Spanish · A1 · Everyday language
How We Travel in Spanish
Learn how to talk about your daily family commutes and errands using common modes of transportation. This guide focuses on the verb 'ir' (to go) and how to describe the method of travel.
What you'll learn
- Express how your family travels to daily activities
- Use the preposition 'en' to describe modes of transport
- Ask simple questions about how you are getting somewhere
Spanish phrases for how we travel
Vamos al colegio en autobús.
We go to school by bus.
'Al' is a combination of 'a' (to) and 'el' (the).
Vamos al fútbol en coche.
We go to football by car.
'Coche' is the most common word for car in Spain.
Vamos al parque en bici.
We go to the park by bike.
'Bici' is the common short form for 'bicicleta'.
Vamos a casa de la abuela en tren.
We go to Grandma's by train.
Literally: 'to house of the grandmother'.
Vamos a natación en tranvía.
We go to swimming by tram.
'Natación' refers to the sport/activity of swimming.
¿Vas en autobús?
Do you go by bus?
Use a rising intonation at the end for the question.
¿Vamos en tren hoy?
Do we go by train today?
'Hoy' means today; the 'h' is silent.
Hoy vamos en coche.
Today we go by car.
Sentence order is flexible; you can start with 'Hoy'.
Hear these phrases and practise them
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Try it free for 7 daysKey words
en
by / in
In Spanish, we use 'en' for most modes of transport (in a car, in a bus).
colegio
school
Often shortened to 'cole' by kids and parents.
coche
car
In some Latin American countries, 'carro' or 'auto' is used instead.
vamos
we go / we are going
From the irregular verb 'ir'.
Using 'Ir en'
To say you travel 'by' a specific vehicle, Spanish uses the verb 'ir' followed by 'en'. Unlike English, you don't use 'por' for this purpose.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| By car | En coche | Vamos en coche. |
| By train | En tren | Vas en tren. |
| By bus | En autobús | Vamos en autobús. |
Verb: Ir (to go)
This is an irregular verb. Here are the two forms you will use most often with your child.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| We go | Vamos | Vamos al parque. |
| You (singular) go | Vas | ¿Vas en bici? |
More examples
¿Vamos al cole en tren?
Are we going to school by train?
No, hoy vamos en bici.
No, today we are going by bike.
¡Qué divertido!
How fun!
A common reaction for kids.