drop somebody off somewhere vs drive someone somewhere

[mrwroc]

Can I use the following sentences interchangeably?

Could you drop me off at a hotel? (with a car of course)
Could you drive me at a hotel? (with a car of course)

 

[jutfrank]

drop (someone) off at a place
drive (someone) to a place

They're interchangeable in the sense that you're giving the same instruction, and so the outcome will be the same.

 

[mrwroc]

One more question. Is there any difference between "drop someone off" and "give somebody a lift"?

 

[probus]

There certainly is. When you give someone a lift, you pick them up. That is, they get into your car to go somewhere. You drop them off when they get out at their destination.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Can I use the following sentences interchangeably?

Could you drop me off at a hotel? (In a car, of course.)
Could you drive me to a hotel? (In a car, of course.)

No.

In the first, you're asking the driver to leave you there and drive away.

In the second, the driver might leave you there or go into the hotel with you.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

One more question. Is there any difference between "drop someone off" and "give somebody a lift"?

Yes.

If you get dropped off, you and the driver have different destinations. If you get a lift, it might be to the same destination.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

There certainly is. When you give someone a lift, you pick them up. . . .

Sometimes, but not always.

You: I'm going into town.

Me: I need to go into town, too. Can you give me a lift?

You: Glad to! Let's go!

 

[mrwroc]

Hm......... I'll give you an example. I am trying to find a company which pick me up from a hotel, show me a distant city / a different island and drop me off a hotel.
Can I write to a company and ask about the following?

1. Will you pick me up from a hotel and drop me off a hotel? (I assume this is correct)
2. Will you pick me up from a hotel and give me a lift to a hotel? (I assume this isn't correct because I am not a backpacker waiting for a car by a road)
3. Will you pick me up from a hotel and drive me to a hotel? (I am not sure about this. Maybe I should use 'drive back'?)

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Hm......... I'll give you an example. I am trying to find a company which will pick me up at a hotel, show me a distant city or island and drop me off at a hotel.

Can I write to a company and ask [STRIKE]about[/STRIKE] the following?

1. Will you pick me up at a hotel and drop me off at the/another hotel? (I assume this is correct.)

The preposition at is used to tell where. Where will you be picked up? At a hotel? Where will you be dropped off? At a hotel.

If you want to be dropped of at the same hotel, end with "the hotel." If you want to be dropped at a different hotel, end with "another hotel."

Puntuate the ends of all sentences.

2. Will you pick me up at a hotel and give me a lift to another hotel? (I assume this isn't correct, because I am not a backpacker waiting for a car by a road.)

It is correct. It means you want to go from one hotel to another.

Backpacking has nothing to do with it.

3. Will you pick me up at a hotel and drive me to another hotel? (I am not sure about this. Maybe I should use 'drive back'?)

If you want to return to the same hotel, say something like:

- Will you pick me up at a hotel and drive me back to it?

- Will you pick me up at a hotel and drop me off there later?

Notice that you're using the article "a." This means the company does not know which hotel you're talking about. It's just a general question about picking you up at any hotel.

If the company does know which hotel, use "the": "Will you pick me up at the hotel . . . ."

Your native language isn't English. You might want to correct your member information.

 

[GoesStation]

Backpacks have nothing to do with it.

I suspect the OP meant hitchhiker.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

I suspect the OP meant hitchhiker.

I thought of that, too, typed it in, then deleted it. I decided that a hitchhiker would never ask a tour company about rides to and from hotels.

It's true that a backpacker wouldn't be likely to make a roadside call like that, either, but lots of hotel guests have backpacks, so I gave mrwroc the benefit of the doubt. Maybe the poor shnook just got tired of camping out and reevaluated the merits of flush toilets, hot showers, ice machines, cable, and room service.

And really, neither hitchhiking OR backpacking has anything to do with it!

Meanwhile, I'm still wondering what mrwroc's native language is.

 

[probus]

He seems to have changed his profile to show his native lamguage as Polish.

 

[mrwroc]

I need to really really thank to Charlie Bernstein.
Yes, I thought about a hitchhiker.
I didn't change my profile. I am on a different computer right now but it shouldn't have matter, so I don't know why you saw English as my native language, strange.

 

[GoesStation]

I need to really really thank [STRIKE]to[/STRIKE] Charlie Bernstein.
Yes, I [STRIKE]thought[/STRIKE] was thinking about a hitchhiker.

See above.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

I need to really really thank to Charlie Bernstein.
Yes, I thought about a hitchhiker.
I didn't change my profile. I am on a different computer right now but it shouldn't have matter, so I don't know why you saw English as my native language, strange.

That's a relief! I was sure your member profile used to say something else. Just a crazy glitch, I guess.