conducir un coche
/konduθiɾ un kot͡ʃe/from spelling rules
To drive a car in Spanish is conducir un coche.
This phrase is used to describe the act of operating and controlling a motor vehicle to move it from one place to another. If you want to express that you possess the skill or know how to drive, you should use the verb saber followed by the infinitive conducir, such as in the phrase saber conducir.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Regional preferences significantly affect how you say this phrase. In Spain, conducir is the standard verb for driving. In Latin America, the verb manejar is more commonly used than conducir. Additionally, in many parts of Latin America, the word auto is preferred over coche to refer to a car, leading to the phrase conducir un auto.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb conducir is a regular -ir verb in the present tense, but it is irregular in the first person singular present indicative, where it becomes conduzco.
How do you pronounce it?
/konduθiɾ un kotʃe/
Did you know?
- The word coche is a linguistic traveler that actually traces its roots back to a Hungarian village called Kocs. This village was famous in the 15th century for manufacturing horse-drawn vehicles with advanced suspension systems.
- In Spanish, the verb conducir literally means to lead or guide, which is why it is used for both driving a car and leading a group of people.
Examples in context
- Sé conducir un coche.I can drive a car.This sentence demonstrates the use of conducir un coche to express ability.Tatoeba #1173670 by Shishir, translation #505158 by minshirui
- No sé conducir un coche.I do not know how to drive a car.This sentence shows how to use the phrase in the negative to say one does not know how to drive.Tatoeba #1359573 by Shishir, translation #258394 by CC
- Él sabe conducir un coche.He knows how to drive a car.This sentence shows how to express that someone else knows how to drive using conducir un coche.Tatoeba #1638500 by teskmon, translation #529941 by blay_paul
- Yo conduzco un automóvilI drive a car
- Voy a conducir un automóvil para ir al trabajoI'm going to drive a car to go to work
- Conducir un coche en la ciudad puede ser estresanteDriving a car in the city can be stressful
- 17 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and Elena are discussing how to get to a party.
- DanielPuedo conducir un coche para ir.I can drive a car to go.
- ElenaEso sería mucho más rápido.That would be much faster.
- Daniel¿Prefieres que yo empiece a conducir un coche ahora?Do you prefer that I start driving a car now?
- ElenaSí, Daniel, vamos ya.Yes, Daniel, let's go now.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries coche, conducir, un, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
