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Prepositions after verbs

How to use prepositions with rent

Rent changes meaning depending on the preposition that follows it.

Quick answer

Which prepositions are common with rent?

Rent from means receive use of something from an owner. Rent to means allow someone to use something for payment. Rent for can show a period or purpose. Rent in is only used with separate place phrases, and rent by usually refers to a method of payment or measurement.

We rent an apartment from a local owner
The company rents cars to tourists
They rented the cabin for a week
Office space is expensive to rent in the city centre

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
rent something from + owner

Getting temporary use

Use from for the source or owner.

She rented a bike from the hotel
2
rent something to + person

Allowing someone to use property

Use to when the owner provides the property.

They rent apartments to students
3
rent something for + period/purpose

Showing duration or purpose

For can introduce how long or why something is rented.

We rented a van for the weekend
4
rent in + place

Adding location information

In usually introduces a place, not a fixed verb-preposition combination.

Many people rent in this neighbourhood
5
rent by + unit

Describing pricing method

By can show how rent is calculated.

The studio is rented by the hour

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
rent from
I rent my flat from a retired teacher.
the renter receives use from the owner
rent to
They rent rooms to tourists.
the owner provides property to others
rent for
We rented the hall for two days.
duration or purpose
rent in
It is difficult to rent in this area.
in introduces location
rent by
The equipment is rented by the day.
pricing or measurement method

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Mixing up rent from and rent to

The direction of the action changes the preposition.

✕ We rent students apartments from. ✓ We rent apartments to students.

Using in for the owner

Use from to name the owner or source.

✕ She rented a room in her cousin. ✓ She rented a room from her cousin.

Using by for duration

Use for to show how long something is rented.

✕ We rented the car by a week. ✓ We rented the car for a week.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. They rent office space ___ small companies.
2. I rented a camera ___ my neighbour.
3. The cabin was rented ___ the month.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between rent from and rent to?

Rent from describes the renter's side. Rent to describes the owner's side.

Can I say rent in?

Yes, when in introduces a place: rent in London. It is not a fixed verb-preposition pair.

What does rent by mean?

It usually describes a pricing unit, such as rented by the hour or by the day.

radiate-from-into-around-to, with "raise in" or "raise by"? rake in, through, across, at or over? rally in, around, to, behind or on? "rape by" or "rape in"? ratify by, in, on, according or as? ravage by, from, on, through or with? rave about, at, from, to or before? reach for, by, at, to or into? react to, with, in, by or like? read about, in, on, through or for? "realize in", "realize at" or "realize by"?

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