Getting Around, Transportation and Airports

Getting around by metro, bus, and taxi

This is a group of vocabulary and sentence patterns for getting around the city by subway 地铁(dìtiě: subway), bus 公交车(gōngjiāochē: bus), and taxi 出租车(chūzūchē: taxi). Each vehicle has its own way of asking and answering.

• 要坐多长时间？(yào zuò duō cháng shíjiān: how long does it take?) is used to ask how long the trip takes. The answer usually begins with 差不多(chàbuduō: about) or 大概(dàgài: approximately), followed by a number + 分钟(fēnzhōng: minutes). When there is traffic congestion, people say 堵车(dǔchē: traffic jam), and the time will be longer. Example: 从家到学校大概要二十分钟。
• 换车(huànchē: change vehicles) means switching to another line. 换一次车(huàn yí cì chē: change vehicles once) indicates the number of transfers. To ask about the line, use 坐几号线(zuò jǐ hào xiàn: which line number to take). Each line has a 终点站(zhōngdiǎnzhàn: terminal station), and 坐到终点站(zuò dào zhōngdiǎnzhàn: ride to the terminal station) means riding to the end of the line. Example: 坐三号线到终点站，再换一次车。
• 是…的吗？(shì…de ma: is it…?) and 是不是…的？(shì bu shì…de: is it…, or not?) are used to confirm whether the vehicle goes to the desired destination. An affirmative reply usually begins with 是的(shì de: yes, that's right) or 去的(qù de: it goes there). Example: 这辆车是去大学的吗？是的，坐到门口就行。
• 经过(jīngguò: pass through) is used when asking whether a vehicle passes by a place, with the pattern 会…吗？. Reply with 会(huì: yes, it will) and then state the nearest place to get off. Example: 这路车会经过图书馆吗？会，在下一站下车。
• 离…远吗？(lí…yuǎn ma: is it far from…?) is used to ask about distance. Reply with 不远(bù yuǎn: not far), and often add the walking time, such as 走路五分钟(zǒulù wǔ fēnzhōng: five minutes on foot). Example: 地铁站离这儿不远，走路十分钟就到。
• 发车(fāchē: departure, to depart) is the time when a vehicle starts running. When asking about departure time, answer with a time point and the phrase 早上…就开了(zǎoshang…jiù kāi le: it has been running since the morning…). 末班车(mòbānchē: last train or bus) is the final service of the day, while 首班车(shǒubānchē: first train or bus) is the first service of the day.
• 好啊(hǎo a: all right, sure) is a way to agree to a suggestion. 虽然…但是…(suīrán…dànshì…: although…but…) presents the advantages and disadvantages of a choice. Example: 公交车虽然慢，但是很便宜。 When the subway is crowded, people often suggest switching to the bus.
• 停(tíng: stop running, to halt) is used when a train or vehicle stops operating, for example because of road repairs. 只好(zhǐhǎo: have no choice but to) indicates an action taken because there is no other option. Example: 公交车停了，我只好走路回家。
• 刷卡(shuākǎ: to swipe a card) means swiping a card when boarding. A 公交卡(gōngjiāokǎ: bus card) can only be used when the 余额(yú'é: balance) is sufficient. When the 余额不够(yú'é bú gòu: balance is insufficient), you need to 充(chōng: top up) more money. Example: 卡里余额不够了，先去充一点吧。
• 师傅(shīfu: driver, master) is a polite way to address a taxi driver. 靠边(kàobiān: pull over to the side) means stopping the car close to the edge of the road. The driver replies 好嘞(hǎo lei: all right) and 稍等(shāoděng: please wait a moment) when agreeing to stop. Example: 师傅，请在前面红绿灯那里靠边。
• 还要十分钟左右(hái yào shí fēnzhōng zuǒyòu: still about ten minutes) is a way to report the remaining waiting time, often used when a taxi has not yet arrived. Example: 车还要十分钟左右才能到。
• 开空调(kāi kōngtiáo: turn on the air conditioner) is a request to switch on the air conditioning in the vehicle. When agreeing, people use 当然能(dāngrán néng: of course you can) and 调低温度(tiáodī wēndù: lower the temperature).
• 公交站(gōngjiāozhàn: bus stop) is the place where people wait for a bus. 对面(duìmiàn: opposite side, across from) and 过马路(guò mǎlù: cross the road) are used to describe the location of the stop. Example: 公交站在马路对面，过了马路就能看到。
• 修理厂(xiūlǐchǎng: repair shop) is a place where vehicles are repaired. When the car is at the repair shop, people say they do not drive but take the subway instead.
• 地铁几点开始发车: to answer about the subway train to the airport, people state the time service starts during the day and the last train.

Cars, parking and refueling

This group includes words about cars, bicycles, parking spots and refueling.