Inklingo

How to Say "drives" in Spanish

English → Spanish

maneja

mah-NEH-hah/maˈne.xa/

verbA1informal
Use this word when referring to the act of operating or controlling a vehicle, like a car, truck, or bus.
A person sitting happily in the driver's seat of a bright red car, holding the steering wheel and looking forward, illustrating the action of driving.

Examples

Mi tío maneja un taxi por la ciudad.

My uncle drives a taxi around the city.

Mi padre maneja un camión muy grande.

My father drives a very big truck.

¿Usted maneja por la ciudad o prefiere el metro?

Do you (formal) drive through the city or prefer the subway?

Ella maneja con mucha precaución, es muy segura.

She drives with a lot of caution; she is very safe.

Dual Role of 'Maneja'

'Maneja' has two main uses: it describes what a single person (He/She/You formal) is doing right now, OR it serves as a polite command ('You formal, drive!').

Using 'Maneja' for 'I drive'

Mistake: “Yo maneja”

Correction: The correct form for 'I' is 'Yo manejo'. Remember that -ar verbs always end in -o for the 'I' form.

conduce

kon-DOO-seh/konˈduθe/

verbA2
This word also means 'drives' a vehicle, often used in more formal contexts or in certain regions, and can also refer to conducting or leading.
A person with short hair sitting in a car, holding the steering wheel and driving. The focus is on the action of operating the vehicle.

Examples

Ella conduce con mucho cuidado.

She drives very carefully.

Ella conduce un coche muy rápido.

She drives a very fast car.

¿Quién conduce el autobús hoy?

Who is driving the bus today?

El señor Pérez conduce con mucha precaución.

Mr. Pérez drives with a lot of caution.

Present Tense Action

This form ('conduce') tells you what 'he,' 'she,' 'it,' or 'you (formal)' is doing right now, or what they do habitually.

The 'Usted' Command

The form 'conduzca' (not 'conduce') is used when giving a polite, formal command, like 'Usted, conduzca el coche.'

Confusing 'Conduce' and 'Maneja'

Mistake: “Using 'maneja' in Spain, where 'conduce' is usually preferred for driving a standard vehicle.”

Correction: In Spain, stick to 'conduce' for cars. In much of Latin America, 'maneja' is more common.

empuja

/em-POO-hah//emˈpu.xa/

verbB1
Use this word in a figurative sense, meaning to motivate, propel, or push someone or something forward towards a goal.
A small red sailboat is rapidly propelled forward by a strong gust of wind across a blue sea.

Examples

La pasión por la música lo empuja a practicar horas cada día.

The passion for music drives him to practice for hours every day.

Su ambición empuja su carrera profesional.

His ambition drives his professional career.

La crisis empuja a la gente a buscar soluciones.

The crisis pushes people to look for solutions.

El entrenador siempre empuja a los jugadores a mejorar.

The coach always encourages (or drives) the players to improve.

Figurative Force

In this sense, 'empuja' acts like 'driving force' or 'catalyst' in English, showing that something is the main reason for movement or change.

Vehicle vs. Motivation

The most common mistake is using 'empuja' when you mean to drive a car. Remember that 'empuja' is about motivation or propulsion, while 'maneja' and 'conduce' are for operating vehicles.

Related Translations

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.