guagua
Cuba, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Canary Islands
The word for bus changes a lot. Cubans and Puerto Ricans say guagua, Chileans say micro, Argentines say colectivo and Mexicans say camión.
Meaning: a bus (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | Note |
|---|---|
| guagua | Cuba, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Canary Islands |
| micro | Chile |
| colectivo | Argentina |
| camión | Mexico |
Is it said differently in some regions?
The general word autobús is understood everywhere, and bus is common in Colombia, Peru and Ecuador. In Spain autobús is the normal word, and guagua is used in the Canary Islands.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Camión in many countries means truck, so use the local word to avoid confusion.
Did you know?
- Unlike most places, guagua is also used in Chile and the Andes for a baby, so the word means different things by country.
Examples in context
- Voy a coger la guagua para el trabajo.I am going to take the bus to work.
- Tomé el camión al centro.I took the bus downtown.
- El colectivo pasa cada diez minutos.The bus comes every ten minutes.
Example conversation
Rosa and a stranger wait at a stop in Havana.
- RosaDisculpe, ¿pasó ya la guagua?Excuse me, has the bus passed yet?
- SeñorNo, debe estar por llegar.No, it should be about to arrive.
- RosaGracias, voy con prisa.Thanks, I am in a hurry.
