Lesson 14 – Getting Around (Transportation)
Unit 2: En la Comunidad | Unit Overview | Course Home
Review Flash
(5 minutes — say the Spanish before looking)
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| turn right | doble a la derecha |
| go straight | siga recto |
| the corner | la esquina |
| the traffic light | el semáforo |
| on foot | a pie |
Lesson Goals
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Ask about and use buses and taxis
- Buy a ticket or pay a fare
- Ask if a vehicle goes to a specific destination
- Handle transportation emergencies in Spanish
New Vocabulary
| Spanish | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| el autobús / el bus | el ow-toh-BOOS | the bus |
| la camioneta | lah kah-myoh-NEH-tah | the minibus / shuttle van |
| el taxi | el TAK-see | the taxi |
| el mototaxi | el moh-toh-TAK-see | the motorcycle taxi |
| el tuk-tuk | the three-wheeled taxi | |
| la parada | lah pah-RAH-dah | the bus stop |
| el pasaje / el boleto | the fare / ticket | |
| ¿Cuánto cuesta el pasaje? | How much is the fare? | |
| ¿Va a…? | vah ah | Does it go to…? |
| ¿Dónde me bajo? | DON-deh meh BAH-hoh | Where do I get off? |
| bájese aquí | BAH-heh-seh ah-KEE | get off here |
| la próxima parada | the next stop | |
| llevar | yeh-VAR | to take / carry |
| ¿Me puede llevar a…? | Can you take me to…? | |
| el chofer | el choh-FER | the driver |
| rápido | RAH-pee-doh | fast / quickly |
| despacio | des-PAH-syoh | slowly |
| con cuidado | kohn kwee-DAH-doh | carefully / be careful |
| el equipaje | el eh-kee-PAH-heh | the luggage |
Grammar Focus: IR — The “Go To” Verb
Ir (to go) is one of the most useful verbs in Spanish. It’s irregular but high-frequency:
| Pronoun | Ir |
|---|---|
| yo | voy |
| tú | vas |
| usted / él / ella | va |
| nosotros | vamos |
| ellos / ustedes | van |
Ir + a + [place] = going to a place:
- Voy a la iglesia. — I’m going to the church.
- ¿Vas al mercado? — Are you going to the market?
- El bus va al centro. — The bus goes downtown.
Ir + a + [infinitive] = going to do something (near future):
- Voy a visitar a la familia. — I’m going to visit the family.
- Vamos a servir mañana. — We’re going to serve tomorrow.
This “going to” construction is the easiest way to talk about the future — you’ll use it constantly before you learn the formal future tense.
Story: En el Bus (On the Bus)
Sara necesita ir a una aldea rural para una visita médica. Ella pregunta en la parada de buses.
Sara: — Disculpe, ¿este bus va a la Aldea San Miguel?
Chofer: — Sí, señorita. Suba.
Sara: — ¿Cuánto cuesta el pasaje?
Chofer: — Cinco quetzales, ida.
Sara: — (paga) Gracias. ¿Puede avisarme cuando lleguemos a San Miguel?
Chofer: — Sí, con gusto. Son como cuarenta minutos.
[40 minutos después…]
Chofer: — Señorita, San Miguel es la próxima parada.
Sara: — Muchas gracias. ¿Dónde exactamente me bajo?
Chofer: — Al lado de la escuela. Hay un letrero que dice “Bienvenidos a San Miguel.”
Sara: — Perfecto. ¿A qué hora pasa el bus de regreso?
Chofer: — A las cuatro y media de la tarde. No se le haga tarde.
Sara: — Gracias, entendido. ¡Hasta luego!
(Sara needs to go to a rural village for a medical visit… “Five quetzales, one-way.” “Can you let me know when we arrive at San Miguel?” 40 minutes later: “The bus back passes at 4:30pm. Don’t be late.”)
Comprehension Check:
- ¿Cuánto cuesta el pasaje? (How much is the fare?)
- ¿Cuánto tiempo tarda el viaje? (How long does the trip take?)
- ¿A qué hora pasa el bus de regreso? (What time does the return bus come?)
¡Practícalo! (Speaking Practice)
Practice this exchange. You are trying to get from the church to the orphanage by bus:
- Ask if the bus goes to the orphanage (el orfanato)
- Ask how much the fare is
- Pay and ask the driver to let you know when you arrive
- Ask what time the return bus comes
Repeat the practice as if you’re taking a taxi instead:
- ¿Me puede llevar al orfanato?
- ¿Cuánto cobra? (How much do you charge?)
- ¿Puede ir despacio, por favor? (Can you go slowly, please?)
Cultural Note
Transportation in Latin America varies enormously by country and region. Mexico has efficient intercity buses. Guatemala is famous for chicken buses — retired US school buses repainted in vivid colors. Colombia has colectivos (shared taxis). Peru has combis (minivans). In rural areas, mototaxis (motorcycle rickshaws) are often the only option. Whatever the vehicle: ask the price before you get in (for taxis and mototaxis), keep your bag with you, and learn the local signal for “I want to get off” — sometimes it’s a shout of “¡Baja!” or a knock on the ceiling.
Oración
“Él mismo irá delante de ti.” (He himself will go before you.) — Deuteronomio 31:8
Every bus ride, every road in an unfamiliar country — Él va delante. (He goes ahead.)
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