Flat, Unit, Apartment—What Do You Call Your Home in the Sky?

The humble apartment - or as we Aussies have long called it, a "flat." Now, if you’re scratching your head wondering where the word "apartment" even came from, you wouldn’t be the first. It sounds a bit fancy, a bit American, and a bit like you should be sipping a caramel macchiato while saying it. And that’s probably because it did, indeed, waltz over from the U.S.

A Flat Out Mystery

In Australia and the UK, the word "flat" has been kicking around for yonks. Some say it comes from the Scottish word "flet," meaning floor or dwelling. Makes sense, right? Your flat is literally a flat bit of building where you live. No stairs, no rolling hills - just one solid, dependable, flat surface to park your couch on.

The American Takeover - Apartments

Then, along came the Americans with their "apartments." The word comes from the French "appartement," which, ironically, has the word "apart" in it. Seems odd, considering apartments are all squished together in a building. But the logic is that each unit is separate, giving you a little world of your own - at least until your neighbours start vacuuming at 10pm.

Units - The Underdog of Apartment Names

Here in Australia, we also like to chuck in the word "unit." It’s a bit more of a catch-all term for any self-contained living space - whether it’s a ground-floor flat, a townhouse, or something in a block of apartments. Not as posh-sounding as "apartment" but more versatile than "flat."

Beyond the English-Speaking World

Now, if we hop over to Europe, what do people call their own little patch of vertical real estate?

• Spain: They call it a "piso" (literally meaning "floor") or sometimes "apartamento" for something a bit fancier. So if you say you live in a "piso," you’re basically saying, "I live on a floor." Well, yes, of course, you do!

• France: The French go with "appartement" (very chic, très Parisian). But the kicker? It’s got an extra "p" compared to English, so if you’re trying to sound sophisticated, don’t forget to double up on that consonant!

The Wrap-Up

So whether you live in a flat, an apartment, a unit, a piso, or an appartement, at the end of the day, it’s all the same - a place to call home, where you can kick off your shoes, complain about your strata fees, and hope the neighbours aren’t too noisy.

And if you ever get confused about what to call it? Just go with "my place", it works every time.