Breakdown of El conductor cambia de carril antes de la salida.
de
of
antes
before
cambiar
to change
la salida
the exit
el conductor
the driver
el carril
the lane
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Questions & Answers about El conductor cambia de carril antes de la salida.
Why is it cambia de carril and not cambia el carril?
Spanish uses the pattern cambiar de + noun to mean switching from one item to another within a set (lanes, clothes, jobs). So cambiar de carril = change lanes. Cambiar el carril would mean altering the lane itself. To name the destination lane, say cambiar al carril izquierdo/derecho.
Can I say cambiarse de carril?
Yes. Many speakers in Latin America say cambiarse de carril, and it’s acceptable in everyday speech. Purists prefer cambiar de carril, but you will hear both.
Why is it antes de la salida and not antes la salida?
Because antes de is the correct prepositional phrase. With a noun, you must include de: antes de la salida.
When do I use antes de, antes de que, and antes de + infinitive?
- Before a noun: antes de la salida (before the exit/departure).
- Before an infinitive: antes de salir (before exiting/leaving).
- Before a conjugated verb: antes de que
- subjunctive, e.g., antes de que salgamos (before we leave).
Could I say antes de salir instead of antes de la salida?
Yes. Antes de salir focuses on the action of exiting. Antes de la salida treats it as a specific event or point (a particular exit or scheduled departure). Both are fine; choose based on what you want to emphasize.
Why is it de la and not del in antes de la salida?
Salida is feminine, so it’s de la. Del is the contraction of de + el and is only used with masculine nouns.
Does salida mean highway exit or departure?
Both. In driving contexts, la salida is the road exit. In travel schedules, la salida is the departure. Context tells you which one.
Why is carril singular when English says “change lanes” (plural)?
Spanish keeps it singular with this construction: cambiar de carril. The idea is switching from one lane to another. Similar patterns: cambiar de ropa (change clothes), cambiar de trabajo (change jobs).
How do I specify which lane?
Use: el carril izquierdo, el carril derecho, el carril central. For example: El conductor cambia al carril izquierdo antes de la salida.
Is there a difference between el conductor and el chofer?
Both are used. Conductor is neutral and widely understood. Chofer is very common in Latin America and can suggest a professional driver (taxi, bus, chauffeur), though many people also use it for any driver.
What if the driver is female?
Use the feminine form: la conductora (or la chofer in much of Latin America).
Can cambia refer to something happening right now?
Yes. The simple present in Spanish can describe what’s happening now or habitual actions. For extra emphasis on “right now,” use the progressive: El conductor está cambiando de carril.
Could cambia be understood as “you (usted) change”?
In isolation, cambia could be él/ella/usted. Here it’s clearly third person because the subject El conductor is stated.
How do I say “before exit 7” or “before the exit to Puebla”?
- antes de la salida 7
- antes de la salida a Puebla
Is word order flexible? Can I put the time phrase first?
Yes: Antes de la salida, el conductor cambia de carril. A comma after the initial phrase is standard.
How do I pronounce carril?
The double rr is a strong trill. Aim for a longer, vibrating r sound in car-rril. The stress falls on the second syllable: ca-RRIL.
Should I ever use delante de instead of antes de here?
No. Antes de expresses time or sequence (before something happens). Delante de means in front of (spatial position). For driving sequence, antes de is the right choice.
How do I say it in the past?
Preterite: El conductor cambió de carril antes de la salida. Continuous past: El conductor estaba cambiando de carril antes de la salida.