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coche

KO-cheh/ˈko.t͡ʃe/

“coche” means “car” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

car

Also: automobile
NounmA1
SpainLatin America
A bright red, modern four-door sedan driving on a sunny road.

📝 In Action

Mi coche es rojo.

A1

My car is red.

Vamos a la playa en coche.

A1

We're going to the beach by car.

Aparqué el coche cerca de tu casa.

A2

I parked the car near your house.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • auto (car (common in Latin America))
  • carro (car (common in Latin America))

Common Collocations

  • coche de alquiler – rental car
  • coche eléctrico – electric car
  • coche de segunda mano – second-hand car

Idioms & Expressions

  • ir en el coche de San Fernando – to go on foot (a little bit on foot and a little bit walking)

carriage, coach

Also: baby carriage
NounmB2
General
An elegant, historical horse-drawn carriage with large wooden wheels, pulled by a single horse.

📝 In Action

La reina llegó en un coche tirado por caballos.

B2

The queen arrived in a horse-drawn carriage.

Este tren tiene ocho coches de pasajeros.

B1

This train has eight passenger coaches (or cars).

El bebé duerme en su coche.

B1

The baby is sleeping in his carriage (stroller).

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • carruaje (carriage)
  • vagón (wagon, railway car)

Common Collocations

  • coche de caballos – horse-drawn carriage
  • coche cama – sleeper car (on a train)
  • coche de niño / cochecito – stroller / baby carriage

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "coche" in Spanish:

automobile→baby carriage→car→carriage→coach→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: coche

Question 1 of 2

In which sentence does 'coche' most likely mean a 'railway car'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
cochera(garage, coach house) — Noun
cochecito(stroller, small car) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Hungarian word 'kocsi', named after the town of Kocs where these horse-drawn vehicles were first made in the 15th century. It originally meant a fancy carriage, and the meaning evolved to include railway cars and eventually automobiles.

First recorded: 16th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: coachGerman: KutscheFrench: coche

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Frequently Asked Questions

Should I use 'coche', 'carro', or 'auto'?

It depends on where you are! Use 'coche' in Spain. In Latin America, 'carro' and 'auto' are often more common. 'Carro' is popular in Mexico, Central America, and parts of South America like Colombia and Venezuela. 'Auto' is common in Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay. Everyone will understand 'coche', but using the local word will make you sound more natural.

Is 'coche' masculine or feminine?

'Coche' is a masculine noun, so you say 'el coche' (the car) and 'un coche' (a car). Any words that describe it also need to be in their masculine form, like 'el coche rojo' (the red car).