europcar 'vermietet' the car to you.
Darf ich deinen Kuli mieten? → Darf ich deinen Kuli leihen?
'Mieten' implies paying money. You don't pay a friend to use their pen; you just borrow it ('leihen').
Er mietet die Zimmer. → Er mietet das Zimmer.
Watch out for plural vs. singular. Unless he is renting multiple rooms, it's 'das Zimmer'.
Ich habe ein Haus gemietet von der Stadt. → Ich habe ein Haus bei der Stadt gemietet.
When renting from an organization or company, 'bei' is the preferred preposition.
Du mietst ein Rad. → Du mietest ein Rad.
You must include the 'e' for pronunciation because the verb stem ends in 't'.

Tips

Pronunciation Helper

Because 'mieten' ends in 't', remember the 'e' rule: du mietest, er mietet. This prevents you from having to say 'miet-st', which is impossible!

Direction Matters

Always check the 'ver-' prefix. 'Vermieten' is giving; 'Mieten' is taking. Think of 'Ver-' as 'Away'—the owner gives the property away for a while.

Unfurnished Flats

In Germany, 'mieten' often means getting an empty box. Be prepared to buy your own light fixtures and sometimes even a kitchen when renting long-term.

WG Life

If you are a student, you will likely 'ein Zimmer in einer WG mieten'. This is the most common way for young people to live in expensive cities.

Mietwagen

At the airport, look for the sign 'Mietwagen'. This is where you go to 'ein Auto mieten'. Don't look for 'Rent-a-car' signs only!

Mietvertrag

Never 'miete' something significant without a 'Mietvertrag' (contract). In Germany, everything is documented and legally binding.

Warm vs. Kalt

When you 'mieten', always ask for the 'Warmmiete'. That is the total amount you actually pay every month, including heating.

Me-Ten

I rent for ME and pay TEN. MIE-TEN. Simple and effective for beginners.

Reflexive Use

Use 'Ich miete mir...' to sound like a native speaker when talking about small things like bikes or tools.

Spelling Check

Double check the 'ie'. It's 'mieten', not 'miten'. The 'i' is long, so it needs the 'e'.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'Me Ten'. I want this apartment for ME, and I will pay TEN dollars (well, much more) to rent it.

Visual Association

Imagine a giant key with a price tag attached to it. The tag says 'Miete'. You are handing money to a landlord to hold that key.

Word Web

Wohnung Auto Geld Vertrag Schlüssel Vermieter Monat Umzug

Challenge

Try to name five things you can rent in a city using the sentence: 'Ich kann ein/eine [Objekt] mieten.'

Word Origin

Derived from the Middle High German word 'miete', which meant reward, payment, or hire. It shares roots with the Old High German 'miata'.

Original meaning: Payment or compensation for services or the use of something.

Germanic

Cultural Context

Housing and rising rents are very sensitive political topics in major German cities like Berlin and Munich. Use the word carefully when discussing social inequality.

In the US/UK, 'rent' is used for both taking and giving. In German, you must distinguish between 'mieten' (take) and 'vermieten' (give).

The musical 'Rent' is translated as 'Miete' in German productions. The German law 'Mietpreisbremse' is a famous political topic regarding rent control. The 'Mieterbund' is a powerful national organization representing tenants.

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Apartment Hunting

Ich möchte die Wohnung mieten.
Wie hoch ist die Miete?
Ist die Wohnung noch frei?
Wann kann ich einziehen?

Car Rental

Ich habe ein Auto gemietet.
Wo kann ich den Mietwagen abholen?
Ist die Versicherung inklusive?
Ich möchte ein größeres Auto mieten.

Vacation Planning

Wir mieten ein Ferienhaus.
Kann man dort Fahrräder mieten?
Was kostet es, ein Boot zu mieten?
Wir mieten die Skier direkt im Hotel.

Business/Office

Wir mieten einen Konferenzraum.
Die Firma mietet neue Lagerräume.
Wir müssen zusätzliche Server mieten.
Der Mietvertrag läuft über zehn Jahre.

Daily Chores/DIY

Ich miete mir eine Bohrmaschine.
Man kann Werkzeug im Baumarkt mieten.
Ich miete einen Transporter für den Umzug.
Hast du das Gerät gemietet oder gekauft?

Conversation Starters

"Möchtest du lieber ein Haus kaufen oder eine Wohnung mieten?"

"Hast du schon mal ein Auto im Ausland gemietet?"

"Was ist das Teuerste, was du jemals gemietet hast?"

"Findest du es schwierig, in deiner Stadt eine Wohnung zu mieten?"

"Würdest du jemals ein Zimmer in deiner Wohnung untervermieten?"

Journal Prompts

Beschreibe deine Traumwohnung. Würdest du sie lieber kaufen oder mieten? Warum?

Schreibe über eine Erfahrung, die du beim Mieten eines Autos oder einer Wohnung gemacht hast.

Warum ist es in manchen Städten so teuer, eine Wohnung zu mieten?

Was sind die Vorteile und Nachteile, wenn man zur Miete wohnt?

Stell dir vor, du mietest ein Haus am Strand. Was würdest du dort den ganzen Tag machen?

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

Mieten means you are the tenant (paying money to use something). Vermieten means you are the landlord (receiving money to let someone else use your property). For example, 'Ich miete die Wohnung' means I live there, while 'Der Besitzer vermietet die Wohnung' means the owner lets me live there for money.

Yes, mieten is a weak (regular) verb. Its forms are: miete, mietete, gemietet. However, because the stem ends in 't', you must add an extra 'e' in the second and third person singular (du mietest, er mietet) and the second person plural (ihr mietet) to make it pronounceable.

Usually, no. If the book is free (like from a friend), use 'leihen'. If it is from a library, you also use 'ausleihen'. You only use 'mieten' if there is a commercial rental fee involved, which is rare for individual books but common for specialized equipment.

Mieten is a transitive verb and is followed by the accusative case. For example: 'Ich miete den (masculine accusative) Wagen' or 'Ich miete das (neuter accusative) Haus'.

You use the Perfekt tense: 'Ich habe ein Auto gemietet.' This is the most common way to talk about the past in spoken German.

The meaning is almost identical, but 'sich (dative) etwas mieten' is very common in spoken German. It emphasizes that you are renting it for your own personal use. Example: 'Ich miete mir ein Fahrrad' sounds very natural and slightly more informal.

Anmieten is a more formal version of mieten. It is often used in business or official contexts, such as when a company rents office space or a city rents a building for public use. In everyday conversation, 'mieten' is sufficient.

Zwischenmiete is a sublet. It happens when a tenant rents out their room or apartment to someone else for a limited time, usually because they are traveling or working elsewhere temporarily. The person who takes the room is the 'Zwischenmieter'.

No, you cannot 'rent' people in German. You 'stellen jemanden ein' (hire someone) or 'beauftragen jemanden' (commission someone). Using 'mieten' for a person would sound like you are treating them as an object, which is offensive or implies illegal activity.

A 'Mietnomade' is a person who rents an apartment, never pays the rent, and then moves out secretly before they can be evicted, only to repeat the process elsewhere. It is a common fear among German landlords.