Transport (Junior Cert Spanish): Revision Notes
Transport
Essential transport vocabulary
Learning to talk about different forms of transport and describe them is fundamental for everyday conversations in Spanish. Here are the key terms you'll need:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| el autobús | the bus |
| el tren | the train |
| el avión | the plane |
| el barco | the boat |
| la bicicleta | the bicycle |
| el coche | the car |
| la estación | the station |
| el metro | the underground |
| el horario | the timetable |
| el billete | the ticket |
| el vuelo | the flight |
| la maleta | the suitcase |
Example sentences:
- Voy en autobús al colegio. (I go to school by bus.)
- El tren llega a las tres. (The train arrives at three o'clock.)
- Necesito comprar un billete para Barcelona. (I need to buy a ticket to Barcelona.)
- Mi vuelo sale mañana por la mañana. (My flight leaves tomorrow morning.)
Grammar note: Notice that most transport nouns are masculine (el), but some like 'la bicicleta' and 'la estación' are feminine. Always learn the article with the noun.
Describing transport with adjectives
When talking about transport, you'll often want to describe which option is better, faster, or more comfortable. These adjectives are essential:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| rápido/a | fast |
| lento/a | slow |
| cómodo/a | comfortable |
| práctico/a | practical |
| barato/a | cheap |
| caro/a | expensive |
| seguro/a | safe |
Example sentences:
- El metro es muy rápido. (The underground is very fast.)
- Los autobuses son bastante baratos. (Buses are quite cheap.)
- Viajar en tren es más cómodo que ir en coche. (Travelling by train is more comfortable than going by car.)
Making comparisons with transport
Regular comparative adjectives
Spanish uses three main patterns to compare things. This is particularly useful when discussing the advantages of different transport options.
Pattern 1: más + adjective + que (more ... than)
- El avión es más rápido que el tren. (The plane is faster than the train.)
Pattern 2: menos + adjective + que (less ... than)
- La bicicleta es menos cara que el coche. (The bicycle is less expensive than the car.)
Pattern 3: tan + adjective + como (as ... as)
- El autobús es tan práctico como el metro. (The bus is as practical as the underground.)
Irregular comparative adjectives
Some common adjectives have completely different forms when making comparisons:
| Adjective | Comparative | Example |
|---|---|---|
| bueno (good) | mejor (better) | El tren es mejor que el autobús. (The train is better than the bus.) |
| malo (bad) | peor (worse) | Mi coche viejo es peor que el tuyo. (My old car is worse than yours.) |
| viejo (old) | mayor (older) | Mi hermano mayor tiene coche. (My older brother has a car.) |
| joven (young) | menor (younger) | Los conductores menores pagan más por el seguro. (Younger drivers pay more for insurance.) |
These irregular forms don't use 'más' or 'menos' - they replace the original adjective completely.
Superlative adjectives
When you want to say something is 'the most' or 'the least', you use superlative forms. This is perfect for expressing strong opinions about transport.
Regular superlatives
Formula: el/la/los/las + más/menos + adjective
Example sentences:
- El AVE es el tren más rápido de España. (The AVE is the fastest train in Spain.)
- La bicicleta es el transporte menos caro. (The bicycle is the least expensive transport.)
Irregular superlatives
The same adjectives that are irregular in comparatives are also irregular in superlatives:
| Adjective | Superlative | Example |
|---|---|---|
| bueno | el/la mejor, los/las mejores | Este es el mejor autobús de la ciudad. (This is the best bus in the city.) |
| malo | el/la peor, los/las peores | Fue el peor viaje de mi vida. (It was the worst journey of my life.) |
| viejo | el/la mayor, los/las mayores | Mi padre es el mayor de sus hermanos. (My father is the oldest of his brothers.) |
| joven | el/la menor, los/las menores | Ana es la menor de la familia. (Ana is the youngest in the family.) |
Essential travel phrases
These phrases will help you navigate public transport and travel situations:
Actions and verbs
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| llegar | to arrive |
| salir | to leave, depart |
| subir a | to get on |
| bajar de | to get off |
| cambiar de trenes | to change trains |
| caminar | to walk |
| ir a pie | to go on foot |
Asking for information
These are essential questions for travel situations:
- ¿A qué hora sale el tren? (What time does the train leave?)
- ¿A qué hora llega? (What time does it arrive?)
- ¿De dónde sale? (Where does it leave from?)
Example sentences:
- El autobús llega a las ocho y media. (The bus arrives at half past eight.)
- Necesito cambiar de trenes en Madrid. (I need to change trains in Madrid.)
- Prefiero ir a pie cuando hace buen tiempo. (I prefer to walk when the weather is good.)
Grammar focus: adjective agreement
Remember that adjectives in Spanish must match the gender and number of the noun they describe:
- El tren rápido (masculine singular)
- La bicicleta rápida (feminine singular)
- Los coches rápidos (masculine plural)
- Las motos rápidas (feminine plural)
This rule applies to both regular and irregular comparative and superlative forms.
Translation practice
Translation Practice:
Spanish to English:
- El metro es más rápido que el autobús.
- Esta estación es la mejor de la ciudad.
English to Spanish: 3. The plane is more expensive than the train. 4. Walking is the cheapest transport.
Answers:
- The underground is faster than the bus.
- This station is the best in the city.
- El avión es más caro que el tren.
- Caminar es el transporte más barato.
Key Points to Remember:
- Transport vocabulary includes vehicles, places, and actions - learn the article with each noun
- Use más/menos + adjective + que for regular comparisons, and tan + adjective + como for equality
- Four adjectives have irregular comparative forms: mejor, peor, mayor, menor - never use 'más' with these
- Superlatives use el/la/los/las + más/menos + adjective for regular forms
- All adjectives must agree in gender and number with the nouns they describe
- Practice comparing different transport options to improve your fluency with these structures