Alquilando un Coche
Renting a car · a free Spanish immersion capsule
Useful sentences · 10
Phrases you'll actually use today. Tap Explain for the why behind each one.
Buenas tardes, quisiera alquilar un coche para tres días.
Good afternoon, I would like to rent a car for three days.
Literal Good afternoons, I would want to rent a car for three days.
A polite opening at a rental counter using 'quisiera', the imperfect subjunctive of 'querer', as a softened conditional request.
- 'quisiera' is the imperfect subjunctive of 'querer', used as a polite conditional
- 'alquilar' means to rent (a car or property)
¿Qué tipo de vehículo me recomendaría para una familia de cuatro personas?
What type of vehicle would you recommend for a family of four?
Literal What type of vehicle would you recommend to me for a family of four persons?
Uses the conditional tense 'recomendaría' for a polite question, a key structure when consulting at a rental desk.
- 'recomendaría' is the conditional of 'recomendar'
- Indirect object pronoun 'me' placed before the verb
Necesito ver su carnet de conducir y un documento de identidad, por favor.
I need to see your driver's license and a form of identification, please.
Literal I need to see your driver's card and a document of identity, please.
The agent uses formal 'su' to address the customer respectfully and lists required documents in a business register.
- 'su' is the formal possessive adjective (your, his, her)
- 'carnet de conducir' is the standard Spanish term for driver's license
¿Incluye este precio el seguro a todo riesgo?
Does this price include comprehensive insurance?
Literal Does this price include the insurance to all risk?
'Seguro a todo riesgo' is the standard phrase for fully comprehensive car insurance in Spanish-speaking countries.
- 'incluir' conjugated in third person singular: 'incluye'; here 'este precio' is the grammatical subject and 'el seguro a todo riesgo' is the direct object
- 'a todo riesgo' literally means 'at full risk' and denotes comprehensive coverage
Le recomiendo que tome el seguro completo para mayor tranquilidad.
I recommend that you take the full insurance for greater peace of mind.
Literal I recommend to you that you take the complete insurance for greater tranquility.
Classic present subjunctive trigger: 'recomiendo que' followed by the subjunctive verb 'tome'.
- 'recomiendo que' triggers the present subjunctive
- 'tome' is the present subjunctive of 'tomar' (usted form)
Por favor, firme aquí y ponga sus iniciales en cada página del contrato.
Please sign here and initial each page of the contract.
Literal Please, sign here and put your initials on each page of the contract.
Two formal imperative commands used together for clear instructions at the signing stage.
- 'firme' and 'ponga' are formal (usted) imperative forms
- 'sus iniciales' uses the formal possessive 'sus'
¿Cuál es el límite de kilometraje incluido en el alquiler?
What is the mileage limit included in the rental?
Literal Which is the limit of mileage included in the rental?
A practical question about contract terms. 'Incluido' is a past participle functioning as an adjective agreeing with 'kilometraje'.
- 'incluido' agrees in gender and number with the masculine noun 'kilometraje'
- '¿Cuál es?' asks for a specific value among possibilities
Hay algunos arañazos en la puerta trasera que quisiera señalar antes de salir.
There are some scratches on the rear door that I would like to point out before leaving.
Literal There are some scratches on the rear door that I would want to indicate before leaving.
Essential for noting pre-existing damage. Uses 'hay' for existence and 'quisiera' again for a polite tone.
- 'hay' expresses existence ('there are')
- 'quisiera señalar' = 'I would like to point out' — polite imperfect subjunctive
El depósito debe estar lleno cuando devuelva el vehículo.
The tank must be full when you return the vehicle.
Literal The tank must be full when you return-back the vehicle.
'Devuelva' is the present subjunctive of 'devolver', required after 'cuando' in a future context.
- 'cuando' + present subjunctive expresses a future condition
- 'devuelva' is an irregular present subjunctive form of 'devolver'
¿Puede explicarme los cargos adicionales que aparecen en la factura final?
Can you explain the additional charges that appear on the final invoice?
Literal Can you explain to me the additional charges that appear on the final bill?
The clitic pronoun 'me' is attached directly to the infinitive 'explicar', a common and natural Spanish construction.
- 'explicarme' = 'explicar' + 'me' (clitic pronoun attached to infinitive)
- 'la factura' means the invoice or bill
New words · 10
Themed vocabulary, each with an example you can borrow.
alquilar
to rent
Quisiera alquilar un coche compacto.
I would like to rent a compact car.
Used for renting cars, apartments, and equipment
el seguro
insurance
¿Está incluido el seguro a todo riesgo?
Is comprehensive insurance included?
'Seguro a todo riesgo' = fully comprehensive; 'seguro básico' = basic coverage
el carnet de conducir
driver's license
Necesito ver su carnet de conducir.
I need to see your driver's license.
el contrato
contract
Por favor, firme el contrato aquí.
Please sign the contract here.
el depósito
fuel tank / deposit
El depósito debe estar lleno al devolver el coche.
The tank must be full when returning the car.
Context determines meaning: fuel tank or security deposit
el kilometraje
mileage
¿Cuál es el límite de kilometraje?
What is the mileage limit?
el vehículo
vehicle
Devuelva el vehículo con el depósito lleno.
Return the vehicle with a full tank.
firmar
to sign
¿Puede firmar aquí, por favor?
Can you sign here, please?
el cargo
charge / fee
¿Cuáles son los cargos adicionales?
What are the additional charges?
la factura
invoice / bill
Quisiera revisar la factura antes de pagar.
I would like to review the invoice before paying.
Short reading
A tiny story stitched from today's words. Translation is hidden, tap to peek.
María llegó al mostrador de alquiler con su carnet de conducir y su tarjeta de crédito. La empleada le recomendó que tomara el seguro completo y le explicó el límite de kilometraje incluido en el contrato. Antes de salir, María señaló algunos arañazos en la puerta trasera para protegerse. Al devolver el coche tres días después, el depósito estaba lleno y no había cargos adicionales en la factura final.
Sentence by sentence
La empleada le recomendó que tomara el seguro completo
The agent recommended that she take the full insurance
'Recomendó que' triggers past subjunctive 'tomara' — recommendation verbs require subjunctive in the dependent clause
señaló algunos arañazos en la puerta trasera
pointed out some scratches on the rear door
'Señalar' means to point out; 'arañazos' (scratches) is essential vocabulary for the pre-departure damage inspection
el depósito estaba lleno y no había cargos adicionales
the tank was full and there were no additional charges
Both verbs use the imperfect tense for past states; 'no había' (there were no) uses imperfect of 'haber' for existence
Pattern of the day
One grammar move, explained once, that unlocks dozens of sentences.
Present Subjunctive After Recommendation Verbs
Verbs of recommendation and advice (recomendar, sugerir, aconsejar) require the present subjunctive in the clause that follows. The pattern connects two subjects: the advisor and the person being advised.
[recomendar / sugerir / aconsejar] + que + [sujeto] + [verbo en subjuntivo]
Le recomiendo que tome el seguro completo.
I recommend that you take the full insurance.
Te sugiero que revises el contrato antes de firmar.
I suggest that you review the contract before signing.
Le aconsejo que devuelva el coche con el depósito lleno.
I advise you to return the car with a full tank.
Mini practice · 5
Low-pressure, never graded. Just enough to make it stick.
I recommend you take comprehensive insurance for complete peace of mind.
Hint Use the subjunctive form after 'recomiendo que'
¿Qué tipo de vehículo me recomendaría para una familia de cuatro personas?
El _____ debe estar lleno cuando devuelva el vehículo.
Hint It's where the fuel goes
Which sentence uses the subjunctive correctly?
Rewrite using 'insisto en' instead of 'quisiera': 'Quisiera alquilar un coche para tres días.'
Hint When the subject of both verbs is the same, use 'insisto en' followed by the infinitive.
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