Taking a Taxi in Spanish: An Airport-to-City Conversation
An example conversation to study — read the Spanish line by line, check the English underneath. A page shows you what to say; saying it out loud is what makes it yours.
- Taxista
¡Buenas! ¿Adónde vamos?
Hi there! Where are we going?
- You
Al centro, por favor. Al Hotel Colón, en la calle Mayor.
To the center, please. To Hotel Colón, on Mayor Street.
- Taxista
Perfecto. ¿Primera vez en la ciudad?
Perfect. First time in the city?
- You
Sí, llegué hace una hora. ¿Cuánto cuesta más o menos hasta el centro?
Yes, I arrived an hour ago. How much does it cost to the center, more or less?
- Taxista
Unos veinticinco euros. Hay tarifa fija desde el aeropuerto.
About twenty-five euros. There's a fixed rate from the airport.
- You
Ah, perfecto. ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?
Ah, perfect. Can I pay by card?
- Taxista
Sí, sin problema. ¿Con maletas al maletero?
Yes, no problem. Bags in the trunk?
- You
Sí, dos maletas. Gracias.
Yes, two suitcases. Thanks.
- Taxista
Listo. Hay un poco de tráfico, unos veinte minutos.
Done. There's a bit of traffic, about twenty minutes.
- You
Está bien. ¿Me da un recibo al final, por favor?
That's fine. Can you give me a receipt at the end, please?
- Taxista
Claro que sí. Bienvenido a la ciudad.
Of course. Welcome to the city.
What's happening in this conversation
Out of the airport, into a taxi, and the first real conversation of your trip happens before you see the city. The exchange runs on four moves: destination, price, payment, receipt — and the dialogue front-loads the one that matters most: asking ¿cuánto cuesta? before the car moves.
Notice the small talk ("¿primera vez en la ciudad?") — taxi drivers are often the first natives who chat with you, at natural speed, about nothing. It's free listening practice; one simple answer ("sí, llegué hace una hora") keeps it going without opening a conversation you can't sustain.
Key phrases to steal
| Spanish | English | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| ¿Adónde vamos? | Where are we going? | What you'll hear the moment you close the door |
| Al centro, por favor | To the center, please | Destination + por favor — the whole answer |
| ¿Cuánto cuesta más o menos? | How much is it, more or less? | Ask BEFORE the car moves |
| Tarifa fija | Fixed rate | The airport magic words — ask if one exists |
| ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta? | Can I pay by card? | Settle it early, not at the end |
| ¿Me da un recibo? | Can you give me a receipt? | Paper trail, in one polite line |
Make it yours
Swap the pieces and the skeleton holds:
- The destination: al aeropuerto, a la estación, a esta dirección (showing the screen).
- The constraint: "tengo prisa" (I'm in a hurry) or "no hay prisa" — both change the ride.
- The group: "somos cuatro, con dos maletas" — headcount plus luggage, said before you load.
The check-in desk, the bus, and getting unlost on foot are in our full guide to Spanish for airports and transportation — and if the ride ends with you walking the last blocks, asking for directions picks up exactly where the taxi leaves you.
A regional note
In Mexico you'll ask for "un taxi de sitio" (an authorized stand taxi) and in Argentina a "remis" is a booked car with a set price. "¿Cuánto cuesta?" becomes "¿cuánto sale?" in much of the Río de la Plata. And everywhere, ride-hailing apps have made one phrase universal: "voy con la aplicación" — I'm going with the app. The four moves of the conversation don't change.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I tell the driver where I'm going?
'Al' plus the place: 'al centro', 'al Hotel Colón', 'a esta dirección' (showing your phone). Giving the street too — 'en la calle Mayor' — saves the driver a question. You don't need a full sentence; destination plus 'por favor' is the native norm.
How do I avoid being overcharged?
Ask the price before moving: '¿cuánto cuesta más o menos?' At many airports there's a fixed rate ('tarifa fija') — asking about it shows you know it exists. If there's a meter, '¿puede poner el taxímetro?' is a normal, polite request, and asking for 'un recibo' at the end documents everything.
What if I need the driver to stop or slow down?
'Aquí está bien' — here is fine — stops the car where you are. 'Puede parar en la esquina' asks for the corner. And if you realize the address is wrong: 'perdone, me equivoqué de dirección' plus the new one. Short commands with por favor are exactly how natives do it.
You've read it. Now say it out loud.
Conversations like this one happen every week in live classes with native teachers. That's where reading turns into speaking.
Practice It Live