Riding a City Bus

You're on a local city bus and need to know when to get off.

You
¿Cuánto es el pasaje?
KWAHN-toh ehs ehl pah-SAH-heh?
How much is the fare?
'Pasaje' is the bus fare. Have small bills and coins ready — drivers often can't make change.
Driver
Son diez pesos. Suba, suba.
sohn dyehs PEH-sohs. SOO-bah, SOO-bah.
It's ten pesos. Get on, get on.
'Suba' means 'get on' — you'll hear 'suben' (people getting on) and 'bajan' (people getting off).
You
¿Me avisa cuando lleguemos al hospital, por favor?
meh ah-VEE-sah KWAHN-doh yeh-GEH-mohs ahl ohs-pee-TAHL, por fah-VOHR?
Can you let me know when we reach the hospital, please?
This is one of the most useful phrases on a city bus when you don't know the route.
Driver
Sí, yo le aviso. ¡Bajan! Con permiso atrás.
see, yoh leh ah-VEE-soh. BAH-hahn! kohn pehr-MEE-soh ah-TRAHS.
Yes, I'll let you know. Getting off! Make way in the back.