In this workshop you practice a short, useful exchange: asking which bus goes to a place, understanding the bus number, and asking where to catch it. You will hear the question in two friendly forms, listen to a typical answer with a bus number, and then ask about the stop. You can play both roles with the audio, but there is no automatic assessment, so use the answer keys to check yourself. Speak out loud each time, and repeat the lines until they feel comfortable.
Asking the question
Start with a polite opener if you like, then ask which bus goes to your destination. A direct question is «¿Cuál bus va a la playa?», which means 'Which bus goes to the beach?' Here bus is masculine, so use cuál bus. A friendly alternative is «¿Qué bus me lleva a la playa?», meaning 'Which bus takes me to the beach?' The verb llevar here means 'to take someone somewhere.' If you want the number specifically, for example to check a sign, use «¿Cuál es el número del bus que va al centro?», which means 'What is the number of the bus that goes downtown?' Notice the pattern: cuál bus va a... or qué bus me lleva a... plus the place. Say each question slowly, then a little faster.
Understanding the answer
A typical answer gives the bus number with the article el. For example, «El 12 va a la playa.» means 'The 12 goes to the beach.' Bus numbers are said with el: el 12, el 45, el 8. In a short dialogue, one person asks and the other answers. First you hear «Disculpe, ¿cuál bus va a la playa?», which means 'Excuse me, which bus goes to the beach?' Then the reply is «El 12 va a la playa.», meaning 'The 12 goes to the beach.' Listen for the number and the destination. If you hear a number you did not expect, ask again politely. Practice repeating the number and the place together.
Finding the stop
After you know the number, ask where to catch it. The question «¿Dónde tomo el 12?» means 'Where do I catch the 12?' The verb tomo here means 'I catch' or 'I take.' A common answer is «En la esquina, frente a la farmacia.», which means 'At the corner, across from the pharmacy.' Listen for a place word like la esquina (the corner) and a reference point like la farmacia (the pharmacy). When you hear the answer, picture the location. Then say the whole exchange: ask the question, hear the number, and ask where to catch it. Repeat until you can do it without reading.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
¿Cuál bus va a la playa?
Which bus goes to the beach?
KWAHL boos bah ah lah PLAH-yah
¿Qué bus me lleva a la playa?
Which bus takes me to the beach?
keh boos meh YEH-bah ah lah PLAH-yah
¿Cuál es el número del bus que va al centro?
What is the number of the bus that goes downtown?
KWAHL es el NOO-meh-roh del boos keh bah al SEN-troh
El 12 va a la playa.
The 12 goes to the beach.
el DOH-seh bah ah lah PLAH-yah
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
Disculpe, ¿cuál bus va a la playa?
Excuse me, which bus goes to the beach?El 12 va a la playa.
The 12 goes to the beach.¿Dónde tomo el 12?
Where do I catch the 12?En la esquina, frente a la farmacia.
At the corner, across from the pharmacy.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
You are at a bus stop. You want to go to the beach. Play the audio for the question and then for the answer. You can pause and repeat each line.
Your task: First, play the audio for «Disculpe, ¿cuál bus va a la playa?» and repeat it out loud. Then play the audio for «El 12 va a la playa.» and repeat it. Next, switch roles: you say the question from «Disculpe, ¿cuál bus va a la playa?» and then you say the answer from «El 12 va a la playa.». Do this three times, trying to speak clearly and at a natural speed.
Reply comprehension: choose the correct bus
You hear a short question and answer about which bus goes to the beach. You need to identify the number and the stop. Use the audio for «¿Cuál bus va a la playa?» and «El 12 va a la playa.».
Your task: Play the audio for «¿Cuál bus va a la playa?» and «El 12 va a la playa.». Listen for the number. Then say the number out loud in Spanish. Next, play the audio for «¿Dónde tomo el 12?» and «En la esquina, frente a la farmacia.». Listen for where to catch the bus. Say the place out loud in Spanish. Finally, answer this question: according to the recordings, which bus goes to the beach, and where do you catch it?
Recall and role-play: ask, answer, and find the stop
Now put the whole exchange together without reading. Imagine you are the person asking, and then imagine you are the person answering. Use the audio only if you need help.
Your task: First, play the role of the person asking. Say the question from «Disculpe, ¿cuál bus va a la playa?» out loud. Then play the role of the person answering. Say the answer from «El 12 va a la playa.» out loud. Next, ask the follow-up question from «¿Dónde tomo el 12?» and give the answer from «En la esquina, frente a la farmacia.». Do the whole exchange twice: once as the asker, once as the answerer. Try to do it without looking at the text.
Common questions
Do I need to use the exact words from the recordings?
The recordings give you natural, correct lines to practice. You can use them as models. When you speak in real life, you can change the place name, but keep the same pattern: cuál bus va a... or qué bus me lleva a... plus the place. For the answer, use el plus the number.
What if I don't understand the answer?
Listen for the number and the place. If you miss them, you can ask again politely. In this workshop, replay the audio for «¿Cuál bus va a la playa?» or «El 12 va a la playa.» and repeat the number out loud. Then replay «En la esquina, frente a la farmacia.» and repeat the place. Practice until you can catch both without pausing.
Sources and further reading
- spanish: ask which bus to takeChecked 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