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Punjabi Phrases for Taxis, Autos and Buses ਸਫ਼ਰ ਕਰਨਾ

Getting in, saying where you're going, agreeing a fare, and asking to be let out. The autorickshaw negotiation is its own small art form.

What to know before you use these

  • Agree the fare before you get in — "Kinne paise laoge?" then "thorha ghatt karo" is the expected sequence, not an argument. Settling afterwards is what causes trouble.
  • "Adda" is the stand — Bus adda, taxi adda. "Bass adda kithe hai?" will get you further than any longer construction.
  • Turns, not street names — Khabbe, sajje, sidhe — left, right, straight — carry almost all of it, usually anchored to a landmark rather than a road.

All 20 phrases

Cover:
Where do you want to go?
ਤੁਸੀਂ ਕਿੱਥੇ ਜਾਣਾ ਹੈ?
Tusi kithe jaana hai?
They say
ਮੈਨੂੰ ਏਅਰਪੋਰਟ ਲੈ ਚੱਲੋ
Mainu airport lai challo — Take me to the airport
Take me to the airport
ਮੈਨੂੰ ਏਅਰਪੋਰਟ ਲੈ ਚੱਲੋ
Mainu airport lai challo
How much will you take?
ਕਿੰਨੇ ਪੈਸੇ ਲਓਗੇ?
Kinne paise laoge?
💡 in Punjab, agree the fare before you get in
That's too much, bring it down a bit
ਬਹੁਤ ਜ਼ਿਆਦਾ ਹੈ, ਥੋੜ੍ਹਾ ਘੱਟ ਕਰੋ
Bahut zyada hai, thorha ghatt karo
Stop here
ਇੱਥੇ ਰੋਕ ਦਿਓ
Ithe rok deo
Drive a bit slower
ਥੋੜ੍ਹਾ ਹੌਲੀ ਚਲਾਓ
Thorha hauli chalao
Which bus goes to Amritsar?
ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਸਰ ਕਿਹੜੀ ਬੱਸ ਜਾਂਦੀ ਹੈ?
Amritsar kihri bass jaandi hai?
When does the bus leave?
ਬੱਸ ਕਦੋਂ ਚੱਲਦੀ ਹੈ?
Bass kadon chaldi hai?
Is this seat free?
ਕੀ ਇਹ ਸੀਟ ਖਾਲੀ ਹੈ?
Ki eh seat khaali hai?
Move over a little
ਥੋੜ੍ਹਾ ਪਾਸੇ ਹੋ ਜਾਓ
Thorha paase ho jao
I have to get off at the next stop
ਮੈਂ ਅਗਲੇ ਅੱਡੇ 'ਤੇ ਉਤਰਨਾ ਹੈ
Main agle adde te utarna hai
💡 ਅੱਡਾ = stop/station; on city buses 'stop' is also used
How long does it take?
ਕਿੰਨਾ ਟਾਈਮ ਲੱਗਦਾ ਹੈ?
Kinna time laggda hai?
💡 'time' is what people actually say; ਸਮਾਂ sounds formal
The traffic is really bad
ਬਹੁਤ ਟ੍ਰੈਫਿਕ ਹੈ
Bahut traffic hai
Is the meter on?
ਕੀ ਮੀਟਰ ਚੱਲ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ?
Ki meter chall riha hai?
Keep the change
ਬਾਕੀ ਪੈਸੇ ਰੱਖ ਲਓ
Baaki paise rakkh lao
Where is the bus stand?
ਬੱਸ ਅੱਡਾ ਕਿੱਥੇ ਹੈ?
Bass adda kithe hai?
The bus is jam-packed
ਬੱਸ ਖਚਾਖਚ ਭਰੀ ਹੈ
Bass khachakhach bhari hai
💡 ਖਚਾਖਚ — lovely word for 'crammed full'
Turn left from here
ਇੱਥੋਂ ਖੱਬੇ ਮੁੜੋ
Ithon khabbe muro
Turn right at the corner
ਮੋੜ ਤੋਂ ਸੱਜੇ ਮੁੜ ਜਾਓ
Morh ton sajje mur jao
💡 ਮੋੜ = turn/corner in the road
I've booked a taxi
ਮੈਂ ਟੈਕਸੀ ਬੁੱਕ ਕਰ ਲਈ ਹੈ
Main taxi book kar layi hai

Other situations

Eating & Hospitality At Home Emotions & Expressions Travel & Directions At the Doctor Emergencies On the Phone At the Gurdwara Weddings & Parties Talking with Elders With Children Encouragement & Compliments Apologies & Making Up Daily Routine Asking for Help Airport & Journeys At School & With Teachers Renting & Household Problems At the Bank & Sending Money Cooking Together Festival Greetings Condolences & Comfort Catching Up & Small Talk

Smaller topics — meeting someone new, the weather, shopping, work, family — live in the full phrasebook, alongside every phrase on this page. See the phrasebook index for the whole set, or the dialogues for these phrases inside whole conversations.