Real rights and personal rights
From Civil law (ius in rem, ius in personam)
Property
What it means
Civil law splits rights into real rights (rights in a thing, enforceable against everyone, like ownership or a mortgage) and personal rights (claims against a particular person, like a debt).
Why it travels badly
Common law divides things differently, using estates, equitable interests and the distinction between property and contract. 'Real right' is a technical term in Roman-based systems and sounds odd in English.
How other systems say it
dingliche Rechte / schuldrechtliche Ansprüche
The separation principle splits the contract to sell from the transfer of ownership itself.
property / contract
Property includes estates and equitable interests, and the law of property is more flexible.
Tip for translators and students
Explain 'real right' as 'a right in a thing, enforceable against everyone', and avoid the false link with 'real property'.
Related: Adverse possession and usucapion, Trust
Updated October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
TheLawToKnow Tools’s glossary is an educational overview of the main differences between legal systems. It is not legal advice.
