Meaning
To hire a vehicle for a period of time.
Cultural Background
Most rental cars are manual. If you can only drive automatic, you must book well in advance. The word 'carro' is used instead of 'coche', and 'rentar' instead of 'alquilar'. Renting a car to drive through Patagonia is common, but distances are huge. Check for 'kilometraje ilimitado' (unlimited mileage). Spanglish often influences this, with 'rentar' being the dominant form due to the English 'rent'.
Check the fuel policy
Always ask if it is 'lleno-lleno' (full-to-full) to avoid extra charges.
Manual vs Automatic
In Spain, automatic cars are rare and more expensive. Double-check your booking!
Meaning
To hire a vehicle for a period of time.
Check the fuel policy
Always ask if it is 'lleno-lleno' (full-to-full) to avoid extra charges.
Manual vs Automatic
In Spain, automatic cars are rare and more expensive. Double-check your booking!
Test Yourself
Fill in the missing word to say 'I want to rent a car'.
Quiero _______ un coche.
Alquilar is the correct verb for renting.
Which sentence is correct for a trip to Spain?
A: Quiero rentar un auto. B: Quiero alquilar un coche.
In Spain, 'alquilar un coche' is the standard phrase.
Complete the dialogue at the airport.
Turista: Hola, ¿puedo _______ un coche aquí? Agente: Sí, claro.
You rent a car at the airport desk.
Match the Spanish to the English.
1. Alquilar 2. Coche 3. Seguro
Basic vocabulary matching.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Rental Vocabulary
The Car
- • el coche
- • el motor
- • las llaves
The Paperwork
- • el contrato
- • el seguro
- • el carné
Practice Bank
4 exercisesQuiero _______ un coche.
Alquilar is the correct verb for renting.
A: Quiero rentar un auto. B: Quiero alquilar un coche.
In Spain, 'alquilar un coche' is the standard phrase.
Turista: Hola, ¿puedo _______ un coche aquí? Agente: Sí, claro.
You rent a car at the airport desk.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Basic vocabulary matching.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
2 questions'Alquilar' is used in Spain, 'rentar' is used in Mexico and Latin America. Both mean the same thing.
If you are from outside the EU, you usually need an International Driving Permit to alquilar un coche in Spain.
Related Phrases
alquiler de vacaciones
similarvacation rental (usually a house)
coche de sustitución
specialized formreplacement car
renting
specialized formlong-term car lease
