Apartment vs Condo

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Apartment

Top 1,000 (very common) A1 noun

Condo

Top 5,000 (fairly common)

Most common: Apartment

	Apartment	Condo
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/əˈpɑːtmənt/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/əˈpɑːrtmənt/"]/	🇬🇧 //ˈkɒndəʊ// 🇺🇸 //ˈkɑːndoʊ//
Meaning	A place where people live, usually in a building with other homes.	A small apartment that is owned by someone.
Example	They have a beautiful apartment in the city center.	He bought a new condo in the city center.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 1,000 (very common)	Top 5,000 (fairly common)
CEFR level	A1	-
Part of speech	noun
Collocations	large, spacious, cramped, buy, lease, rent, block, building, complex, large, spacious, cramped, buy, lease, rent, block, building, complex, private, royal, state	buy a condo, condo fees, luxury condo, condo association
Antonyms	house, mansion	house, single-family home
Common mistakes	Confused with 'flat' in British English, Using 'appartment' with incorrect spelling, Saying 'in the apartment' instead of 'at the apartment' in some contexts	Confused with 'apartment' - a condo is owned, not rented., Using 'condo' in discussions about hotels., Assuming all condos have the same features or amenities.
Usage notes	Use 'apartment' in everyday conversation. More common in American English than 'flat', used in British English. Avoid using in very formal contexts.	Commonly used in real estate; appropriate for discussions about housing and living arrangements. Avoid using in formal legal contexts.

See it in real clips

They furnished off an apartment with a two-room Roebucks sale

All right. Here's the apartment where the killing took place.

The Wire › S1 E1

Decomp in a vacant apartment.

They furnished off an apartment with a two-room Roebucks sale

All right. Here's the apartment where the killing took place.

Apartment

No, it's not like looking for a new condo.

Condo

Frequently asked questions: Apartment vs Condo

What's the difference between Apartment and Condo?

Apartment: A place where people live, usually in a building with other homes. Condo: A small apartment that is owned by someone.

Which is more common: Apartment and Condo?

Apartment is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Apartment: They have a beautiful apartment in the city center. Condo: He bought a new condo in the city center.

Can I use Apartment and Condo interchangeably?

Not always. Apartment and Condo are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.