Q: When is "drive" is NOT the Spanish verb "conducir"?
A: The answer is: when you are talking about driving - that is, transporting - something or someone to some destination. The solution: use the verb "llevar" (to take / transport) along with the optional expression "en el coche". Let me illustrate the mistake and the solution when person B is speaking:
MISTAKE:
A: Tengo que ir al centro mañana.
B: Yo te conduciré.
SOLUTION:
A: Tengo que ir al centro mañana.
B: Yo te llevaré (en el coche).
This is a common mistake for English speakers since "drive" is such a nice, short, convenient verb and students expect it to work the same way in Spanish, but it doesn't.
NOTE: not all Spanish speaking countries use "conducir el coche" as the preferred way of saying "drive the car". For example, in Mexico people usually say "manejar el carro". But the solution presented above still is valid. The last sentence of the solution in Mexico might be "Yo te llevaré (en el carro).
Brad
