When an ad is renting a "piso", what exactly does that mean? Any other hints for reading apartment ads. Any amenities that are must-haves for a year in Madrid?

well, "piso" in Spanish means floor, as in 1st floor, 2nd floor, 3rd floor, etc. I don't know about specific to apartment renting.

Hi

Piso in spanish can also mean apartment (usually small e.g. studio or 1 bed) as well as apartmento. Planta can also mean floor.

Amueblado = furnished
desamueblado = unfurnished
Lavadora = Washing Machine
aire acondicionado = Air conditioning (!!)

Hope this helps.
Sarah

"Piso" is a place with a living room (salon) and only one bedroom (habitacion). While "Apartamento" is a place with at least two or more rooms.

Oh, wow. This is confusing. When I lived in Madrid, renting as well as buying, an "apartamento" was a studio or at most a one-bedroom apartment, and a "piso" had multiple rooms. My last "piso," (owned) had 7 rooms.

A piso is a flat- it can be small or very large. Apartamentos normally are one bedroom- estudios are studio apartments w/o a bedroom.

Diana is right. A Spanish "piso" is supposed to be larger than an "apartment".

"Estudio" is the smallest type, usually with a living room which is also the bedroom. An apartment has an independent bedroom (usually only 1). A Spanish "piso" has two or more bedrooms.