A2 · Unit 14 · 41 words, 3 texts with translation
Ask about platforms and transfers
Travel by train, bus and plane: buy a ticket, ask about the platform and transfers, and talk about delays.
Texts in this unit
Grammar in this unit
Por and para: two main meanings each
Both por and para can mean "for" in English, so a translation won't help you choose. A question will. You need this pair to buy a ticket and to explain why you're late.
Para looks ahead: at the goal, at where things are going.
| Meaning | Question | Example |
|---|---|---|
| purpose | what for? for whom? | Voy a la taquilla para comprar un billete. — I'm going to the ticket office to buy a ticket. |
| end point | where to? by when? | Un billete para Madrid. — A ticket to Madrid. |
The same para: para ti — for you; para mañana — by tomorrow.
Por looks back and along the way: at the cause and at the route.
| Meaning | Question | Example |
|---|---|---|
| cause | why? because of what? | El tren llega tarde por una avería. — The train is late because of a breakdown. |
| route | through where? along what? | El tren pasa por Madrid. — The train goes through Madrid. |
The same por: gracias por — thanks for; por el andén — along the platform.
Compare:
- Salgo para Madrid — I'm leaving for Madrid: that's where I'm going.
- Paso por Madrid — I'm passing through Madrid: it's on the way.
Common mistakes. "To" or "in order to" + verb is para: para comprar, not ✗ por comprar. "Thanks for" and "because of" are por: gracias por, not ✗ gracias para.
Set phrases (por favor, por la mañana, por eso, por ejemplo, por si acaso) don't follow the rule: learn them as a whole. The other meanings of both words come at the next level.
Desde hace: for how long (and still going)
You already know hace + a length of time (A2, unit 8): it counts back from now to an action that is over.
hace dos años— two years ago
And desde means "since, from": desde las ocho — since eight (A1, unit 8).
Together they mean something new: desde hace + a length of time — "for (that long), up to now". Use it for something that started earlier and is still going on: you're waiting, you live somewhere, you're learning a language, you're stuck in traffic.
Pattern: verb in the present tense + desde hace + how long. English says "I've been waiting for an hour" (present perfect), but Spanish keeps the simple present.
- Espero el tren desde hace una hora. — I've been waiting for the train for an hour.
- Vivo en Valencia desde hace tres meses. — I've been living in Valencia for three months.
- Estamos en un atasco desde hace veinte minutos. — We've been stuck in a traffic jam for twenty minutes.
- ¿Desde cuándo estudias español? — Desde hace un año. — How long have you been studying Spanish? — For a year.
Desde or desde hace? It's like English "since" and "for". After desde comes the moment it all started: desde las ocho, desde el lunes, desde enero (since eight, since Monday, since January). After desde hace comes how long it has lasted: desde hace una hora, desde hace dos días (for an hour, for two days).
Common mistakes. Don't use a perfect tense here just because English does: with desde hace it's espero, vivo, estudio. And don't drop hace: ✗ desde una hora is wrong, because after desde alone you need a moment, not a length of time.
Words in this unit
la taquilla — ticket office, box office
Hay una cola larga en la taquilla. — There's a long line at the ticket office.
el andén — platform
El tren sale del andén número tres. — The train leaves from platform number three.
la vía — track, rails
El tren de Valencia llega a la vía cinco. — The Valencia train arrives on track five.
el vagón — car (of a train)
Mi asiento está en el vagón cuatro. — My seat is in car four.
el asiento — seat
Mi asiento está junto a la ventanilla. — My seat is by the window.
la ventanilla — window (of a vehicle), ticket window
Siempre quiero el asiento de ventanilla. — I always want the window seat.
el pasillo — aisle, hallway
Prefiero el asiento del pasillo. — I prefer the aisle seat.
el retraso — delay
El tren lleva un retraso de veinte minutos. — The train is running twenty minutes late.
el transbordo — transfer (between trains or buses)
Tengo que hacer un transbordo en Madrid. — I have to transfer in Madrid.
el destino — destination
Mi destino final es Sevilla. — My final destination is Seville.
la llegada — arrival
La llegada del tren es a las ocho. — The train's arrival is at eight.
a tiempo — on time, in time
El tren llega a tiempo. — The train arrives on time.
con retraso — late, delayed
El avión sale con retraso. — The plane is leaving late.
tardar — to take (time), to take long
El tren tarda dos horas en llegar a Valencia. — The train takes two hours to get to Valencia.
avisar — to let (someone) know, to warn, to tell
Avísame si llegas tarde. — Let me know if you're late.
anunciar — to announce
Anuncian el tren de Madrid por megafonía. — They're announcing the Madrid train over the loudspeaker.
directo — direct, nonstop
Hay un tren directo a Madrid. — There's a direct train to Madrid.
siguiente — next, following
El siguiente tren sale a las diez. — The next train leaves at ten.
desde hace — for (a period of time, up to now)
Espero el tren desde hace una hora. — I've been waiting for the train for an hour.
hacia — toward, around (a time)
El tren va hacia el sur. — The train is heading south.
durante — during, for
Duermo durante el viaje. — I sleep during the trip.
por ejemplo — for example
Hay muchas ciudades bonitas, por ejemplo, Sevilla. — There are lots of beautiful cities, for example, Seville.
por lo menos — at least
El tren tarda por lo menos tres horas. — The train takes at least three hours.
por si acaso — just in case
Llevo un paraguas por si acaso. — I'm taking an umbrella just in case.
el pasajero — passenger
Los pasajeros esperan en el andén. — The passengers are waiting on the platform.
el viajero — traveler, passenger
Es un viajero con mucha experiencia. — He's a very experienced traveler.
el revisor — conductor, ticket inspector
El revisor pide los billetes. — The conductor asks for the tickets.
el abono — transit pass, pass
Tengo un abono mensual de autobús. — I have a monthly bus pass.
la máquina — machine
Compro el billete en la máquina. — I buy the ticket from the machine.
el atasco — traffic jam
Hay un atasco enorme en la autopista. — There's a huge traffic jam on the highway.
la avería — breakdown, fault
El tren está parado por una avería. — The train is stopped because of a breakdown.
la distancia — distance
¿Qué distancia hay de Madrid a Barcelona? — What's the distance from Madrid to Barcelona?
el kilómetro — kilometer
La estación está a dos kilómetros de aquí. — The station is two kilometers from here.
la velocidad — speed
El AVE va a mucha velocidad. — The AVE goes at high speed.
el trayecto — trip, ride, route
El trayecto dura tres horas. — The ride takes three hours.
facturar — to check (luggage)
Facturo la maleta en el mostrador. — I check the suitcase at the counter.
embarcar — to board (a plane or a ship)
Los pasajeros embarcan por la puerta B. — The passengers board through gate B.
puerta de embarque — boarding gate, gate
¿Cuál es la puerta de embarque? — What's the boarding gate?
despegar — to take off
El avión despega a las diez. — The plane takes off at ten.
aterrizar — to land
El avión aterriza en Madrid a las ocho. — The plane lands in Madrid at eight.
el vuelo — flight
Mi vuelo sale a las diez. — My flight leaves at ten.
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