Inklingo

How to Say "driving" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “driving” is “manejando” — use 'manejando' when you want to express the general action of operating a vehicle, like a car or motorcycle, without focusing on the destination or who is being transported..

English → Spanish

manejando

mah-neh-HAHN-doh/ma.neˈxan.do/

GerundA1general
Use 'manejando' when you want to express the general action of operating a vehicle, like a car or motorcycle, without focusing on the destination or who is being transported.
A close-up view showing a person's hands firmly gripping a large steering wheel inside a colorful vehicle, illustrating the act of driving.

Examples

Mi padre está manejando a la oficina ahora mismo.

My father is driving to the office right now.

Ella aprendió a manejar la motocicleta cuando era joven.

She learned to operate the motorcycle when she was young.

The Continuous Action

Use 'manejando' with a form of the verb 'estar' (like 'estoy' or 'estás') to show an action happening right now, similar to the '-ing' form in English.

Confusing Ser and Estar

Mistake: “Soy manejando.”

Correction: Estoy manejando. Remember, 'estar' is always used for temporary actions or states, like driving.

conduciendo

/kon-doo-see-EN-doh//kon.duˈsjen.do/

VerbA2general
Choose 'conduciendo' to describe the act of operating a larger vehicle like a car, bus, or truck, often implying a journey or a more formal sense of control over the vehicle.
Close-up of two hands gripping a black steering wheel inside a car, clearly focused on the act of operating the vehicle.

Examples

Mi padre está conduciendo a casa después del trabajo.

My father is driving home after work.

Estuvimos conduciendo toda la noche para llegar a la playa.

We were driving all night to get to the beach.

Continuous Action

This form ('conduciendo') is used with the verb 'estar' (like 'estoy conduciendo') to talk about something happening right now, similar to the '-ing' form in English.

Using 'Ser' instead of 'Estar'

Mistake: “Soy conduciendo.”

Correction: Estoy conduciendo. Remember, continuous actions always use the temporary verb 'estar'.

llevando

yeh-VAHN-doh/ʝeˈβando/

VerbA2general
Use 'llevando' when the primary meaning is transporting someone or something in a vehicle to a specific destination.
A bright red car driving down a road, with a smiling driver and a passenger visible inside the vehicle.

Examples

Mi padre me está llevando al aeropuerto.

My father is taking me to the airport.

El GPS nos está llevando por una ruta más larga.

The GPS is leading us on a longer route.

Action to a Destination

When 'llevando' means taking someone somewhere, it usually needs the preposition 'a' (to) followed by the destination.

manejo

/ma-NE-ho//maˈnexo/

nounB1general
This noun refers to the skill or act of operating a vehicle, or more broadly, the management or handling of a situation, not the action of driving itself.
A close-up view of two hands firmly gripping a bright red steering wheel, illustrating the physical control of an object.

Examples

El manejo de la crisis fue excelente, nadie perdió la calma.

The management of the crisis was excellent; nobody lost their cool.

Necesitas mejorar tu manejo del volante si quieres aprobar el examen.

You need to improve your handling of the steering wheel if you want to pass the exam.

El manual explica el manejo adecuado de las herramientas.

The manual explains the proper handling of the tools.

Always Masculine

Even though it ends in 'o', which often signals a masculine noun, it is always used with 'el' or 'un' (e.g., 'el manejo').

Noun of Action

This noun refers to the act or result of 'manejar' (to handle/manage), making it a very direct way to talk about skills or administration.

Using the wrong article

Mistake: “La manejo.”

Correction: El manejo. Remember, 'manejo' is masculine, so use 'el'.

Gerund vs. Verb for Driving

Learners often confuse 'manejando' and 'conduciendo'. 'Manejando' is a more general and common term for operating any vehicle. 'Conduciendo' is often used for larger vehicles or in a more formal context, but both can be understood for cars.

Related Translations

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