車を運転する
kuruma o unten suru
To drive a car in Japanese is 車を運転する (kuruma o unten suru).
The phrase 車を運転する is used to describe the act of operating and controlling a motor vehicle to move it from one place to another. While this specific phrase names the car, speakers often shorten it to just 運転する if it is already clear from the context that they are talking about a vehicle.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of kuruma (car), o (the object marker particle) and unten suru (to operate or drive).
Which one should you use?
The full phrase 車を運転する specifies that you are driving a car, whereas the shorter form 運転する is frequently used alone when the context of a vehicle is already understood.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some areas, people might use 車を運転するけん instead of 車を運転する to convey the same meaning more casually.
How do you pronounce it?
kuruma o unten suru
Did you know?
- The word 車 (kuruma) originally meant 'wheeled vehicle' or 'carriage' and was used for horse-drawn carts long before motorized cars existed.
- While 運転する means 'to drive', if you are a passenger in a car, you are not 'sitting in' the car, but rather 'being carried' by it, using the verb 乗る (noru).
- In Japan, the phrase 運転する (unten suru) can also be used to describe operating heavy machinery or controlling a train, not just driving a car.
Examples in context
- 車を運転するには、免許がいるよ。To drive a car, you need a licence.This sentence is useful for discussing the requirement of a licence to use 車を運転する.Tatoeba #11981006 by small_snow, translation #11554878 by sundown
- 車を運転するには運転免許証が必要だ。You must have a driver's license before you can drive a car.This sentence is useful for emphasizing the necessity of a driver's license to use 車を運転する.Tatoeba #148970 by bunbuku, translation #265588 by CK
- 車を運転するときは油断してはいけない。You must be careful when you drive a car.This sentence is useful for providing a warning about being careful when using 車を運転する.Tatoeba #1171900 by bunbuku, translation #388285 by CK
- 実は、私が運転するんだ。Actually, I'm the one who drives.
- 私に運転させていただけますか？Could you let me drive?
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yui and Kenta are talking about their skills.
- 結衣 Yui健太くんは車を運転するの？Kenta-kun wa kuruma o unten suru no?Kenta, do you drive a car?
- 健太 Kentaうん、たまに運転するよ。Un, tama ni unten suru yo.Yeah, I drive sometimes.
- 結衣 Yuiいいな。私も車を運転したい。Ii na. Watashi mo kuruma o unten shitai.Lucky you. I want to drive a car too.
- 健太 Kenta一緒に練習しようか。Issho ni renshuu shiyou ka.Shall we practice together?
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
