READING
Renting a car
Read the dialogue and try to understand it.
Staff: Good morning, sir.
Customer: Hello. I’d like to hire a car.
Staff: What kind of car do you prefer? Compact, standard or full-size?
Customer: I guess a small one would be fine.
Staff: For how long?
Customer: One week. How much would that be?
Staff: The total would be 300 pounds, including unlimited mileage and insurance.
Customer: Fine. May I return the car at any other city?
Staff: Absolutely. You can return the car at any of our offices around the country with no additional cost. I remind you that you must fill the tank before returning it. May I get your driving licence and your credit card, please?
Customer: Here you are.
Staff: Thank you. Here are the keys. You can pick up your car at the car park.
Language Focus
Read the vocabulary notes and try to remember the meanings.
| to hire/rent a car | alquilar/rentar un auto |
| kind of | clase de |
| compact | compacto |
| full-size | grande |
| I guess | supongo |
| fine | bien |
| for how long? | ¿por cuánto tiempo? |
| how much would that be? | ¿cuánto costaría eso? |
| pounds | libras esterlinas |
| unlimited mileage | kilometraje ilimitado |
| insurance | seguro |
| absolutely | absolutamente |
| office | oficina |
| with no additional cost | sin costo adicional |
| to remind somebody that… | recordar a alguien que… |
| to fill the tank | llenar el tanque de combustible |
| driving licence | licencia para conducir |
| credit card | tarjeta de crédito |
| keys | llaves |
| to pick up | tomar, elegir |
| car park | estacionamiento |
NEW WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS
This is a list of related vocabulary that you must learn and remember.
Renting a car – Alquilar un automóvil
I would like to hire a car.
Me gustaría alquilar un coche.
I would like to rent a car.
Me gustaría alquilar un coche.
What kind of car would you prefer?
¿Qué clase de vehículo prefiere?
How long will you rent it for?
¿Por cuánto tiempo lo alquilará?
Would you like to pay an additional insurance policy?
¿Le gustaría pagar una póliza de seguro adicional?
Can I return the car at any other city?
¿Puedo devolver el coche en cualquier otra ciudad?
Do you offer cars with GPS?
¿Ofrecen autos con GPS?
There is an additional cost for that.
Existe un cargo adicional para eso.
There is no additional cost for that.
No existe un cargo adicional para eso.
You must fill the tank before returning the car.
Debe llenar el tanque antes de devolver el coche.
You must pay a security deposit.
Debe pagar un depósito de seguridad.
The deposit will be refunded when you return the car.
Se le reintegrará el depósito cuando devuelva el coche.
May I see your driving licence, please?
¿Podría ver su licencia para conducir, por favor?
Hire or rent?
They both mean the same: Paying money to be allowed to use something for a certain amount of time. Both can be used in some situations:
You rent or hire a car, a bike, a TV, a camera.
Rent is used in American English. Hire is used in British English.
Rent is preferred when talking about a flat, a house, a caravan.
Hire is also used when talking about people and tools.
When used as a noun we say flats to rent, but bikes for hire.
NEW WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS
Car rental vocabulary
| car hire (UK) car rental (US) | alquiler de coches |
| car park (UK) parking lot (US) | estacionamiento |
| driving licence (UK) driver’s license (US) | licencia/carnet de conductor |
| credit card | tarjeta de crédito |
| insurance | seguro |
| insurance policy | póliza de seguro |
| collision damage waiver (CDW) | exención de responsabilidad por daños de colisión |
| supplemental liability insurance (SLI) | seguro suplementario de responsabilidad civil |
| mileage | kilometraje |
| mileage limit | límite de kilometraje |
| unlimited mileage | kilometraje ilimitado |
| medium-priced | de precio accesible |
| high-priced | de precio alto |
| low-priced | de precio bajo |
| daily rate | tarifa diaria |
| per day | por día |
| weekly rate | tarifa semanal |
| per week | por semana |
| weekend special | tarifa de fin de semana |
| to pick up the car | recoger el auto |
| to return the car | devolver el auto |
| to drive a car | conducir un vehículo |
| to park a car | estacionar un vehículo |
| to fill the tank | llenar el tanque |
US=American English UK=British English
Types of car
| compact car | auto compacto, pequeño |
| standard-size car | auto estándar, mediano |
| full-size car | auto grande |
| luxury car | auto de lujo |
| SUV (sports utility vehicle) | vehículo deportivo |
| 4WD (four wheel drive) | vehículo 4×4 |
| caravan (UK) trailer (US) | caravana, casa rodante (a remolque) |
| motor home | caravana, casa rodante |
| van | furgoneta, camioneta |
| pickup truck | camioneta |
| automatic car | coche automático |
| manual car | coche manual |
US=American English UK=British English