Real Talk #026 – Buying a bus ticket

Episode description

Navigating public transportation in a new area is stressful enough without a language barrier. But have no fear! In this much-requested episode, Andrew and Suzanne introduce natural expressions used when buying a ticket at the bus terminal.

Fun fact

The word bus comes from the Latin word omnibus, meaning “for all.” This is fitting, because it is a vehicle that can be shared by many people at one time. The first bus system, which used horse-drawn carriages, was created in France in 1823.

Expressions included in the study guide

• When’s the next bus for [place]?
• Stuffy
• Ma’am
• Carry-on
• To tear off
• To weigh [something]
• To leave extra time

Detailed Explanations

When’s the next bus for [place]? (Question)

When’s the next bus for [place]? is a common question used when buying a bus ticket. When someone goes to the bus station, she usually wants to get a bus leaving at the earliest available time. Therefore, asking for the time of the next bus is a direct way of asking for the earliest available bus one can take.

There are many variations of this question that have similar meanings. If someone wanted to buy a ticket for the next bus regardless of the time, he could say, “Can I buy a ticket for the next bus to [place]?”

Here’s one more example with when’s the next bus for [place]?:

Ticket clerk:     Hello, how may I help you?

Ryan:                When’s the next bus for Frankfurt?

Ticket clerk:     The next bus is leaving at 7:30.

Ryan:                Great, thanks. I’ll buy two tickets for 7:30.

Stuffy (Adjective)

Stuffy is a word used when something doesn’t have enough fresh air and the circulation is bad. People who stay in a stuffy room feel hot and uncomfortable. In this episode, Andrew says his apartment is stuffy because he can’t turn on the air conditioner while he is recording.

Here are a couple more examples with stuffy:

Tony:                Rochelle, it’s really stuffy in here. Do you mind opening a window?

Rochelle:         Oh, sure, no problem.

Reggie:            I hate going to weddings.

Monique:         Why? They’re lovely.

Reggie:            No way. The food is weird; I hate dancing; and I have to wear a stuffy suit and tie all day. The whole experience makes me uncomfortable.

Monique:         Wow, remind me not to invite you to my wedding someday.

Ma’am (Title)

Ma’am is a word used to politely talk to a woman. Ma’am is similar to the word miss; however, miss refers to a young woman or girl, while ma’am (which comes from the word madam) refers to older women of marriageable age.

Here are a couple more examples with ma’am:

Ticket clerk:     How can I help you today, ma’am?

Margaret:         I’d like to buy a ticket for the 6:00 bus to Paris.

Ticket clerk:     Of course, ma’am. That’ll be €23, please.

Jovan:              Excuse me, ma’am?

Akari:                Yes?

Jovan:              You left your hat on the bench back there. Here you are.

Akari:                Oh, thank you. How sweet of you!

Carry-on (Noun)

A carry-on is a bag that can be physically carried on to a train, bus, or airplane. A carry-on is usually a small bag of important belongs, like a purse or a small suitcase. The opposite of a carry-on bag is a checked bag. Checked bags must be tagged and stored in a special baggage area.

Here are a couple more examples with carry-on:

Attendant:        I’m sorry, ma’am. That bag is too big to be a carry-on. You’ll have to check it and pick it up when you reach your destination.

Misha:              Oh, all right. How much does it cost to check the bag?

Attendant:        $25.00.

Pilot:                 Attention, passengers. Please don’t forget to pick up all carry-on items before leaving the airplane. Have a nice day and thank you for flying with us.

To tear off (Phrasal verb)

To tear off means to rip or remove something. Usually, to tear off is used with paper products or other things that are easily torn. You can tear off a piece of paper from a notebook or tear off a chunk of bread. There are a few common variations of to tear off, such as:

Past tense: tore off [He tore off some toilet paper.]

Past participle: torn off [Her necklace was torn off by the thief.]

Here are a couple more examples with to tear off:

Mohamed:       Hello, I’d like to open a bank account.

Bank teller:      Go to the ticket stand and tear off a number slip. When your number is called, come to the desk.

Mohamed:       Yes, thank you.

Jeb:                  Hey, Connor. Can you tear off a piece of notebook paper for me?

Connor:            Yeah, no problem. Here you go.

Jeb:                  Thanks, bro.

To weigh [something] (Verb)

To weigh [something] is to find out how heavy something is. Heavy and weigh are very similar words, but heavy is an adjective and weigh is a verb. Weigh is used in more formal measurements; for example, if someone wants to know exactly how heavy something is, he wouldn’t say, “How heavy is it?” He would say, “How much does it weigh?”

Here are a couple more example with to weigh [something]:

Annabelle:       Let’s buy some apples.

Sebastian:       All right. We have to weigh them over here first.

Annabelle:       OK, it looks like they weigh 0.8 kilograms. That’ll cost us $5.

Sebastian:       It’s a little pricey, but they look delicious. Let’s buy them.

Airline clerk:    Place your suitcase here. We must weigh your bag. If it’s more than 25 kilograms, you will be charged extra.

Charity:            Yes, ma’am. I understand.

Airline clerk:    OK, it looks like it’s 23 kilograms. You’re good to go. Just attach this tag to the handle and move it to the conveyer belt. Have a nice flight!

To leave extra time (Phrasal verb)

To leave extra time means to leave early enough that you are able to arrive at a destination without stress. Here is a situation:

A man lives 30 minutes from the bus terminal. His bus leaves the bus terminal at 9:00. The man decides to leave his house at 7:50. This leaves extra time in case there is traffic, or if he wants to buy a snack at the bus terminal before his departure time.

In this episode, Andrew says that tourists who aren’t native English speakers should always leave extra time when travelling in case a problem occurs. They should leave early, so that they don’t have to worry about missing a bus, train, or airplane.

Here are a couple more examples with to leave extra time:

Rashid:            Mom, I’m leaving for Vancouver tomorrow at 1:00.

Mom:                Honey, there is construction on the road on the way to the train station. Maybe you should go at 12:00. That leaves extra time in case of traffic.

Rashid:            Oh, right. Good idea. I’ll leave at 12:00, then.

Trish:                Hey, boss, here’s the schedule for your business trip to Montreal.

Boss:                Did you remember to leave extra time in my schedule in case my meetings run late?

Trish:                Yes, I did. I added an extra 30 minutes of break time between each meeting on the schedule, so you have flexibility in making it to all of your engagements on time.

Boss:                Great work. See you next Tuesday.

1. What is the opposite of a carry-on bag?

a) a storage bag

b) a checked bag

c) a suitcase

d) an overloaded bag

2. Which is an example of stuffy? Select all that apply.

a) a teddy bear with too much cotton inside of it

b) a room with no air conditioning

c) a man wearing a thick, black suit on a hot day

d) chicken filled with lots of bread and spices

3. True or false? Ma’am is a title used for younger women, while miss is used for slightly older women of marriageable age.

a) true

b) false

4. Which sentence is grammatically correct? Choose all that apply.

a) It weighs a lot.

b) It’s very weigh.

c) How much heavy is it?

d) How much does it weigh?

e) You must weigh your bag here.

5. What is an example of something you cannot tear off?

a) a necklace from around your neck

b) paper from a notebook

c) a piece of bread from a loaf

d) peanut butter from a jar

Writing or Discussion Questions

1. Have you bought a bus ticket in another country before? Was it difficult? Why or why not?
2. Can you describe an experience where you had a problem travelling because of the language barrier?
3. Are you someone who leaves extra time when you travel, or are you usually late when you leave to go places?
4. Do you like public transportation or do you prefer driving? Why?
5. If you could only have one small carry-on for a long journey, what would you put in it?

                                                Quiz Answers

1. b   2. b,c        3. b    4. a,d,e   5. d

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