Transportation

1. أين محطة الحافلة؟

   Ayna maḥaṭṭat al-ḥāfila?

   Where is the bus station?

   Usage

   Used to find the bus station or stop.

   Grammar Note

   "Ayna" is an interrogative adverb placed at the sentence start. Simply follow it with a noun phrase to ask "Where is ...?" "Mahattat al-qitar" is the train station.

2. تاكسي من فضلك

   Tāksī min faḍlak

   Taxi, please

   Usage

   Used to hail a taxi or ask someone to call one.

   Grammar Note

   "Taksi" is an English loanword integrated into Arabic. Loanwords typically don't follow Arabic root patterns and are often pluralized with "-at": "taksiyat".

3. إلى المطار من فضلك

   Ilā al-maṭār min faḍlak

   To the airport, please

   Usage

   Used in a taxi or shared transport to state your destination.

   Grammar Note

   "Al-matar" (airport) shares root ṭ-y-r with "ta'ira" (airplane). "Ila + definite noun" is the typical prepositional phrase for destinations.

4. كم يستغرق الأمر؟

   Kam yastaghriqu al-amr?

   How long does it take?

   Usage

   Used to ask about travel time.

   Grammar Note

   "Yastaghriqu" is Form X meaning "to consume/take up". From root gh-r-q (to drown/immerse), extended to mean "time that is consumed".

5. تذكرة ذهاب فقط

   Tadhkirat dhahāb faqaṭ

   One-way ticket

   Usage

   Used when purchasing a one-way ticket. Round trip: "dhahaban wa-iyaban".

   Grammar Note

   "Dhahāb faqaṭ" means "going only". Compare "dhahaban wa-iyaban" (round trip), where both words use tanwīn as adverbial accusatives.

6. ذهابًا وإيابًا

   Dhahāban wa-ʾiyāban

   Round trip

   Usage

   Used when buying tickets to specify round trip.

   Grammar Note

   Both words use tanwīn (-an) as adverbial accusatives. "Dhahaban wa-iyaban" is a fixed pair phrase meaning "going and returning" = round trip.

7. خريطة المترو من فضلك

   Kharīṭat al-metro min faḍlak

   Metro map, please

   Usage

   Used to request a metro map from an information desk or station staff.

   Grammar Note

   "Kharitat al-metro" is an idafa (genitive construct): "map of the metro". The first noun is indefinite, the second takes the definite article.

8. رصيف رقم كم؟

   Raṣīf raqam kam?

   Which platform number?

   Usage

   Used to confirm the platform number for a train or bus.

   Grammar Note

   "Rasif raqam kam" literally asks "platform number how-much?". "Kam" as a quantity interrogative can appear at the end of a sentence.

9. هل هذا الباص يذهب إلى وسط المدينة؟

   Hal hādhā al-bāṣ yadhhab ilā wasaṭ al-madīna?

   Does this bus go to the city center?

   Usage

   Used to confirm whether a bus goes to the city center.

   Grammar Note

   "Wasat al-madina" is an idafa: "middle of the city". "Al-bas" is an English loanword, a colloquial alternative to the MSA "al-hafila".

10. كم تكلفة التاكسي إلى وسط المدينة؟

    Kam taklifat at-tāksī ilā wasaṭ al-madīna?

    How much is the taxi to the city center?

    Usage

    Used to ask about fare before getting in a taxi or other transport.

    Grammar Note

    "Kam" (how much) is the question word for price. "Taklifat at-taksi" is an idafa: "cost of the taxi".

11. هل يمكنك كتابة العنوان بالعربية؟

    Hal yumkinuk kitābat al-ʿinwān bil-ʿarabiya?

    Can you write the address in Arabic?

    Usage

    Used when you need an address written in Arabic to show a driver.

    Grammar Note

    "Kitaba" (writing) is a verbal noun from root k-t-b (to write). The same root also gives "kitab" (book), "katib" (writer), and "maktaba" (library).

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