In this workshop you will practice a very practical travel skill: asking what time the next bus or train leaves, and understanding the answer. You will hear short, natural lines and use them in guided exchanges. The focus is on two verbs that look similar but mean different things: sale (leaves) and llega (arrives). You will also meet two common words for bus, autobús and camión, so you can recognize both. Work through the sections, then try the three tasks. You can play both roles with the audio, but there is no automatic scoring, so use the answer keys to check yourself.
Asking the departure question
The core question uses a qué hora (at what time) plus sale (leaves). With autobús you get a clear, standard way to ask about the next bus: «¿A qué hora sale el próximo autobús?». If you are at a train station, change one word and the pattern still works: «¿A qué hora sale el próximo tren?». In Mexico and parts of Central America, you may hear camión for bus, and the question can start with cuándo (when) instead of a qué hora: «¿Cuándo sale el próximo camión?». Notice that all three questions keep the same verb, sale, and the same word for next, próximo. When you ask, speak slowly and clearly, and it is fine to repeat the place word if the other person looks unsure.
Understanding the answer
A schedule answer often starts with sale a las plus a clock time. For example, «Sale a las tres y media.» tells you the departure is at three thirty. Spanish uses a las before clock times, and y media means half past, while y cuarto means quarter past. In a short exchange, a traveler asks the departure question and gets a specific time: «Disculpe, ¿a qué hora sale el próximo autobús?» then «Sale a las cuatro y cuarto.». Listen for the number and the words media or cuarto. If you only catch part of the answer, you can politely ask the person to repeat, or simply confirm the time you heard. The key is to focus on sale for departure, so you do not confuse it with arrival.
Departure or arrival?
These two verbs are easy to mix up. Sale means leaves, and llega means arrives. After hearing a departure time, a traveler can ask about arrival with a short follow-up: «¿Y a qué hora llega?». The answer may include a time and a soft phrase like más o menos, meaning more or less: «Llega a las seis, más o menos.». So in one scene you can hear both sale and llega. When you listen, ask yourself: is the speaker giving the time the vehicle leaves, or the time it gets there? Keeping that question in mind helps you choose the right verb when you speak. If you need to be sure, you can repeat the time back and watch for a nod or a correction.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
¿A qué hora sale el próximo autobús?
What time does the next bus leave?
ah keh OH-rah SAH-leh el PROHK-see-moh ow-toh-BOOS
¿A qué hora sale el próximo tren?
What time does the next train leave?
ah keh OH-rah SAH-leh el PROHK-see-moh trehn
¿Cuándo sale el próximo camión?
When does the next bus leave?
KWAHN-doh SAH-leh el PROHK-see-moh kah-MYOHN
Sale a las tres y media.
It leaves at three thirty.
SAH-leh ah lahs trehs ee MEH-dyah
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
Disculpe, ¿a qué hora sale el próximo autobús?
Excuse me, what time does the next bus leave?Sale a las cuatro y cuarto.
It leaves at four fifteen.¿Y a qué hora llega?
And what time does it arrive?Llega a las seis, más o menos.
It arrives at six, more or less.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 answer
Imagine you are at a bus station. You will play both roles: first the traveler, then the staff member. Use only the lines you have practiced.
Your task: Step 1: As the traveler, ask what time the next bus leaves. Use the full question from the recording. Step 2: As the staff member, answer with a departure time. Step 3: As the traveler, ask what time it arrives. Step 4: As the staff member, give an arrival time with más o menos. Say each line out loud before moving to the next.
Reply comprehension: choose the right meaning
You will hear or read two short answers. One is about departure, one is about arrival. Decide which is which.
Your task: Answer A: «Sale a las tres y media.». Answer B: «Llega a las seis, más o menos.». For each answer, say whether it tells you when the vehicle leaves or when it arrives. Then say the English meaning in your own words. Finally, match each answer to the question it fits: the departure question or the arrival question.
Recall and role swap
Cover the lines above. You will rebuild a short exchange from memory, then swap roles.
Your task: First, as the traveler, ask the departure question for a train. Then, as the staff member, give a departure time. Next, as the traveler, ask the arrival question. Finally, as the staff member, give an arrival time with más o menos. After one full round, swap: you start as the staff member and the other role asks.
Common questions
What is the difference between sale and llega?
Sale means leaves, and llega means arrives. In a schedule answer, sale a las... gives the departure time, while llega a las... gives the arrival time. Listen for the verb at the start of the answer to know which time you are hearing.
Should I say autobús or camión?
Both can mean bus, but camión is common in Mexico and parts of Central America. In other regions, camión often means truck. If you are unsure, autobús is a safe choice in many places, and you can also listen to what local speakers use.
Sources and further reading
- spanish: ask about departure timeChecked September 2026
Practice real time conversations on Yapr for faster learning.
Take today's Spanish into a conversation with a Yapr AI tutor. Speak, make mistakes, and try again.
Practice on Yapr