italiano · A1 · vocabulary · 4 minutes
Transport
Choose in for most vehicles, con for means, and a piedi for walking.
Understand the choice
Transport language combines a means, a destination, and sometimes a ticket. Andare in autobus, prendere il treno, andare in bicicletta, and andare a piedi are core chunks.
Core rule: Use in + vehicle for travel by transport and a piedi for walking; prendere takes a direct vehicle.
Notice it in context
Vado al lavoro in autobus, ma Marta va a piedi.
I go to work by bus, but Marta walks.
In autobus gives the vehicle without article; al contracts a + il; a piedi is fixed.
Prendiamo il treno e compriamo due biglietti.
We take the train and buy two tickets.
Treno and biglietti are direct objects of coordinated verbs.
Il tram si ferma a questa fermata.
The tram stops at this stop.
Tram is subject; fermata is the stop after a.
What to remember
- Autobus is unchanged in the plural.
- Macchina is everyday car; automobile and auto are alternatives.
Common trap: Do not say con piedi. The fixed phrase is a piedi.