Transport in Catalan

104 words in Catalan on the topic “transport”: l'estació — station, el metro — subway, l'autobús — bus, el taxi — taxi. 104 words can be played from recordings.

Updated September 1, 2026 · Lingofly

104 words on the topic

l'estació
station
Both the subway station and the train station: l'estació de metro, l'estació de tren. Before a vowel la shrinks to l'
el metro
subway
Masculine and unchanging: el metro, vaig en metro. The same word is the meter of length
l'autobús
bus
In the plural the apostrophe vanishes: els autobusos. The intercity bus goes by another name — l'autocar
el taxi
taxi
Masculine: el taxi. You take it at the stand — la parada de taxis — rather than wave your arm
el bitllet
ticket
From the basic phrase dos bitllets per a Girona. Train, bus and cinema — one word for all tickets
l'horari
timetable
oo-RAH-ree. The train timetable is l'horari de tren; the working one is horari laboral
la sortida
departure
From sortir, to go out: a departure and an exit at once. Sortida on the board is the departure
l'arribada
arrival
From arribar, to arrive. Arribades on the board — arrivals, against sortides
l'andana
platform
Feminine, with the apostrophe: the platform where the train stops. The rail track itself is la via: el tren surt de la via cinc — it leaves from track five
el vagó
carriage
A relative of wagon. Vagó de primera — a first-class carriage
el lloc de finestra
window seat
Literally "a seat of the window": finestra is the window. The opposite is lloc de passadís — the aisle seat
el bitllet d'anada
one-way ticket
Anada — the going, from anar. The clerk asks: d'anada o d'anada i tornada?
el bitllet d'anada i tornada
return ticket
Literally "there and back". Tornada is from tornar, to come back
perdre el tren
to miss the train
Literally «to lose the train». The same idea for a chance: «perdre l'ocasió» — to miss the opportunity
l'aeroport
airport
An international word. Barcelona's is el Prat, Valencia's is Manises: they are called by their places
l'avió
plane
With the accent on the ó: uh-bee-OH. The plural is avions
el vol
flight
From volar, to fly: a flight here is a flight-path. The same word is the flight of a bird
el check-in
check-in
A borrowing from English, as in the neighboring languages: the desks are mostradors de check-in
la targeta d'embarcament
boarding pass
Literally "a card of boarding": targeta plus embarcament. On the phone it is the same card
la porta d'embarcament
boarding gate
Literally "the door of boarding": the same porta as any door. On the board simply Porta A7
l'enlairament
takeoff
From enlairar-se, to lift oneself into the air: l'aire lives inside the word. A fine word of aviation
l'aterratge
landing
From aterrar, to come down to earth: terra inside. The partner of enlairament
l'escala
flight connection
The same word as the staircase: a connection is a step of the route. Vol amb escala — a flight with a connection
el retard
flight delay
ruh-TART. Amb retard — delayed, sense retard — on time: the lines of the board
l'equipatge
luggage
A collective with no plural: luggage "is", suitcases do not lie. Equipatge de mà — hand luggage
la maleta
suitcase
Fer les maletes — to pack the suitcases, that is, to get ready for the road
la motxilla
backpack
Feminine, «tx» sounds like «ch»: mu-CHI-lya. A school backpack is also «motxilla»
la bossa de mà
handbag
A woman's bag: la bossa de mà — literally 'the bag for the hand'; plain la bossa is any bag
les coses
things
Only plural in this sense: recollir les coses — to gather one's things
l'equipatge de mà
carry-on
Literally "luggage of the hand": what flies in the cabin. Carry-on sizes are the low-cost airlines' favorite argument
el carro
luggage cart
A cart in general: of the supermarket and the airport. The same word is a farm cart
la consigna
left-luggage office
At the stations of Valencia and Barcelona look for the sign Consignes
l'equipatge perdut
lost luggage
The desk equipatges perduts is the first stop if the suitcase did not fly in. Perdut — lost, from the passport phrase
fer les maletes
to pack
Literally 'to make suitcases': fer — to make. About a future trip they use the future: demà faré les maletes
la frontera
border
A relative of frontier. Creuar la frontera — to cross the border
la duana
customs
A word from the tolls of the old customs unions. Passar la duana — to go through customs
el control de passaports
passport control
Literally "the control of passports". The queue to it is la cua del control
l'inspecció
security check
With the accent on the ó. Inspecció de seguretat — the security check, the very one with the frame
el segell del passaport
passport stamp
The same segell — the seal: in a passport it is the stamp. A collection of stamps is a col·lecció de segells
la declaració
customs declaration
With the accent on the ó. Res a declarar — nothing to declare: the phrase everyone knows
l'estranger
foreigner
From «estrany», strange, foreign: someone from another country. «A l'estranger» — abroad
la ciutadania
citizenship
From ciutadà, a citizen. Doble ciutadania — dual citizenship; in forms the field is mandatory
el qüestionari
questionnaire
With the diaeresis: kwus-tee-oo-NAH-ree. A questionnaire is a set of questions (qüestions)
Ensenyi el passaport.
please show your passport
Ensenyar — to show. The polite vostè form: the border speaks exactly so
l'hotel
hotel
With l' before the vowel. Hotel de quatre estrelles — a four-star hotel
l'habitació d'hotel
hotel room
The same habitació — the room, only at the hotel. Habitació doble — for two
la reserva
booking
From reservar, to book. Tinc una reserva a nom de… — I have a booking in the name of…
la recepció
reception
A relative of reception: the receiving. La recepció és 24 hores — the sign on the door
la clau de l'habitació
room key
The same clau — the key, only for the room. Often it is a card: la targeta-clau
l'esmorzar inclòs
breakfast included
Inclòs — included: a line of the booking. Esmorzar bufet — the buffet breakfast
l'habitació lliure
a free room
Lliure — free, unoccupied. No hi ha habitacions lliures — there are no rooms free
l'entrada
check-in (hotel)
The same word as the entrance and the entry: arriving at the hotel is "entering" the room. The opposite is la sortida, check-out
l'administrador
manager
An international word. Feminine l'administradora. In small hotels he is the owner too
per una nit
for one night
Nit — the night. Per dues nits — for two nights: the formula of counting nights
arribar
to arrive
Arribar a + place: arribem a casa a les vuit. The same verb is used for trains and planes arriving
empaitar
to chase
To pursue close behind, to gain on. Atrapar is to catch; empaitar is the whole chase up to the catching
avançar
to overtake
Both "to advance" and "to overtake" are avançar: one moves into the left lane to pass. No avancis en corba
girar
to turn (steering)
zhee-RAH: to spin the wheel and change direction. Gira a la dreta al semàfor — turn right at the light
frenar
to brake
froo-NAH — to press the brake, el fre. Frena abans del pas de vianants — slow down before the crosswalk
accelerar
to accelerate
To gather speed — l'acceleració is the acceleration. An international word, like the pedal under the right foot
aparcar
to park
To put the car on the stand; l'aparcament — the parking lot. Before e the c turns into qu: aparco, aparques, aparquem
deixar
to drop off
Both "to leave" and "to drop off" are deixar: the passenger is left by the door. Et deixo a l'estació — I'll drop you at the station
acostar
to give a lift partway
Literally "to bring closer": not all the way, but nearer home. T'acosten a casa? — shall we take you closer to home?
acompanyar
to see someone off
To walk with someone "for company": to the door, to the station, to the end of the street
la parada
stop (bus)
luh puh-RAH-duh, as in la parada d'autobús and la parada final
el passatger
passenger
poo-suh-TZHÉ — the one carried; a woman is la passatgera. The plural passatgers: they are the majority on the bus
el seient
seat
soo-ENT — the place one sits in transport. El seient del darrere — the back seat
la barra
grab rail
BAH-rruh: the same barra as the bar, only on the bus: the long pipe the standing hold onto
el revisor
ticket inspector
ruh-bee-ZOH — the one who revisa, checks. Feminine la revisora
el preu del bitllet
fare
Honestly "the price of the ticket". La tarifa — the tariff; the fare is what you pay by the tariff
atapeït
packed
uh-too-puh-ET — jammed, people pressed against each other; feminine atapeïda. El bus va atapeït a les vuit
el lloc lliure
a free seat
Honestly "a free place": lliure is 'free'. Spotting one with your eyes is the main sport of a packed bus
la màquina de bitllets
ticket machine
Honestly "the machine of tickets". It stands by every stop and takes coins without conversation
el retard
the delay
A delay is el retard, for a flight or a bus. Ve amb deu minuts de retard — he comes ten minutes late
l'andana
bus bay
uhn-DAH-nuh: the platform bay one boards from. The number burns huge on the wall: l'andana tres
la via
railway track
The track is la via: two rails and gravel; the platform beside it is l'andana. Comprova la via abans de pujar — check the track before boarding
el número de vagó
carriage number
Honestly "the number of the carriage": it is on the ticket and on the side of the carriage. Without it you find the seat by trial
el cap de tren
train conductor
Literally "the head of the train": the chief of the consist, who also checks tickets on long routes. On the bus the same role belongs to el conductor
el vagó llit
sleeper carriage
Literally "the carriage bed", written without a hyphen: the berths turn into llits — beds. You ride at night and wake up in another city
el tren nocturn
night train
Honestly "the night train": you leave in the evening and arrive in the morning — no hotel needed
el lloc de passadís
aisle seat
Literally "the seat of the corridor": el passadís is the corridor. Its pair is el lloc de finestra — the window seat
el bitllet de tornada
ticket for the way back
Literally "the ticket of the return": la tornada — the coming back, as in anada i tornada, there and back. Buy it at once: wanting to go back comes sooner than you think
el carretó del bagatge
luggage trolley
Literally "the trolley of the luggage": el bagatge is the luggage. You push it ahead like a supermarket cart
el destí
destination
Both fate and destination are el destí: a train has one fate and it is written on the board. El destí del tren — where the train is bound
les arribades
arrivals (area)
Literally "the arrivals": the airport board, always plural. The signs are huge: you cannot miss them
les sortides
departures (area)
Literally "the exits": the same pair as les arribades. Les sortides són al pis de dalt — departures are on the upper floor
el vol directe
direct flight
Literally "the direct flight": no connections; el vol is the flight. Costlier, but the suitcase lands with you
el trajecte en taxi
taxi ride
Literally "the crossing by taxi": el trajecte — the path from door to door. The price depends on the hour and the traffic
el taxímetre
taximeter
Literally "taxi-meter": it counts meters and euros at once. Mira el taxímetre — watch the meter
la parada de taxi
taxi rank
Literally "the taxi stop": a blue line on the asphalt where cars wait in line. The first car leaves first
el casc
helmet
El casc is both the old quarter of a town (el casc antic) and a helmet on a motorcyclist's head. Sense casc no es pot circular en moto
el lloguer de bicicletes
bike rental
Literally "the hire of bicycles": llogar — to hire; the same word awaits you in the car rental
l'itinerari
itinerary
ee-tee-nuh-RAH-ree — the route plan by days and cities. It is drawn on a map before the vacation, and changes on the road
el llibre de frases
phrasebook
Honestly "the book of phrases": el llibre de frases. Costs pennies, and in a village without it you buy no bread and catch no bus
el dipòsit
fuel tank
Both a bank deposit and a fuel tank are el dipòsit: the car has its own 'account', kept in gasoline. El dipòsit ple — a full tank
l'oli del motor
engine oil
Honestly "the oil of the engine": l'oli is cooking oil too; in the car it is checked with a dipstick every couple of months
la bateria
car battery
buh-tuh-REE-oo: la bateria feeds the starter; in winter it dies first. The same word as in the phone
el capó
hood
kuh-POH: el capó — the iron lid over the engine; it is opened when something rattles. Obre el capó — open the hood
el clàxon
horn
KLAHK-son: el clàxon — a French word, like the sound itself. Fer sonar el clàxon — to honk; in the city nobody honks without a reason
l'intermitent
turn signal
een-toor-mee-TENT — "the blinking one". It blinks to the right, which means girarà a la dreta
els eixugaparabrises
windshield wipers
Honestly "the windshield-wipers": eixugar — to wipe. Always plural: there are two of them
la roda de recanvi
spare tire
The spare wheel is la roda de recanvi. It lives in the trunk under the mat
el seient del darrere
back seat
Honestly "the seat at the back": darrere — behind. Children ride only there
posar benzina
to fill up with gas
Honestly "to put gasoline": posar benzina — la benzina is gasoline. Posar benzina sense plom — to fill up with unleaded

Download the word set (CSV) · Open the printable sheet

The CSV contains spelling, reading guides, translations and links to word pages. Use the browser menu to save the printable sheet as a PDF.

How it sounds in a sentence

A word list is a blank. Conversation is made of sentences, and these are the ones the words fit into most often.

What is worth knowing about these words

l'estació — station. Both the subway station and the train station: l'estació de metro, l'estació de tren. Before a vowel la shrinks to l'.

el metro — subway. Masculine and unchanging: el metro, vaig en metro. The same word is the meter of length.

l'autobús — bus. In the plural the apostrophe vanishes: els autobusos. The intercity bus goes by another name — l'autocar.

el taxi — taxi. Masculine: el taxi. You take it at the stand — la parada de taxis — rather than wave your arm.

Test yourself

First by ear — the way you will meet the word in conversation. Click the speaker and pick the translation.

What is this word?
It is l'estació — station.
What is this word?
It is l'arribada — arrival.
What is this word?
It is l'aeroport — airport.
What is this word?
It is l'aterratge — landing.
What is this word?
It is les coses — things.

Now the other way around: recall the spelling from the meaning. That is harder, and therefore more useful.

How do you say “station” in Catalan?
Both the subway station and the train station: l'estació de metro, l'estació de tren. Before a vowel la shrinks to l'
How do you say “arrival” in Catalan?
From arribar, to arrive. Arribades on the board — arrivals, against sortides
How do you say “airport” in Catalan?
An international word. Barcelona's is el Prat, Valencia's is Manises: they are called by their places
How do you say “landing” in Catalan?
From aterrar, to come down to earth: terra inside. The partner of enlairament
How do you say “things” in Catalan?
Only plural in this sense: recollir les coses — to gather one's things

How to learn the set instead of just reading it

Bus, metro, taxi, stop, station. These are words you need to recognize in writing — off a departure board and off a sign.

A list is read in a minute and forgotten in a day. What works: hide the translation, try to recall, get it wrong — and come back to the same words tomorrow.

Recalling beats re-reading. Covering the translation and trying to remember it does more than reading it ten more times.checked many times
Adesope, Trevisan & Sundararajan, 2017, Review of Educational Research 87(3) · 188 experiments, 272 comparisons. g = 0.61; against plain re-reading 0.51, against passive review 0.93.
Study spread over days wins not only in experiments but in ordinary classrooms, with real students.checked many times
Mawson & Kang, 2025, Behavioral Sciences 15(6):771 · 22 studies, d = 0.54 (confidence interval 0.31–0.77). The authors warn that individual studies disagree widely.

Frequently asked

How do you say “station” in Catalan?

«l'estació». Both the subway station and the train station: l'estació de metro, l'estació de tren. Before a vowel la shrinks to l'. It is one of 104 words in the set “transport” — the rest are in the table above.

How many transport words do you need to start?

The whole set on this page is 104 words, but there is no need to start with all of it: the words you will need in the next few days are enough. Take them a few at a time — five to seven new ones per session.

Is there audio?

Yes, 104 words on this page can be played — click the speaker next to the word. The sound works on any phone, and nothing needs to be installed.

Transport in Catalan

104 words on the topic

How it sounds in a sentence

What is worth knowing about these words

Test yourself

How to learn the set instead of just reading it

Frequently asked

How do you say “station” in Catalan?

How many transport words do you need to start?

Is there audio?

Next