en el coche
/en el kot͡ʃe/from spelling rules
The English phrase "in the car" is translated into Spanish as en el coche.
Use this phrase to indicate that someone or something is located inside a vehicle used for transporting a small number of people. If you are specifically referring to a feminine noun like la camioneta, you would say en la camioneta.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of en (in/on), el (the, masculine) and coche (car).
Which one should you use?
While en el coche is the standard way to say "in the car", you might use dentro del coche if you want to emphasize being physically inside the interior space.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The word for car changes depending on the region. In many parts of Latin America, you will hear en el carro instead of en el coche. In the Southern Cone, specifically in countries like Argentina and Chile, en el auto is a very common way to refer to a car.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the phrase plural, change the article to los and the noun to coches, resulting in en los coches.
How do you pronounce it?
/en el kotʃe/
Did you know?
- The word coche actually traces its roots back to a small Hungarian village named Kocs, which was famous for producing innovative horse-drawn carriages in the 15th century.
- While en translates to 'in' in en el coche, it is also used for 'on'. A Spanish speaker says en el coche whether they are inside the vehicle or sitting on top of it.
- Depending on the country, using coche instead of carro or auto can immediately signal to a listener that the speaker is from Spain.
Examples in context
- Estoy en el coche.I'm in the car.This sentence is useful for saying that you are currently located in the car using the form en el coche.Tatoeba #1120323 by Shishir, translation #718876 by CK
- Están en el coche.They are in the car.This sentence is useful for saying that they are located in the car using the form en el coche.Tatoeba #4623423 by Shishir, translation #4625623 by rmccar1
- Durmió en el coche.He slept in the car.This sentence is useful for saying that he slept in the car using the form en el coche.Tatoeba #2856502 by Shishir, translation #1977220 by Spamster
- El presidente viajó en el coche oficial.The president traveled in the official car.
- Tomaremos un paseo en el automóvil.We will take a ride in the car.
- Vamos a la playa en el carro de mi papá.We are going to the beach in my dad's car.
- ¿Quieres venir en el coche con nosotros?Do you want to come in the car with us?
- Ella aprendió a conducir en el coche de su abuelo.She learned to drive in her grandfather's car.
- ¿Puedes manejar hasta la tienda en el auto?Can you drive to the store in the car?
- Nos encanta pasear en el coche por el campo.We love taking rides in the car through the countryside.
- 50 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and María are looking for their keys.
- Daniel¿Están las llaves en el coche?Are the keys in the car?
- MaríaNo, no están en el coche.No, they are not in the car.
- DanielBusca en tu bolso, María.Look in your purse, María.
- María¡Ah, aquí están!Ah, here they are!
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries coche, el, en, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
