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A2How to sayvýzavitye taksí

How to say “Call a taxi” in Russian

The right verb is вы́звать — to summon. The one that means “call out to someone” is a different word.

Quick answer

Вы́зовите такси́, пожа́луйста.

výzavitye taksí — вы́звать for ordering one to come — not позва́ть

The options

Вы́зовите такси́, пожа́луйста.Please call a taxi.
Мне ну́жно такси́.I need a taxi.
Я вы́звал такси́.I’ve ordered a taxi.
Ско́лько ждать?How long is the wait?
Куда́ е́дем?Where are we going? — what the driver asks

вы́звать, not позва́ть

Вы́звать means to summon something to come to you: a taxi, a doctor, the police, a repairman. Позва́ть means to call a person over who is already nearby. Mixing them up produces sentences that sound genuinely odd.

In the car

Куда́ е́дем? — where to? Answer with на or в plus the accusative: На вокза́л. В аэропо́рт. На у́лицу Ле́нина, дом пять. Then Остано́вите здесь, пожа́луйста — stop here, please.

Apps and prices

Most taxis are ordered through an app, which removes the whole conversation and fixes the price. If you flag one down, agree the price first: Ско́лько до це́нтра?. По счётчику — by the meter — is rare in practice.

What you hear back

Маши́на бу́дет че́рез пять мину́т.The car will be there in five minutes.
Куда́ е́дем?Where to?
Ждём на у́лице.We’ll wait outside.
Прие́хали.Here we are.

Typical mistakes

Позови́те такси́.

Вы́зовите такси́.

A taxi is summoned, not called over.

в вокза́л

на вокза́л

Stations are на places.

Check yourself

Which verb orders a taxi?

Вы́звать — to summon.

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