Italian · Travel & Getting Around

"Bus" in Italian: autobus

l'autobus

Say it: OW-toh-boosmasculine · l'autobusnoun/ˈau.to.bus/

Bus in Italian is l'autobus (OW-toh-boos), a masculine noun that stays the same in the plural: gli autobus. A stop is una fermata. By bus is in autobus.

Asking locally

Questo autobus va al centro?
Does this bus go to the centre?
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How to pronounce autobus

Say it

OW-toh-boos

/ˈau.to.bus/

Autobus stresses the first part lightly: OW-toh-boos. Final s is pronounced. Keep au as ow.

"Bus" in Italian: quick reference

ItalianEnglish
l'autobusbus

Standard word; plural gli autobus.

il busbus

Short informal form you also hear.

in autobusby bus

Travel mode.

la fermata dell'autobusbus stop

Where you wait.

How to use autobus in real life

  1. 1Asking locally

    Questo autobus va al centro?

    Does this bus go to the centre?

    Questo autobus for the one in front of you.

  2. 2City plan

    Prendiamo l'autobus numero otto.

    Let's take bus number eight.

    L'autobus plus number.

  3. 3Running late

    L'autobus è pieno, aspettiamo il prossimo.

    The bus is full; we'll wait for the next one.

    Il prossimo implies prossimo autobus.

Mistakes English speakers make with autobus

Incorrect: La autobus è in ritardo.

Correct: L'autobus è in ritardo.

Autobus is masculine: l'autobus.

Incorrect: Gli autobusi sono lenti.

Correct: Gli autobus sono lenti.

Plural spelling stays autobus.

Good to know

City buses often need a ticket stamped on board or a contactless tap, and rules vary by city. Long-distance coaches may be called pullman. For city travel, l'autobus is the safe beginner word.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Finding the right city bus

  1. ChatPal

    Secondo la mappa l'autobus 12 ferma qui.

    According to the map bus 12 stops here.

  2. You

    Perfetto. Compra due biglietti per l'autobus?

    Perfect. Will you buy two tickets for the bus?

  3. ChatPal

    Già fatti. Quando arriva l'autobus, saliamo dietro.

    Already done. When the bus arrives, we get on at the back.

  4. You

    Ok. Se l'autobus è affollato, resto vicino alla porta.

    Ok. If the bus is crowded, I'll stay near the door.

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"Bus" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Bus" in Italian

What is the plural of autobus?

Gli autobus — same form, different article.

How do I say bus stop?

La fermata dell'autobus or simply la fermata.

Is bus also used?

Yes, il bus is a common short form, especially in speech.

How do I say by bus?

In autobus: Vado a scuola in autobus.

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