No Kidding! They’re Spanish, afterall!
This morning on TeleMadrid there was a report about Madrid’s taxi drivers and their ability (or lack of ability) to speak English with their riders. My first thought was, “Of course they can’t speak English! They’re Spanish!” But then I imagined the difficulty, for example, my parents would have when they come visit me and take a taxi from the airport. The last time I went to Barajas to get them and we returned to the city in a taxi.
The report said the city/Community of Madrid was starting a program for persons in the service industry, offering a 2-month course on basic English. What a great idea!
Some of the taxi drivers TeleMadrid interviewed said they often get directions from passengers when they write down the address. Others said they spoke only a few words of English. Most, however, said they spoke nary a word of English. I can’t say I’m surprised with this as the taxi drivers in Spain are often mature and driving taxis for years and years, rarely needing to learn English or any other language. But I’d imagine those whom line-up at Barajas Airport would/should have more knowledge of foreign languages.
I guess, as a last option, English-speaking passengers can simply tell the driver, “Plaza Mayor” or “Puerta del Sol” and then walk the rest of the way if their hotels are nearby. That is, IF the passengers KNOW their hotels are nearby these well-known areas. But imagine being dropped off in the middle of Bangkok, for example, and trying to find your hotel on foot while carrying your luggage and not speaking a word of the local language. That’s why I always tell travelers to have the address of their hotel written down so they can SHOW the driver that address. But if that hotel’s on a pedestrian street and the driver tries to tell you that – IN SPANISH – the passenger obviously won’t understand. Frustrating for everyone.
Should basic English be a requirement for taxi drivers?
Saludos, MadridMan
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With what you are saying i personally would be biased and think ALL taxi drivers should have basic knowledge of the english language.But with the in flux of differant nationalitys going to all major cities the next person would say why can you not speak German or Japanese?. Anyone coming over to England who does not speak any English would be in big trouble because not many English taxi drivers can speak a differant language. Like you say i do my homework and write down in the language the name and address of my destination and it has never let me down yet.
But the blog you have written i must admit has a fair point.
Good point. And how does someone from the UK, Japanese who speaks English, or German who speaks English feel when they go to New York City and few of the taxi drivers there speak English – or at least not an English the passengers can understand? In Spain, nearly all of the taxi drivers are Spanish. In the New York City, USA almost none of the taxi drivers are American!
Just saw a new segment on this morning’s TeleMadrid on this same topic. It seems the city has (or will) provided several thousand taxi drivers with a hand held electronic translator. Those few taxi drivers interviewed said the devices were impossible to use – to no surprise. You have to understand the question before you can type it and translate it.
Hi!
First of all tell you that you’re right. Cab drivers in Madrid can’t speak english, mainly cause they never had to do it. Things are going bad in Spain and they are not reacting to the competence of the transfers, shuttle… All that stuff. Those drivers they do speak english, but the prices are soooo high .prices are usually around 20 or 30 euros by person. In the cab, in fact if you take it from any terminal and go to the city center price is exactly 30, among four (maximum people inside) it could be 7,50 each! Well, stoppin with the marketing, as you maybe have suppossed, i’m a cab driver in Madrid and i do speak english, with a mid level i think, and trying to be honest. I never have had any advantage on my partners by this but i’d like to and do not how, so here’s my email to anyone that wants a trip to or from the airport and would like to be understood. No translator used sorry about the mistakes!
Hello, Alberto, and thank you so much for your comments. Glad there are a few taxi drivers whom speak English, but only one won’t help the situation. I understand that drivers, in general, don’t “need” to speak English. I imagine it’s the same in most parts of the world, too, I don’t know.
Dear MadridMan,
I’m from India (precisely from the city of Mumbai) and I am currently planning to Visit Madrid for some business purposes. I was searching in Google about the Taxi drivers in Madrid as I am planning to take one myself when in Barajas to Puerto De Alacala where my stay has been arranged. Firstly could you help me to understand how much will it actually cost me in a taxi? At least approximately??
Secondly, you have a valid point about Spanish drivers’ English competency. As I mentioned earlier, I live in one of the World’s most populated City and anyone who reads this must have seen the black-yellowed taxis of Mumbai at least in your TV shows. To be honest, 100% of them are Indians and most of them do not have even basic level schooling. Still ask any English man or any foreigner who arrives at Mumbai airport and had to take a taxi to their hotel about their experience with these taxis. You would be amazed to see those normal people speaking basic English fluently. Or rather to a beginner level at least.
Basically the point is, its really helpful for people from around the world to easily visit your city and commute anywhere if the drivers in the city speaks English. At least to the basic level.
I wont expect any Spanish driver gentleman talking to me in English just like a British or an American with the proper slang and accent. But I would feel secure and happy when I am at a place where I can commute anywhere easily and use my English skill to go to my destination and reach back my stay.
I would like to appreciate your effort in highlighting this point and hope that changes will happen gradually. Good luck to all Madrid pals.
Thanks,
Deepz
There is a new rule/law that all taxis leaving (or going to) the airport to destinations in the city center will cost a flat-rate of 30 Euros so this is how much it will cost you. To other destinations, it may be different. Check World Taxi Meter for details.
Since I speak Spanish, I always speak to Spanish taxi drivers in Spanish, but I know even basic English isn’t common among Spanish taxi drivers.
Hello
I and my daughter will arrive to Madrid by a flight from Lima on 11.7.16 on 14.05.
Our flight back to Israel will be on the same day on 23.15.
We look for an English speaking driver who will fetch us from he airport and show us Madrid during the hours between the the flights.
Is it possible for you?
Thank you very much
Netta Reinman
nettahoresh@gmail.com