Spanish - Taxi Rides

Lesson 111 of 159

Learner checking a taxi door and phone map—Spanish taxi phrases for travelers.

Goal: Phrases for getting in, changing plans, and leaving things behind

Free Spanish lessons with guided practice, audio, and speaking support.

Ready for a short ride? This lesson helps you handle common taxi and ride‑share moments in Spanish: confirming your car, changing the route, asking about charges, and more. Practice the phrases, hear them in a short dialogue, then say them out loud.

Level A2: In this lesson you'll practice ten useful taxi phrases for real rides — from confirming the car and plates to asking the driver to follow the map, make a stop, or turn on the meter. This CEFR-aligned pack focuses on polite, practical lines you can use during and after a trip.

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Recognize and produce ten common taxi phrases in Spanish used in rides and ride-shares.
  • Ask about vehicle identification and extra charges, and request changes politely.
  • Use polite forms (usted) naturally when speaking to drivers — appropriate for Level A2 learners.
A passenger confirming a car and discussing a route with a driver in Spanish.

Ready? Let's go!

When you tap play on phrases, we track your progress through this lesson.

1. Reading + Listening Practice

Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.

¿Este carro es para mí?

Is this car for me?

Meaning: Is this car for me?

When to use: Use this before getting in to confirm a taxi or ride-share is your assigned vehicle.

Tip: Don't confuse 'este' with 'esta' for carro; 'carro' is masculine so use 'este'.

Disculpe, ¿este carro es para mí?
Excuse me, is this car for me?
Me llegó una notificación; quiero confirmar: ¿este carro es para mí?
I got a notification; I want to confirm: is this car for me?

¿Cuál es el número de placas?

What's the license plate number?

Meaning: What's the license plate number?

When to use: Ask this when you want to check the vehicle identity before entering or for safety.

Perdón, ¿cuál es el número de placas del carro?
Excuse me, what's the car's license plate number?
Antes de subir, ¿me puede decir cuál es el número de placas?
Before I get in, can you tell me the license plate number?

Por favor, siga la ruta del mapa.

Please follow the map.

Meaning: Please follow the map.

When to use: Say this politely to ask the driver to use your navigation or a shown route.

Por favor, siga la ruta del mapa en mi teléfono.
Please follow the route on the map on my phone.
Si no conoce la zona, por favor siga la ruta del mapa.
If you don't know the area, please follow the map's route.

Necesito cambiar el destino a ___.

I need to change the destination to ___.

Meaning: I need to change the destination to ___.

When to use: Use this during a ride when you need to redirect the driver to a different place.

Disculpe, necesito cambiar el destino a la estación central.
Excuse me, I need to change the destination to the central station.
Acabo de recibir un mensaje; necesito cambiar el destino a la dirección nueva.
I just got a message; I need to change the destination to the new address.

Necesito hacer una parada en ___.

I need to make one stop at ___.

Meaning: I need to make one stop at ___.

When to use: Ask this when you want the driver to stop briefly at a place before continuing.

Necesito hacer una parada en la farmacia, ¿está bien?
I need to make a stop at the pharmacy, is that okay?
Podemos hacer una parada en mi casa de amigos antes de seguir?
Can we make one stop at my friend's house before continuing?

¿Me puede dejar en ___, por favor?

Drop me off at ___, please.

Meaning: Drop me off at ___, please.

When to use: Use this polite request to tell the driver exactly where you want to be left.

Tip: Make sure to include the exact place (hotel, office) after 'en' to avoid confusion.

¿Me puede dejar en el hotel Plaza, por favor?
Can you drop me off at the Plaza hotel, please?
Al final de la calle, ¿me puede dejar en la entrada principal, por favor?
At the end of the street, can you drop me off at the main entrance, please?

Dejé algo en el carro.

I left something in the car.

Meaning: I left something in the car.

When to use: Say this when reporting a lost item after leaving a taxi or to the driver if you notice before exiting.

Creo que dejé algo en el carro, ¿puede ayudarme a buscarlo?
I think I left something in the car; can you help me look for it?
Volví al taxi porque dejé algo en el carro anoche.
I came back to the taxi because I left something in the car last night.

¿Podría prender el taxímetro, por favor?

Could you turn on the meter, please?

Meaning: Could you turn on the meter, please?

When to use: Politely ask the driver to start the taximeter at the beginning of the ride.

Tip: Some learners say 'encender' instead of 'prender' — both work, but in many regions 'prender el taxímetro' is natural.

Hola, ¿podría prender el taxímetro, por favor?
Hello, could you turn on the meter, please?
Antes de salir, ¿podría prender el taxímetro por favor?
Before we go, could you please turn on the meter?

¿Hay cargo extra por ___?

Is there an extra charge for ___?

Meaning: Is there an extra charge for ___?

When to use: Ask this to check if a surcharge applies (luggage, extra stop, late night, etc.).

¿Hay cargo extra por llevar mucha maleta?
Is there an extra charge for carrying a lot of luggage?
¿Hay cargo extra por esperar diez minutos?
Is there an extra charge for waiting ten minutes?

¿Puede bajar un poco la velocidad, por favor?

Please slow down a little.

Meaning: Please slow down a little.

When to use: Use this polite request if you want the driver to reduce speed for comfort or safety.

¿Puede bajar un poco la velocidad, por favor? Voy mareado.
Could you slow down a little, please? I feel dizzy.
Por favor, ¿puede bajar un poco la velocidad? Hay mucho tráfico.
Please, can you slow down a little? There is a lot of traffic.

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

Anna checks her booked taxi and coordinates with the driver.

What does Anna confirm about the car at the start?

Portrait of Anna in a Spanish lesson dialogue

Anna

Hola, ¿este carro es para mí?

Hi, is this car for me?

Portrait of David in a Spanish lesson dialogue

David

Sí, soy tu conductor. El número de placas es 123-ABC.

Yes, I'm your driver. The plate number is 123-ABC.

Portrait of Anna in a Spanish lesson dialogue

Anna

Perfecto. Por favor, siga la ruta del mapa.

Perfect. Please follow the map's route.

Portrait of David in a Spanish lesson dialogue

David

Claro. ¿Necesita hacer una parada en algún lado?

Sure. Do you need to make a stop somewhere?

Portrait of Anna in a Spanish lesson dialogue

Anna

Sí, necesito hacer una parada en la farmacia y luego necesito cambiar el destino a mi oficina.

Yes, I need to stop at the pharmacy and then I need to change the destination to my office.

Portrait of David in a Spanish lesson dialogue

David

Entendido. ¿Podría prender el taxímetro, por favor?

Understood. Could you turn on the meter, please?

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

Which Spanish phrase asks, 'Is this car for me?'

How do you politely ask the driver to follow your navigation?

Which phrase asks the driver to start the taxi meter?

How do you ask if there's an additional fee for something?

Before getting in the taxi I say: 'Is this car for me?'

Antes de subirme al taxi, digo: '___'.

Midway through the ride: 'Excuse me, I need to change the destination to the central station.'

A mitad del viaje: 'Disculpe, ___ a la estación central.'

If the driving is fast I say: 'Please slow down a little.'

Si la conducción es rápida digo: '___'.

Match the core phrases

Match the extra phrases

4. Speaking Practice

Say phrases yourself (mic/recording).

Recording stays on your device only. Check speech uses your browser's speech tools when available.

Say this phrase out loud:

¿Este carro es para mí?

Is this car for me?

Say this phrase out loud:

¿Cuál es el número de placas?

What's the license plate number?

Say this phrase out loud:

Por favor, siga la ruta del mapa.

Please follow the map.

Say this phrase out loud:

Necesito cambiar el destino a ___.

I need to change the destination to ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

Necesito hacer una parada en ___.

I need to make one stop at ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

¿Me puede dejar en ___, por favor?

Drop me off at ___, please.

Say this phrase out loud:

Dejé algo en el carro.

I left something in the car.

Say this phrase out loud:

¿Podría prender el taxímetro, por favor?

Could you turn on the meter, please?

Say this phrase out loud:

¿Hay cargo extra por ___?

Is there an extra charge for ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

¿Puede bajar un poco la velocidad, por favor?

Please slow down a little.