Spanish Vocabulary - Los coches / Los carros / Los autos
Although I’m not totally familiar with gas station / car vocab here are some expressions that I do know… just keep in mind many of these are regional, so I may not be 100% accurate.
el automobilismo / el automovilismo = things concerning cars and vehicles / the act of enjoying cars as a pastime / (or potentially, “racecar driving”)
el carro = car [Latin America, mostly]
el coche = car [Spain and Mexico, mostly]
el auto = car [Argentina, mostly]
el automóvil = automobile
la camioneta = truck / bigger car
el camión = huge truck / lorry / 18-wheeler / large service truck
el aceite = oil [of all kinds]
el petróleo = oil [lit. “oil from rocks”]
el petróleo crudo = crude oil
el tanque de combustible = gas tank / fuel tank
un cuarto (de galón) = a quart (of a gallon) / quarter of a gallon
un pico = a little bit / a small amount of liquid
el bombeo = a pump / something that must be pumped
la bomba = a pump [though it also means “bomb”… so maybe why sometimes you see el bombeo?]
bombear (el) aceite = to pump oil
bombear (el) petróleo = to pump oil / petroleum [probably more common in European Spanish]
la estación (de servicio) = gas station [Latin America]
la gasolinera = gas station [Spain]
la gasolinería = gas station [Mexico]
operario/a de estación de servicio = gas station attendant [Latin America]
operario/a de gasolinera = gas station attendant [Spain]
gasolinero/a = gas station attendant [Spain]
una estación de autoservicio = a self-service station / a self-pump station
de autoservicio = self-service / self-pumping
la goma = tire [lit. “rubber”]
la rueda = wheel (sometimes “tire”)
inflar el neumático / la llanta / la goma / la rueda = to inflate a tire / to put air in the tire
hinchar el neumático / la llanta / la goma / la rueda = to inflate a tire / to put air in the tire
pinchar el neumático / la llanta / la goma / la rueda = to puncture a tire / to have a flat tire
el neumático pinchado = a flat tire
la llanta / goma / rueda pinchada = flat tire
el pinchazo = puncture / “a flat (tire)”
las ruedas delanteras = the front wheels
las ruedas traseras = the rear wheels
el conductor, la conductora = driver
el manejador, la manejadora = driver
el camionero, la camionera = truck driver
el chofer = chauffeur / someone paid to drive
el pasajero, la pasajera = passenger
el volante = steering wheel
los asientos delanteros = front seats
los asientos traseros = back seats
la ventana (delantera / trasera) = window (front / rear)
el parabrisas = windshield [lit. “stops breezes”]
el / los limpiaparabrisas = windshield wipers [lit. “cleans parabrisas”]
el tubo de escape = exhaust pipe / tail pipe
el caño de escape = exhaust pipe / tail pipe
la defensa = bumper [more Caribbean]
el paragolpes = bumper [Argentina]
el panel de instrumentos = dashboard
el tablero de mandos = dashboard
el salpicadero = dashboard / dash [informal; salpicar means “to splash”, or “to brush over lightly”]
la guantera = glove compartment
el carburador = carburetor
el sistema eléctrico = the electrical system
el freno / los frenos = the brake / the brakes
el freno de mano = hand brake / parking brake
la bolsa de aire = airbag
el espejo lateral / los espejos laterales = side windows
el (espejo) retrovisor = rear-view window
el punto ciego, los puntos ciegos = blind spots
la luz, las luces = light, lights
el faro delantero = headlight
el faro trasero = taillight
el faro para niebla = fog light
las largas = the bright lights / high beam lights
el intermetiente = flashing light / intermittent light / turn signal
los intermetientes = flashing lights / intermittent lights / the turn signals
el guiño / los guiños = blinkers / turn signals [lit. “winks”]
el aparcamento en paralelo = parallel parking
el estacionamiento en paralelo = parallel parking
el aparcamiento / el estacionamiento / el parking = parking lot
el parqueo / el parqueadero = parking lot [Caribbean]
la vuelta de tres puntos = a K-turn; three-point-turn
el viraje de tres puntos = a K-turn; three-point-turn
el giro de 180 [ciento ochenta] grados = a 180 degree turn / a 180 / a u-turn
la media vuelta = u-turn / half turn
el viraje = a swerve / a turn (often sudden)
la multa = a fine / an infraction
la tabilla = license plate [Puerto Rico]
la chapa = license plate [Argentina]
la placa = license plate [Mexico]
la (placa) patente = license plate [Argentina, Colombia]
la matrícula = license plate [Spain]
las gafas del sol = sunglasses
la licencia para/de conducir = driver’s license [Spain]
la licencia para/de manejar = driver’s license [Latin America]
el carnet (para/de conducir o manejar) = driver’s license
el permiso (para/de conducir o manejar) = driver’s license [particularly U.S. Spanish or Caribbean]
la tarjeta = driver’s license [lit. “card”]
conducir = to drive [Spain]
manejar = to drive [Latin America]
pasar la aspiradora = to vacuum
pasar el trapo = to wash with a rag
arreglar = to fix / to fix up
reparar = to fix / to repair
reemplazar = to replace (a piece of machinery)
encender (el coche / carro / auto) = to turn on the car / to start up the car
encender las luces = to turn on the lights
apagar (el coche / carro / auto) = to turn off the car
apagar las luces = to turn off the lights
dirigir = to steer (a vehicle)
cambiar de dirección = to change directions / to turn
dar (una) vuelta = to turn
virar = to turn / to swerve
doblar = to turn (common)
girar / doblar a la (mano) derecha = to turn right [lit. “to turn to the right-hand side”]
girar / doblar a la (mano) izquierda = to turn left [lit. “to turn to the left-hand side”]
intercambiar = to exchange
atropellar = to run over / to hit
chocar = to hit / to crash
usar / utilizar = to use / to utilize
hidroplanear = to hydroplane
derrapar = to skid / to slip / to hydroplane
colear = to fishtail [when the back of the vehicle goes from right to left multiple times]
resbalar = to slip / to slide / to skid
tener cuidado = to be careful
darse prisa = to hurry up
bombear = to pump (gas, liquids, etc.)
hacer un viaje = to go on a trip
