Legal dictionary · Area 7 of 17
Property & Real Estate Law — EN · ES · IT.
43 terms from Property & Real Estate Law, each with its Spanish and Italian equivalent and a plain-language definition. Open any term for its own page.
Real-estate vocabulary reflects two different systems of land ownership. The common-law estates — fee simple, leasehold, easement, title insurance — have no direct equivalents in Spain, Latin America or Italy, where ownership is a unitary propiedad/proprietà recorded in a public registry (Registro de la Propiedad, Conservatoria dei Registri Immobiliari) and transfers pass through a notarial deed. Certified translations of deeds, registry extracts and purchase agreements keep the registry terminology intact so that a U.S. reader can trace exactly what was recorded.
Property / Ownership
ENProperty / Ownership — The right to use, enjoy, and dispose of a thing.
ESPropiedad / Dominio
ITProprietà
Real property / Real estate
ENReal property / Real estate — Land and things permanently attached to it.
ESBien inmueble
ITBene immobile
Personal property / Movables
ENPersonal property / Movables — Property that can be moved, not attached to land.
ESBien mueble
ITBene mobile
Detention / Holding
ENDetention / Holding — Holding a thing without claiming ownership.
ESTenencia
ITDetenzione
Title / Deed
ENTitle / Deed — A document evidencing ownership of property.
ESTítulo / Escritura
ITTitolo / Atto di proprietà
Co-ownership
ENCo-ownership — Ownership of property shared by two or more persons.
ESCondominio / Copropiedad
ITComproprietà / Comunione
Condominium
ENCondominium — Individual ownership of units within a shared building.
ESPropiedad horizontal
ITCondominio
Easement / Servitude
ENEasement / Servitude — A right to use another's land for a specific purpose.
ESServidumbre
ITServitù
Right of way
ENRight of way — The right to pass over another's land.
ESServidumbre de paso
ITServitù di passaggio
Encumbrance / Charge
ENEncumbrance / Charge — A claim or liability attached to property.
ESGravamen
ITVincolo / Gravame
Adverse possession
ENAdverse possession — Acquiring title through long, open possession.
ESUsucapión / Prescripción adquisitiva
ITUsucapione
Lease (real estate)
ENLease (real estate) — A contract granting use of property for rent.
ESLocación / Arrendamiento inmueble
ITLocazione immobiliare
Tenant / Lessee
ENTenant / Lessee — The party who rents property from another.
ESLocatario / Inquilino
ITConduttore / Locatario
Landlord / Lessor
ENLandlord / Lessor — The party who rents out property to another.
ESLocador / Propietario
ITLocatore
Eviction
ENEviction — The legal removal of a tenant from property.
ESDesalojo / Lanzamiento
ITSfratto
Expropriation
ENExpropriation — Compulsory acquisition of property by the state.
ESExpropiación
ITEspropriazione
Eminent domain
ENEminent domain — The state's power to take private property for public use.
ESUtilidad pública / Dominio eminente
ITPubblica utilità
Registration (land registry)
ENRegistration (land registry) — Recording of property rights in a public register.
ESInscripción registral
ITTrascrizione / Catasto
Land registry
ENLand registry — The official register of land and property rights.
ESRegistro de la propiedad
ITConservatoria / Registro immobiliare
Building permit
ENBuilding permit — Official authorisation to build or modify a structure.
ESPermiso de obra / construcción
ITPermesso di costruire
Zoning
ENZoning — Regulation of land use by designated areas.
ESZonificación / Ordenamiento territorial
ITPianificazione urbanistica / Zonizzazione
Surface right
ENSurface right — The right to build on or use the surface of another's land.
ESDerecho de superficie
ITDiritto di superficie
Pre-emption right
ENPre-emption right — A right to buy property before others.
ESDerecho de preferencia / tanteo
ITPrelazione
Bare ownership
ENBare ownership — Ownership without the right to use, subject to a usufruct.
ESNuda propiedad
ITNuda proprietà
Trust (real estate)
ENTrust (real estate) — An arrangement holding property for a beneficiary.
ESFideicomiso
ITTrust / Fondo patrimoniale
Conveyance / Transfer
ENConveyance / Transfer — The transfer of property from one party to another.
ESTransmisión / Transferencia
ITTrasferimento / Alienazione
Quiet enjoyment
ENQuiet enjoyment — The right to use property without disturbance.
ESGoce pacífico
ITPacifico godimento
Fixtures
ENFixtures — Items attached to and forming part of real property.
ESAccesorios / Inmuebles por accesión
ITPertinenze
Squatting
ENSquatting — Unlawful occupation of property without right.
ESOcupación ilegal / Usurpación
ITOccupazione abusiva
Title deed
ENTitle deed — The document that proves ownership of property.
ESTítulo de propiedad / Escritura
ITAtto di proprietà / Rogito
Closing / Completion
ENClosing / Completion — The final step transferring property ownership.
ESCierre / Escrituración
ITStipula / Atto definitivo
Escrow
ENEscrow — Funds or documents held by a third party until conditions are met.
ESDepósito en garantía / Fideicomiso de garantía
ITDeposito a garanzia (escrow)
Survey
ENSurvey — A measured plan of a property's boundaries.
ESMensura / Relevamiento
ITRilievo catastale / Perizia
Joint tenancy
ENJoint tenancy — Co-ownership with a right of survivorship.
ESCondominio con derecho de acrecer
ITComunione con diritto di accrescimento
Tenancy in common
ENTenancy in common — Co-ownership of distinct, transferable shares.
ESCondominio ordinario
ITComunione ordinaria
Leasehold
ENLeasehold — An interest in property held under a lease.
ESDerecho locativo / arrendaticio
ITDiritto di locazione / Affitto
Freehold
ENFreehold — Outright ownership of property for an unlimited time.
ESDominio pleno
ITPiena proprietà
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This page is for general orientation only. It is not legal advice and does not substitute for advice from licensed counsel in the relevant jurisdiction. Terminology varies between countries and between civil-law and common-law systems; the equivalents shown here are the most common in cross-border practice.
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