autobus
/ˈaw.to.bus/masculine
The English word 'bus' can be translated into Italian as autobus, pullman or corriera.
Meaning: vehicle (noun)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| autobus | /ˈaw.to.bus/ | masculine |
| pullman | /ˈpul.man/ | masculine |
| corriera | feminine |
The term used depends on whether you are referring to local city transit or a long-distance vehicle.
Which one should you use?
autobus is the general term used for a standard city or public transit bus. In contrast, pullman is specifically used for long-distance coaches or luxury travel buses rather than local city transit.
How does it change in a sentence?
When expressing the mode of transport 'by bus', use the preposition 'in' followed by the noun without an article, such as in in autobus.
How do you pronounce it?
The word autobus is pronounced /ˈaw.to.bus/. It has 3 syllables, and the stress is on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- The word pullman is actually an Americanism that traveled to Italy via the luxury rail cars of George Pullman. It is an unusual example of a person's name becoming a common noun for a vehicle in a foreign language.
- When talking about the 'bus stop', Italians use fermata. This comes from the verb fermarsi, meaning 'to stop oneself', treating the location as a place where the person and vehicle pause.
- In some historical contexts, corriera referred to a specific type of fast horse-drawn carriage before motorized buses existed. The name was simply transferred to the motorized version.
Examples in context
- È il mio autobus.It's my bus.This sentence shows how to identify a specific bus using autobus.Tatoeba #13512781 by Guybrush88, translation #1272300 by CK
- Lei va in autobus.She goes by bus.This sentence demonstrates the phrase 'goes by bus' using autobus.Tatoeba #13512753 by Guybrush88, translation #8039540 by Amastan
- Io vado in autobus.I'm going by bus.This sentence demonstrates the phrase 'going by bus' using autobus.Tatoeba #5051020 by Guybrush88, translation #6358181 by CK
- Preferisco viaggiare in pullman per le lunghe distanze.I prefer to travel by coach for long distances.
- Dove posso prendere il bus? Scusa, sono di passaggio.Where can I take the bus? Sorry, I'm passing through.
- 1163 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofia and Francesco are waiting at a bus stop.
- SofiaA che ora arriva l'autobus?What time does the bus arrive?
- FrancescoArriva tra dieci minuti, Sofia.It arrives in ten minutes, Sofia.
- SofiaSpero che l'autobus non sia pieno.I hope the bus is not full.
- FrancescoDi solito c'è posto, non ti preoccupare.Usually there is room, don't worry.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bus” translations and entries autobus, pullman, corriera, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries autobus, corriera, pullman, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
