If you go out with your friends but end up without a way to get home, what do you do? You might be able to call for a cab (a taxi), but that can be pretty expensive, especially if you live in a busy city and will have to wait in traffic.
Your best option is probably to ask one of your friends who drove their car to take you home. Do you know how to ask them politely? If not, here are several ways that you can ask them to take you home, ways to ask for a ride.
Of course, there are many ways to ask for a ride home. You can combine some of the phrases that make up each of these sentences to ask someone, but if you would rather stick to these, all of them will get your point across! Each question is followed by some tips about when you can use them, and situations in which they may not be a good option.
1. Hey, can you take me home?
This is a great way to ask someone to take you home if you are familiar with them. It is rather casual and does not force them to say yes. It also asks the question directly to one person, not to a group. This makes the question very clear.
2. Can I get a ride from you?
If you are familiar with the person you are asking, you can also ask them for a ride by saying Can I get a ride from you? This is casual, and the use of can is more informal and less polite. If you ask someone this, they have probably taken you someone before, or have offered to do so in the past.
3. Do you mind driving me home?
This is a politer way to ask if someone is willing to drive you home. Do you mind means that you are considering their efforts, and that you know they are helping you if they agree. It is also clear so that the person knows where you want to go.
4. Would you be able to drive me home?
This is also a polite way to ask for a ride home. The phrase would you be able to is innately gentler, so the person that you are asking will not feel like you are forcing them to say yes.
5. Could you drop me off on your way home?
If you know that your house is on the way back from where you are to your friend’s house, you can ask them this question.
This means that what you are asking them to do is something that is quite convenient for them, as you probably live close by or at least along the route. They will not be going in the opposite direction or making a big detour to bring you home.
This is also rather polite, but you should only use it if you have an idea of where your apartment or house is in relation to theirs.
6. I think my apartment is on the way to your house. Do you mind stopping there?
This is another question that you may only be able to use if you have been to your friend’s house before. Your house must be in between where you are now and your friend’s house, or this question will not make sense. It is appropriate to ask this question if it is, and the use of do you mind is very polite.
7. Is there an extra seat in your car for me?
This is a clever way to ask for a ride home. Instead of dealing with the locations of your apartments or houses and where you are now, you can shift the focus to the availability of a spot in the car.
Asking whether there is an extra seat in the car leaves room for the driver to tell you that their car is full. However, if it is not, they are more likely to say yes because of the way that you ask the question.
8. Could you give me a lift?
If you want to sound more formal, you can ask for a lift. It means that your friend will drive you home, but a lift is usually something that you could call a taxi ride. However, it is a casual question and is best for friends you are close with.
9. Can I ask you to do me a major favor? Could you take me home tonight?
If you want to be extra polite to your potential driver, you can ask them for a major favor. This means that you know that they are helping you out a lot, and using the word favor implies that you are willing to pay them the favor back!
This doesn’t necessarily mean that you will drive next time, but maybe you will pick up the tab at the next dinner or a round of beer at the bar. This question is more tentative, so it shows that you would not ask for this favor if you had another obvious choice.
10. Hey, I am looking for a ride home. I’d be willing to pay gas money if you are willing to do it!
Asking for a ride this way is very casual, but it’s great for instances where you want to make sure the person isn’t getting nothing out of driving you home. You are willing to offer something in return – gas money – even if they don’t take it. Chances are that they will reject your offer to pay them for the ride, but it is in good faith to offer to pay for gas money, especially if the ride is long.
11. Would you mind some company with you on the ride home?
In case you are worried that you have nothing to offer your friend as they drive you home, you can offer your company by asking them for a ride this way. This question is best to ask if they are planning on driving alone, but they are the kind of person that enjoys having others around them.
This way, you can give them joy during the ride and they will see the benefits of having you in the car. A great way to get them to agree to take you home is to offer your company and to offer some gas money along with it! See the question 10 for an example of how to offer some payment.
Depending on your situation, where you are in relation to where your house is, how well you know the person you are asking for a ride home, and whether you are willing to pay them, these 11 options are wonderful for asking for a ride! Don’t be left stranded wherever you are!
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