How to Say "shuttle" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “shuttle” is “micro” — use 'micro' when referring to a local bus or commuter transport, especially in some Latin American countries..
micro
/MEE-kroh//ˈmikɾo/
Examples
¿A qué hora pasa el micro?
What time does the bus come?
En Chile, la micro suele ser de color rojo.
In Chile, the bus is usually red.
Viajamos en micro por todo el país porque es más barato.
We traveled by bus across the whole country because it is cheaper.
Gender Change
This word is masculine ('el micro') in most countries like Argentina or Peru, but it is feminine ('la micro') in Chile.
It's a Shortcut
This is a shortened form of 'microbús'. It acts just like a normal noun.
Not just 'Microbús'
Mistake: “Thinking a 'micro' must be a small bus.”
Correction: In many countries, 'micro' refers to large long-distance buses too, not just small ones.
transbordador
/trans-bor-da-dor//tɾansβoɾðaˈðoɾ/
Examples
El transbordador cruza el río cada media hora.
The ferry crosses the river every half hour.
Para llegar a la isla, hay que tomar un transbordador.
To get to the island, you have to take a ferry.
El transbordador de carga ya está en el puerto.
The cargo shuttle is already in the port.
A masculine naming pattern
Most words ending in '-dor' that refer to machines or people doing an action are masculine (el).
Making it plural
Since it ends in a consonant, you add '-es' to the end to talk about more than one: 'los transbordadores'.
Confusing it with a regular boat
Mistake: “Using 'transbordador' for a private yacht.”
Correction: Use 'transbordador' specifically for vehicles that 'shuttle' things back and forth on a fixed route.
Micro vs. Transbordador
Related Translations
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