How do you get around Bogotá? In this lesson, you'll learn about transportation — buses, taxis, cars, and more. You'll master the important irregular verb 'ir' (to go) and learn to say how you travel from one place to another. Whether you take the TransMilenio or walk, you'll be able to talk about your commute!
Learning tips
- The verb 'ir' (to go) is completely irregular — you just have to memorize it: voy, vas, va, vamos, van.
- Notice the pattern: 'ir en + transport' — voy en bus, voy en taxi. But on foot is 'ir a pie' (literally 'to go on foot').
- In Colombia, 'el carro' is used instead of 'el coche' (which is used in Spain). Regional vocabulary matters!
- 'Tomar' means 'to take' for transportation — 'tomar el bus' (to take the bus), but it also means 'to drink' — 'tomar café' (to drink coffee).
Warm-up & Active Recall
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| derecha | right |
| izquierda | left |
| recto | straight |
| seguir | to continue |
| girar | to turn |
| cruzar | to cross |
| la cuadra | the block |
| llegar | to arrive |
| hasta | until |
| caminar | to walk |
Dialog
Valentina and Andrés discuss how they get to work and around Bogotá. Notice the verb 'ir' (to go) in action: 'voy' (I go), 'vas' (you go), 'vamos' (we go). They use 'ir en + transport' to describe their mode of travel. Valentina mentions the TransMilenio, Bogotá's rapid bus transit system, and 'la parada' (the bus stop). All 10 active vocabulary words appear naturally in their conversation about daily commuting.
Vocabulary
Active words
| Word | IPA | Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| el bus | /ˈbus/ | the bus | Masculine noun — the main public transport in Colombian cities |
| el taxi | /ˈtak.si/ | the taxi | Masculine noun — taxis in Bogotá are yellow |
| el carro | /ˈka.ro/ | the car | In Colombia, 'carro' is used instead of 'coche' (Spain) |
| manejar | /ma.ne.ˈxaɾ/ | to drive | In Colombia, 'manejar' is preferred over 'conducir' (Spain) |
| tomar | /to.ˈmaɾ/ | to take (transport), to drink | Dual meaning: tomar el bus (take the bus) / tomar café (drink coffee) |
| la estación | /es.ta.ˈsjon/ | the station | Used for TransMilenio and major transit hubs |
| la parada | /pa.ˈɾa.ða/ | the (bus) stop | Used for regular bus stops — smaller than a station |
| ir | /ˈiɾ/ | to go | Completely irregular verb — must memorize all forms |
| voy | /ˈboi̯/ | I go | First person singular of 'ir' — the most common form |
| rápido | /ˈra.pi.ðo/ | fast, quick | Can be an adjective or adverb — 'El bus es rápido' / 'Va muy rápido' |
Passive words
| Word | IPA | Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| el TransMilenio | /tɾans.mi.ˈle.njo/ | the TransMilenio (Bogotá's rapid bus system) | Bogotá's main public transit system — similar to a bus rapid transit (BRT) |
| la bicicleta | /bi.si.ˈkle.ta/ | the bicycle | Bogotá has one of the largest bike lane networks in Latin America |
| el tráfico | /ˈtɾa.fi.ko/ | the traffic | Bogotá is known for heavy traffic, especially during rush hour |
| la tarjeta | /taɾ.ˈxe.ta/ | the card | Used for transit cards to pay for the bus |
| el pasaje | /pa.ˈsa.xe/ | the fare, the ticket | The cost of a bus or transit ride |
| el conductor | /kon.duk.ˈtoɾ/ | the driver |
Useful chunks
| Word | Translation |
|---|---|
| voy en bus | I go by bus |
| ¿adónde vas? | where are you going? |
Grammar: Present tense of 'ir' — 'ir en' + transportation
| Pronoun | ir |
|---|---|
| yo | voy |
| tú | vas |
| usted / él / ella | va |
| nosotros | vamos |
| ellos / ellas | van |
| Expression | Example |
|---|---|
| ir en bus | Voy en bus al trabajo. |
| ir en taxi | Ella va en taxi al centro. |
| ir en carro | Nosotros vamos en carro. |
| ir a pie | Él va a pie al parque. |
The verb ir (to go) is one of the most important irregular verbs in Spanish. Its present tense forms must be memorized:
- yo voy = I go
- tú vas = you go
- usted/él/ella va = you (formal)/he/she goes
- nosotros vamos = we go
- ellos/ellas van = they go
Ir en + transportation is the pattern for saying how you travel:
- Voy en bus = I go by bus
- Va en taxi = He/she goes by taxi
- Vamos en carro = We go by car
The exception is walking: ir a pie (to go on foot), NOT 'ir en pie.'
Ir a + place tells you where someone is going:
- Voy al centro = I'm going downtown (al = a + el)
- Va a la oficina = He/she is going to the office
Note: 'a + el' contracts to al: 'Voy al banco' (not 'voy a el banco').
Exercises
Fill in the Blanks
Complete each sentence with the missing word.
- Yo en bus al trabajo.(first person of 'ir')
- Ella el taxi en la parada.(third person of 'tomar')
- Nosotros en carro a la estación.(first person plural of 'ir')
- El bus es muy .(adjective meaning 'fast')
- ¿ manejas al trabajo?(subject pronoun for informal 'you')
Grammar Application
Conjugate 'ir' for the given subject pronoun and complete with transportation.
- yo / ir / en bus → Yo en bus.(yo → v___)
- tú / ir / en taxi → Tú en taxi.(tú → v___)
- ella / ir / en carro → Ella en carro.(ella → v___)
- nosotros / ir / a pie → Nosotros a pie.(nosotros → v___)
- ellos / ir / en bus → Ellos en bus.(ellos → v___)
Translation (English → Spanish)
Translate each sentence into Spanish.
- I go to work by bus.
- She takes the taxi at the stop.
- Where are you going?
- We go by car to the station.
- The bus is very fast.
Creative Construction
Describe how you and 2 other people get around. Use the verb 'ir' with different transportation modes and mention at least one station or stop.
Takeaway
The verb 'ir' is irregular: voy, vas, va, vamos, van. Use 'ir en + transport' (voy en bus, va en taxi) to say how you travel, and 'ir a + place' (voy al centro) to say where you're going. Remember: a + el = al.