Transportation in Spanish
Collection of Spanish vocabulary related to transportation, including modes of transport, phrases, and expressions.
calle de doble sentido
double street
'Calle de doble sentido' is a Spanish phrase that translates to 'double street' in English. In context, it refers to a street or road that is designed for traffic to travel in two directions. This common infrastructure improves fluidity and reduces congestion in traffic areas. Thus 'calle de doble sentido' represents a street where vehicles can move both ways.
Example sentences with calle de doble sentido →calle de sentido único
one-way street
The Spanish phrase 'calle de sentido único' directly translates to 'street of one sense' in English. However, its idiomatic meaning is 'one-way street'. This phrase is commonly used in traffic and navigation contexts, where 'calle de sentido único' indicates a road where vehicles are allowed to travel in one direction only. In a broader, metaphorical sense, it might also be used to describe a situation or approach where only one outcome or method is considered or allowed.
Example sentences with calle de sentido único →cambiar de rumbo
change course
The Spanish phrase 'cambiar de rumbo' translates to 'change course' in English. This can refer to altering the direction in which something is moving, particularly in the context of a vehicle or person's path. It can also be used more metaphorically, suggesting a change in approach, plan, or strategy. For example, in a business meeting, 'cambiar de rumbo' might be used to suggest shifting the focus or plan for a project.
Example sentences with cambiar de rumbo →cambiar el aceite
change the oil
The Spanish phrase 'cambiar el aceite' translates to 'change the oil' in English. It is usually used in contexts such as automotive maintenance, where it is important to periodically replace the oil in an engine to ensure optimal vehicle function. It can also be used in the context of cooking, referring to replacing the oil in a pan or a deep-fryer. This phrase can be classified as a verb phrase in grammatical terms.
Example sentences with cambiar el aceite →cambiar una pieza
change a piece
The Spanish phrase 'cambiar una pieza' translates to 'change a piece' in English. It can refer to the act of replacing or substituting one item, part, or piece with another. This is often used in contexts such as game playing (changing a game piece), machinery (changing a machine part), or any scenario where one thing is swapped out in favor of another.
cambiar una rueda
change a wheel
The Spanish term 'cambiar una rueda' translates to 'change a wheel' in English. This phrase is often used in contexts related to vehicle maintenance, particularly when it comes to the act of removing an old or damaged tire and installing a new one on a car, bike, or similar modes of transportation.
Example sentences with cambiar una rueda →camión
truck
A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks come in many different sizes, shapes and colors, but they all have the same basic purpose, to transport items from one location to another.
Example sentences with camión →camión cisterna
tanker truck
The Spanish term 'camión cisterna' translates into English as 'tanker truck'. This is a specialized vehicle designed with a cylinder-shaped tank at the back used for transporting various liquids such as water, milk, fuel, and chemicals. These liquids can be hazardous, making the tanker truck an important component in the transportation industry. The term 'camión' refers to 'truck' and 'cisterna' refers to 'tank', thus combining to form 'tanker truck'.
Example sentences with camión cisterna →cancelar un vuelo
cancel a flight
The Spanish phrase 'cancelar un vuelo' translates into English as 'cancel a flight'. This is a term often used in travel scenarios, particularly within airline industries and ticket reservation systems. The verb 'cancelar' means 'to cancel', and 'un vuelo' means 'a flight'. The action of cancellation might be taken for various reasons such as bad weather, personal circumstances, operational issues, and so on. In Spanish, as in English, this verb is often associated with a refund or rescheduling policies that the airline companies may have due to the flight cancellation.
Example sentences with cancelar un vuelo →canoa
canoe
The Spanish word 'canoa' translates to 'canoe' in English. A canoe is a type of small boat that is typically propelled by paddling. It is often used for recreational purposes like fishing, leisurely boating or water racing. Its design varies depending on the culture but is often made for one or two paddlers. The word originates from the Caribs, an indigenous group of the Caribbean, whose canoes were witnessed by Christopher Columbus.
Example sentences with canoa →capitán
captain
The word 'capitán' in Spanish translates to 'captain' in English. It is commonly used in contexts involving military ranks or describing the person in charge of a group or team. It can also refer to the person commanding a ship or aircraft. Just like in English, 'capitán' can be used both as a form of address and as a description of someone's role.
Example sentences with capitán →caravana
caravan
The Spanish word 'caravana' translates into English as 'caravan'. This term can refer to a large covered vehicle for living in, especially one that people can pull behind a car and park at places for staying on holiday. It may also denote a group of people traveling together, often on a long journey or adventure. This word's usage may vary based on context.
Example sentences with caravana →carné de conducir
driver's license
The Spanish term 'carné de conducir' translates to 'driver's license' in English. It is a legal document endorsed by the government, providing the official permission for an individual to operate vehicles on public roads. Similar to its usage in English-speaking countries, the 'carné de conducir' is issued only after the individual clears specified tests designed to assess their driving knowledge and skills. The requirement and procedures to obtain this may vary from one country to another.
carretera
road
The Spanish word 'carretera' is used to refer to a long, hard surface built for vehicles to travel along. This can refer to both smaller roads in rural areas, as well as major highways. It can be used in a variety of contexts, similar to the English usage of the term 'road'.
Example sentences with carretera →carretera comarcal
county road
The Spanish term 'carretera comarcal' refers to what English speakers would commonly refer to as a 'county road'. This phrase is typically used to indicate a road or highway maintained at the local or county level, rather than a major freeway or interstate which is normally maintained by the national or state/provincial government.
Example sentences with carretera comarcal →carretera de doble sentido
two-way road
The Spanish term 'carretera de doble sentido' translates to 'two-way road' in English. It refers to a type of roadway that allows vehicles to travel in both directions. In practical terms, it is a road where traffic from opposite directions is allowed to flow on either side, typically separated by some form of central barrier or line. This type of road is commonplace worldwide, particularly in residential and urban areas where space for roadways may be limited. It promotes efficient use of road space but requires careful driving to prevent head-on collisions.
Example sentences with carretera de doble sentido →carretera de sentido único
one-way road
The Spanish phrase 'carretera de sentido único' translates to 'one-way road' in English. This is a term used in traffic management and refers to a road in which vehicles are only allowed to proceed in one direction. Such roads are usually marked with specific signs and violations of their rules can result in hefty fines. They are designed to improve traffic flow in busy or narrow areas and to minimize accidents.
Example sentences with carretera de sentido único →carretera nacional
National road
The Spanish phrase 'carretera nacional' translates to 'national road' in English. It refers to a type of road that connects different regions within a nation. These roads are typically maintained and monitored by the national government. The terminology is widely used in Spanish-speaking countries to categorize and refer to important transportation routes that span across the nation.
Example sentences with carretera nacional →carretera secundaria
Secondary
'Carretera secundaria' in Spanish refers to a less busy, often smaller thoroughfare or road that serves as an alternative to larger, main roads. It is similar to what English speakers might call a 'secondary road'. These roads are typically found in more rural or suburban areas and can be less congested and more scenic, although they may also be less well-maintained or slower to travel on compared to primary roads.
Example sentences with carretera secundaria →carril
lane
The Spanish word 'carril' translates to 'lane' in English. It is commonly used in the context of roads or pathways, specifically denoting a division which is wide enough for one line of vehicles. Another usage of 'carril' is found in sports, where it refers to a particular path or course for running, swimming, etc. 'Carril' can also denote a track in a railway context.
Example sentences with carril →carril adicional
additional lane
The Spanish term 'carril adicional' translates to 'additional lane' in English. It can be used in the context of road or traffic where there are more lanes for vehicles to travel. These additional lanes are often present on highways or multi-lane roads to facilitate better flow of traffic and reducing traffic congestion. 'Carril' refers to 'lane' and 'adicional' means 'additional'.
Example sentences with carril adicional →carril bici
bike lane
The Spanish term 'carril bici' translates to 'bike lane' in English. It refers to a lane or path designated for bicycles which may be located within the roadway or separated from motorized traffic. Such paths are important for the safety and ease of bicycle riders, allowing them greater freedom of movement without interfering with vehicular traffic.
Example sentences with carril bici →carril bus
bus lane
The Spanish term 'carril bus' translates to 'bus lane' in English. In traffic management context, a 'bus lane' or 'carril bus' is a lane exclusively designated for buses on certain routes in a road or highway. These lanes help to improve the efficiency and reliability of the bus service by enabling buses to bypass traffic congestion. In general, other vehicles are allowed to enter such lanes only for a short distance to make a turn.
Example sentences with carril bus →carril de (des)aceleración
lane (des) acceleration
The Spanish term 'carril de (des)aceleración' translates into English as 'acceleration (deceleration) lane'. This term is common in the transportation field and it refers to the lane on a highway or motorway that allows vehicles the time to speed up and join the main road's traffic flow safely (in case of an 'acceleration lane' or 'carril de aceleración'), or to slow down safely before exiting the road (in case of a 'deceleration lane' or 'carril de desaceleración'). It's an important part of road safety and smooth traffic flow.
Example sentences with carril de (des)aceleración →carril de doble sentido
double-sensing lane
The Spanish phrase 'carril de doble sentido' translates to 'double-sensing lane' in English. It is common terminology used in traffic signs and rules in Spanish-speaking countries. The phrase refers to specific lanes on the road where vehicles can travel in either direction. Usually, these lanes are separated by specific road markings or signs to ensure the safety of the drivers. Navigating these lanes often requires heightened concentration while driving.
Example sentences with carril de doble sentido →carril de entrada
entrance lane
The Spanish phrase 'carril de entrada' translates to 'entrance lane' in English. This term is commonly used in traffic and transportation contexts. It refers to a specific lane on a road or freeway that allows vehicles to join or enter from a different road, such as a junction or an access road. This term makes a clear distinction from other lanes, which might be reserved for through traffic or exiting traffic. Hence, understanding such terms is beneficial when giving or receiving driving instructions in Spanish.
Example sentences with carril de entrada →carril de sentido único
one-way lane
The Spanish phrase 'carril de sentido único' translates to 'one-way lane' in English. It is often used in the context of road or traffic rules. 'Carril' means 'lane', 'de' is used as 'of' in this context, 'sentido' means 'sense' or 'direction', and 'único' stands for 'one' or 'single'. Thus when combined, 'carril de sentido único' indicates a lane where traffic moves only in one direction, as in, a 'one-way lane'.
Example sentences with carril de sentido único →carril de vehículos lentos
slow vehicle lane
The term 'carril de vehículos lentos' translates to 'slow vehicle lane' in English. It is a term used in traffic regulations and road signs to designate a specific lane on a highway or motorway that is reserved for vehicles moving at slower speeds. The purpose of this lane is to maintain safe and efficient traffic flow. This lane is often on the right-hand side of the road in countries where traffic drives on the right, and on the left-hand side in countries where traffic drives on the left.
Example sentences with carril de vehículos lentos →carril para bicicletas (carril bici)
bike lane (bicycle lane)
The term 'carril para bicicletas' or its more colloquial equivalent 'carril bici' is Spanish for 'bike lane' or 'bicycle lane'. It refers to a lane or a specific part of a road or path that is designated specifically for bicyclists. These lanes often have road markings or physical barriers to separate the bicyclist traffic from other vehicle or pedestrian traffic. This allows cyclists to travel safely and more efficiently, especially in densely populated urban areas.
carril reversible
reversible lane
The phrase 'carril reversible' in Spanish refers to a type of traffic lane that can change the direction of travel, usually to accommodate heavy traffic during peak times. It is common to see this in cities where the direction of the majority of traffic changes throughout the day. In English, this is called a 'reversible lane'.
Example sentences with carril reversible →