In German, the word pachten is used to mean "rent" when an object is rented and the earnings from anything produced on that object belong to the tenant and not to the owner. For example, this word applies to the renting of a field, restaurant, mine, quarry, etc. The crops I grow on the field then belong to me, the tenant, and not to the owner. In contrast, if I rent a house (mieten in German), the fruit from the trees in the garden belong to the owner and not to me.

Would pachten be "rent" or "lease" in English, or something else altogether?

Ilka

Hmm, have to think about that for a while.  If I rent a house, it usually includes use of the grounds, which I would assume to include orchards, unless specifically excluded.  If you rent or lease an apartment, and the contract allows you to sublet or sublease, then you can rent it out and keep any excess over what you owe the landlord.  

The English terms seem similar.  Lease may be a term or art in legalese.  We may need someone with access to Black’s Law Dictionary.  

[quote author=Stargzer link=board=what;num=1038735739;start=0#1 date=12/01/02 at 12:41:52]We may need someone with access to Black’s Law Dictionary.

Not mere access, sir. Outright ownership. (But for a modest monthly consideration . . .)

Said tome, however, was not of much help. The definitions under lease go on for two pages; those under rent for almost a page; and those for tenancy meander over five pages. And none seem to carry the different senses of the German words pachten and mieten.

The primary definitions of the nouns lease and rent indicate that lease is the contract while rent is the compensation. (So much for those rental contracts when hiring a car.)

For lease as a verb, BLD offers: 1. To grant the possession and use of (land, buildings, rooms, movable property, etc.) to another in return for rent or other consideration. 2. To take a lease of; to hold by a lease.

There is also the verb let: To offer property for lease; to rent out. There is no separate definition of rent as a verb.

Thanks for your help. The contract is out the door and says "lease".

Ilka