cochera
everyday, Mexico
At home a Mexican family keeps the car in the cochera, though garaje is also understood everywhere. It is also called Estacionamiento.
Meaning: place where a car is kept (noun)
Ways to say it
| Mexican | Note |
|---|---|
| cochera | everyday, Mexico |
| Garaje | general |
| Estacionamiento | parking lot |
Cochera is the usual word for a private garage, as in Dejé el coche en la cochera.
Which one should you use?
A public parking lot is an estacionamiento, not a garaje. A mechanic's workshop is a taller mecánico.
How do you pronounce it?
Say ga-RA-heh for garaje. The j sounds like the English "h".
Did you know?
- In Mexico a taller is where cars get repaired, so a person looking for repairs should not ask for a cochera.
Examples in context
- Mete el coche a la cochera.Put the car in the garage.
- El garaje es muy angosto.The garage is very narrow.
- Busco estacionamiento cerca del centro.I am looking for parking near downtown.
Example conversation
Tomás helps his dad Arturo clean the family garage in Querétaro.
- TomásPapá, ¿dónde guardo estas cajas?Dad, where do I put these boxes?
- ArturoDéjalas al fondo de la cochera.Leave them at the back of the garage.
- TomásListo. Ya cabe el coche.Done. The car fits now.
