Inklingo

How to Say "driver's license" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “driver's license” is “identificación” — use 'identificación' when referring to a driver's license as a general form of official identification, especially when its primary function is to prove who you are..

English → Spanish

identificación

nounA1general
Use 'identificación' when referring to a driver's license as a general form of official identification, especially when its primary function is to prove who you are.

Examples

Necesito mi identificación para recoger el paquete.

I need my identification to pick up the package.

libreta

/lee-BREH-tah//liˈβɾeta/

nounB2regional
Only use 'libreta' for a driver's license if you are in Uruguay or specific regions of Argentina, where it's a regional term for official documents.
A small blue booklet with the image of a gold coin on the cover, representing a bankbook.

Examples

En Uruguay, a veces llaman 'libreta' a la licencia de conducir.

In Uruguay, they sometimes call the driver's license 'libreta'.

Tengo que ir al banco para actualizar mi libreta de ahorros.

I have to go to the bank to update my savings book.

El oficial me pidió la libreta de conducir.

The officer asked me for my driver's license.

Financial Context

In a bank, 'libreta' refers to the physical ledger where your balance is printed. Even with digital banking, people still use this term.

Regional vs. General Terms

The most common mistake is using 'libreta' outside of Uruguay or Argentina. While 'libreta' can refer to various books or booklets, it's not a standard term for a driver's license in most Spanish-speaking countries.

Related Translations

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