Inklingo

How to Say "to drive" in Spanish

English → Spanish

conducir

kon-doo-SEERkon.duˈsiɾ

verbA1general
Use 'conducir' when referring to the act of operating a vehicle, especially in Spain and more formal contexts.
Close-up of two hands firmly gripping a bright red steering wheel inside a colorful car.

Examples

¿Puedes conducir un coche estándar?

Can you drive a manual car?

Ella conduce muy rápido en la autopista.

She drives very fast on the highway.

Yo conduzco al trabajo todos los días.

I drive to work every day.

The Special 'I' Form

In the present tense, the 'yo' (I) form is irregular: it must be 'conduzco' (with 'zc') to keep the 'z' sound clear. This special stem also shows up in all the wish/command forms (subjunctive).

Preterite Change

In the simple past (preterite), the verb changes its stem completely from 'c' to 'j': 'conduje', 'condujiste', etc. This happens to other verbs ending in -ducir like 'traducir' (to translate).

Forgetting the 'zc'

Mistake: “Yo conduco.”

Correction: Yo conduzco. Remember the 'zc' is needed to maintain the correct sound and follow the verb pattern.

manejar

mah-neh-HAHRma.neˈxaɾ

verbA1general
Use 'manejar' when referring to the act of operating a vehicle, particularly common in Latin America.
A pair of hands firmly gripping a car's black steering wheel.

Examples

¿Sabes manejar un carro manual?

Do you know how to drive a stick shift car?

Mi papá maneja muy rápido en la carretera.

My dad drives very fast on the highway.

Ella estuvo manejando por diez horas seguidas.

She was driving for ten hours straight.

Regular Verb Pattern

Manejar is a standard '-ar' verb, meaning its endings follow the most common conjugation pattern in Spanish. If you learn 'manejar,' you know how thousands of other verbs work!

Using 'Conducir' in Latin America

Mistake: “Using 'conducir' when talking to someone from Mexico or Central America.”

Correction: While 'conducir' is correct everywhere, 'manejar' is far more natural and common for driving vehicles in most of Latin America. Stick to 'manejar' unless you are in Spain.

impulsar

eem-pool-SARim.pulˈsaɾ

verbB2general
Use 'impulsar' to mean to boost, promote, or give momentum to something, like an economy or a project.
A small green plant growing out of a pile of gold coins, showing growth and upward movement.

Examples

El gobierno quiere impulsar el empleo juvenil.

The government wants to boost youth employment.

Su ambición lo impulsó a estudiar dos carreras.

His ambition drove him to study two degrees.

El motor impulsa las hélices del avión.

The engine propels the airplane's propellers.

Using it with people

When saying that something 'drove' a person to do something, use the pattern: 'impulsar a (persona) a (verbo)'. Example: 'Me impulsó a viajar' (It drove me to travel).

Boosting Projects vs. People

Use this word when you want to describe giving 'momentum' or a 'push' to something that was stagnant or just starting.

Pushing a door

Mistake: “No puedo impulsar la puerta.”

Correction: No puedo empujar la puerta.

empujar

em-poo-HARem.puˈxaɾ

verbB1general
Use 'empujar' when you mean to push someone to do something or to motivate them towards an action.
A friendly bird gently nudging a smaller bird with its wing to help it fly.

Examples

Mis padres me empujaron a estudiar música.

My parents pushed me to study music.

La crisis empujó a la gente a buscar soluciones nuevas.

The crisis drove people to look for new solutions.

Using 'a' + Infinitive

When you use 'empujar' to mean pushing someone to DO something, use the pattern: empujar + person + 'a' + action verb. Example: 'Me empuja a correr' (He pushes me to run).

Vehicle Operation vs. Motivation

The most common mistake is using 'empujar' or 'impulsar' when you mean to operate a vehicle. Remember that 'conducir' and 'manejar' are the correct verbs for driving a car, while 'empujar' and 'impulsar' relate to motivation or propulsion.

Related Translations

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