# lái xe meaning in Vietnamese: to drive (A1)

> lái xe means “to drive” in Vietnamese. It can also mean driver. Examples with audio, in Northern and Southern wording.

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/lai-xe/ · Updated 2026-10-31

**lái xe**: drive · driver

Level: A1 (our estimate)

Typed without accents: lai xe

## 1. drive (verb)

For a motorbike Saigon usually says *chạy xe*.

- Saigon: Anh biết lái xe hơi không? | Hà Nội: Anh biết lái ô tô không? — Can you drive a car?
- Chị lái xe đi làm mỗi ngày. — I drive to work every day.

Level: A1

## 2. driver (noun)

In Hà Nội a driver is often *lái xe*; in Saigon, *tài xế*.

- Anh ấy làm lái xe cho công ty. — He works as a driver for a company.
- Lái xe đang chờ ở cửa. — The driver is waiting at the door.

In Saigon you say [tài xế](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/tai-xe/#s_tai_xe).

Level: A1 · Hà Nội only · to recognize

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