Public Transport

1. Fan la areet bus bi nekk?

   Where is the bus stop?

   Usage

   Asking for the location of the bus stop

   Grammar Note

   "areet" is borrowed from French "arrêt" meaning stop/halt

2. Fan la estasiyoŋ metro bi nekk?

   Where is the metro station?

   Usage

   Asking for directions to the metro station

   Grammar Note

   "estasiyoŋ" is borrowed from French "station"

3. Fan laa mën a jënd tikë yi?

   Where can I buy tickets?

   Usage

   Asking where to purchase transit tickets

   Grammar Note

   "Fan laa mën a + verb" forms the question "where can I...?"

4. Kañ la bus bi di ñëw?

   When does the next bus come?

   Usage

   Asking when the next bus arrives

   Grammar Note

   "Kañ la X di ñëw?" forms "When does X come?". "bi" is the definite article. No word for "next" is included ("jëkk" means "first", not "next")

5. Ndax bus bii dafay dem ci ~?

   Does this route go to ~?

   Usage

   Confirming if a route goes to a specific destination

   Grammar Note

   Starting with "Ndax" makes a yes/no question. "dem ci" is a movement phrase meaning "goes to"; the destination (the ~ slot) follows at the end. "Waa" means "people of ...", not "route"

6. Ndax war naa soppi kaar?

   Do I need to transfer?

   Usage

   Asking if a transfer is required

   Grammar Note

   "War" expresses obligation (War na ko = "It's her duty"), so "war naa" is "I have to". "Soppi" means "to change" and "kaar" is the shared bus (Am ngë kaar? = "Did you get a seat on the bus?"). "Soxor" means "to be mean" and has nothing to do with transferring

7. Fan la areet bu mujj bi nekk?

   Where is the last stop?

   Usage

   Asking where the final/last stop is

   Grammar Note

   "mujj" expresses "end / last" (compare "baat bu mujj"). "areet" is borrowed from French "arrêt". "Weesu" means "past", not "last"

8. Am na kart bu weer?

   Is there a monthly pass available?

   Usage

   Asking if a transit pass is available

   Grammar Note

   "kart" is borrowed from French "carte" meaning card/pass

9. Bus bi yeex na.

   The bus is delayed.

   Usage

   Informing that the bus is running late

   Grammar Note

   "To be late / to be slow" is "yeex" ("day faral a yeex lool" = "it is often very slow"; "wahyu gi yeex a ñëw" = "the revelation was slow in coming"; nominal use "Yeex googu" = "that delay"). "Na" is the perfect marker. Note: "dëkk" means "to live / village, town", neither "to hit" nor "to be delayed"; and "dara" means "nothing".

10. Fan la bunt bu génn bi nekk?

    Where is the exit?

    Usage

    Asking for the location of the exit

    Grammar Note

    "bunt" means "door / entrance" and "génn" means "to go out"; "bunt bu génn" is "the exit"

Browse all TravelPhrases languages