To rent something means to pay money to use it for a limited time, rather than buying it to own forever. When your family rents an apartment, you pay the landlord each month for the right to live there, but the landlord still owns the building. When you rent a movie, you can watch it for a day or two before it expires. People also rent cars when traveling, equipment for special projects, or costumes for Halloween.

The past tense is rented: “We rented a cabin at the lake last summer.” Something you're renting is called a rental, like a rental car or rental equipment.

Renting makes sense when you need something temporarily or can't afford to buy it outright. A construction company might rent expensive machinery for a single project rather than buying equipment that will sit unused afterward. Your family might rent a house while saving money to buy one.

The person who owns what you're renting is the landlord (for property) or owner. The person paying to use it is the renter or tenant (for housing). A lease is the written agreement that explains the rules, the cost, and how long the rental period lasts.