¿Manejas?
In Spanish, ¿Manejas? is the way to say "do you drive?"
This phrase is a question used to ask if someone knows how to operate a motor vehicle. You can use the verb manejar to mean "to drive", though it is worth noting that manejar can also mean "to manage" or "to handle" a situation or an object.
Which one should you use?
While manejar is used for driving, the verb conducir is also a common way to say "to drive". In terms of phrasing, you may encounter ¿Sabes conducir? or ¿Sabes manejar? to specifically ask "Can you drive?"
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Latin America, ¿Manejas? is the standard way to ask if someone drives and ¿Usted maneja auto? is a formal way to ask "Do you drive a car?" In Spain, the verb conducir is more commonly used than manejar for driving a vehicle, making ¿Conduces? a typical way to ask the question.
How does it change in a sentence?
To ask this question formally, you use the third-person singular form of the verb with the pronoun usted, such as in ¿Maneja usted? or ¿Usted conduce?
Did you know?
- In some contexts, manejar can be used as a euphemism for 'controlling' or 'manipulating' people, making the phrase sound like you are asking if someone is a puppet master.
- The verb conducir comes from the Latin conducere, meaning 'to lead together', which is why it shares a root with the English word 'conduct'.
- While English uses the same word 'drive' for both a car and a golf ball, Spanish speakers use manejar or conducir only for vehicles and golpear or dar for the sport.
Examples in context
- ¿Tú conduces un coche?Do you drive a car?
- Sí, conduzcoYes, I drive
- No, no conduzcoNo, I don't drive
Example conversation
María and Alejandro are planning a trip together.
- MaríaNecesitamos ir al centro. ¿Manejas?We need to go downtown. Do you drive?
- AlejandroSí, tengo mi licencia desde hace años.Yes, I have had my license for years.
- María¡Qué bueno! Entonces puedes conducir tú.That's great! Then you can drive.
- AlejandroClaro, yo me encargo del coche.Sure, I'll take care of the car.
