Getting Into a Taxi

You greet a taxi driver and tell them where you need to go.

You
Buenas tardes. ¿Me puede llevar al centro, por favor?
BWEH-nahs TAR-dehs. meh PWEH-deh yeh-VAR ahl SEHN-troh, por fah-VOR?
Good afternoon. Can you take me to the city center, please?
Always greet your taxi driver before stating your destination. It sets a respectful and friendly tone for the ride.
Driver
Buenas tardes. Sí, claro. Súbase.
BWEH-nahs TAR-dehs. SEE, KLAH-roh. SOO-bah-seh.
Good afternoon. Yes, of course. Get in.
"Súbase" is the formal command for "get in." You might also hear the informal "súbete" from friendlier drivers.
You
Gracias. ¿Más o menos cuánto tarda?
GRAH-syahs. mahs oh MEH-nohs KWAHN-toh TAR-dah?
Thanks. Roughly how long does it take?
"Más o menos" means "more or less" and softens the question. Very useful for approximate times and prices.
Driver
Unos veinte minutos, depende del tráfico.
OO-nohs VEYN-teh mee-NOO-tohs, deh-PEHN-deh dehl TRAH-fee-koh.
About twenty minutes, depends on traffic.
You
Perfecto, gracias. Muy amable.
per-FEHK-toh, GRAH-syahs. mooy ah-MAH-bleh.
Perfect, thanks. Very kind.
"Perfecto" is used constantly in everyday Spanish, just like "perfect" in English. It is easy to remember and always appropriate.