On a bus or train, the most useful question is often simply which stop comes next. In this workshop you will practice a short, polite exchange: you ask, the other person answers, you thank them and say you want to get off. You will hear the question in two styles, learn the word for the next stop, and see how a station name fits into the answer. Then you will do three speaking tasks: a guided exchange, a reply comprehension choice, and a recall task where you switch roles. Each task includes an answer or self-check so you can confirm what you said.
The key question and the word for the next stop
Start with the shortest useful question. «下一站是哪里？» means "What's the next stop?" and «下一站是哪儿？» is a more colloquial way to ask the same thing. Both are questions you can direct to a staff member or a fellow passenger. The core noun is «下一站», which means "next stop." If you hear «终点站», it means "terminus; last stop," so it is not the same as the next stop. A polite opening is «请问，下一站是哪里？», which means "Excuse me, what's the next stop?" Use it when you approach someone and want to ask before the vehicle arrives at the stop.
Understanding the answer and closing the exchange
When you ask, the reply often names the stop. «下一站是人民广场。» means "The next stop is People's Square." The answer gives you the station name, so listen for the place name after the opening. After you understand, you can thank the person and state your intention with «谢谢！我要下车。», which means "Thank you! I want to get off." The other person may close with «不客气。», which means "You're welcome." In this scene, the person asking is the passenger and the person answering is the staff member or helpful local. Keep the order: ask, listen to the answer, thank and state your intention, then hear the closing reply.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
下一站是哪里？
What's the next stop?
Xià yí zhàn shì nǎlǐ?
下一站是哪儿？
What's the next stop? (more colloquial)
Xià yí zhàn shì nǎr?
下一站
next stop
xià yí zhàn
终点站
terminus; last stop
zhōngdiǎn zhàn
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
请问，下一站是哪里？
Excuse me, what's the next stop?下一站是人民广场。
The next stop is People's Square.谢谢！我要下车。
Thank you! I want to get off.不客气。
You're welcome.Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Guided exchange: ask and respond
You are on a bus and want to know the next stop. Work with a partner. One person is the passenger, the other is the staff member.
Your task: Passenger: say the polite question «请问，下一站是哪里？». Staff member: answer with «下一站是人民广场。». Passenger: respond with «谢谢！我要下车。». Staff member: close with «不客气。». Then swap roles and repeat the same order.
Reply comprehension: choose the matching answer
You hear a recorded reply after asking about the next stop. Read the three choices and pick the one that matches the recorded reply.
Your task: You hear «下一站是人民广场。». Which choice matches? A) The next stop is People's Square. B) The next stop is the terminus. C) Thank you, I want to get off. Say your choice aloud, then say the full matching line.
Recall and role swap: rebuild the exchange
Cover the lines and rebuild the short exchange from memory. You will play both roles, but the order stays the same: question, answer, thank-you and intention, closing reply.
Your task: First as the passenger, say the question «下一站是哪里？» or the polite version «请问，下一站是哪里？». Then as the staff member, give the answer «下一站是人民广场。». Then as the passenger, say «谢谢！我要下车。». Then as the staff member, say «不客气。». After one full round, swap roles and repeat the same chronological order.
Common questions
What is the difference between the two questions for the next stop?
«下一站是哪里？» means "What's the next stop?" and «下一站是哪儿？» is a more colloquial way to ask the same thing. Both are questions, and both can be used when you want to know which stop is coming next. Choose the polite full version «请问，下一站是哪里？» when you approach someone you do not know.
How do I know the reply is about the next stop and not the last stop?
The reply «下一站是人民广场。» means "The next stop is People's Square," so it names the upcoming stop. The word «终点站» means "terminus; last stop," which is different. Listen for the place name in the answer and do not confuse it with the final stop.
Sources and further reading
- chinese: ask for the next stopChecked September 2026
Practice real time conversations on Yapr for faster learning.
Take today's Chinese into a conversation with a Yapr AI tutor. Speak, make mistakes, and try again.
Practice on Yapr