compartir coche
/kompaɾtiɾ kot͡ʃe/from spelling rules
To carpool in Spanish is compartir coche.
You can use compartir coche to describe the general concept or the action itself. For more formal contexts, you might refer to shared transportation as transporte compartido or a shared commute as desplazamiento compartido.
Meaning: travel together (verb)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the verb compartir (to share) and the noun coche (car).
Which one should you use?
You can use the construction ir compartiendo coche to emphasize that carpooling is an ongoing habit or an ongoing action.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the expression coche compartido is often used as an alternative to more formal phrasing.
How does it change in a sentence?
In natural Spanish speech, it is more common to include the definite article el between the verb and the noun, resulting in the phrase compartir el coche.
How do you pronounce it?
/kompaɾtiɾ kotʃe/
Did you know?
- In many Latin American countries, you might find that 'coche' refers to a baby stroller rather than a car, so you would need to use 'carro' or 'auto' to avoid confusion when talking about carpooling.
- The word coche is a linguistic relative of the English word 'coach'. Both terms trace their origins back to the village of Kocs in Hungary, where innovative horse-drawn carriages were first made.
- While coche is standard in Spain, speakers in Mexico and Colombia would instead say compartir el carro or compartir el auto. Using coche in some Latin American countries can sound distinctly European.
Examples in context
- En mi trabajo hacemos desplazamiento compartido para ahorrar dinero.At my job, we do shared commuting to save money.
- Estoy compartiendo coche con mis compañeros de trabajo esta semana.I am carpooling with my coworkers this week.
- Podemos compartir coche para ir al trabajo.We can carpool to go to work.
- ¿Quieres compartir coche conmigo mañana?Do you want to carpool with me tomorrow?
- Es más barato si vamos a compartir coche.It is cheaper if we carpool.
Example conversation
Two colleagues are discussing their commute to the office.
- SofíaMateo, ¿quieres compartir coche esta semana?Mateo, do you want to carpool this week?
- MateoSí, Sofía, me parece una buena idea.Yes, Sofia, I think that is a good idea.
- SofíaPerfecto, te paso a buscar a las ocho.Perfect, I will pick you up at eight.
- MateoMuy bien, allí estaré listo.Very well, I will be ready there.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries coche, compartir, CC BY-SA 4.0.
