Essential Arabic Vocabulary: Transportation Words with Examples for Everyday Use
Arabic is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. It is the language of the Qur’an and the language of deep cultural and historical significance. Millions of people study Arabic for different reasons—religion, travel, work, or cultural interest. But one thing is certain. Arabic connects people.
For learners living outside Arabic-speaking countries, the process of learning Arabic is not always easy. It needs patience, good resources, and a clear method. This is where Ramadani Arabic Academy plays a vital role.
I created Ramadani Arabic Academy to help non-native speakers, especially those living in the West, learn Arabic in a way that is clear, simple, and effective. The focus of the academy is on reading and writing because I believe that literacy is the foundation of language mastery. When students can read and write well, they gain control. They understand how words are formed and how to use them. They gain confidence.
Through the academy, I offer online lessons that are flexible, interactive, and practical. Students can study from anywhere in the world. I work mostly with children and young adults from immigrant families who want to connect more deeply with their heritage. Many of them speak some Arabic at home but cannot read or write it. My goal is to help them build that missing skill.
I have more than seven years of experience in teaching Arabic. I also hold a degree in Islamic Studies and several diplomas in teaching pedagogy. This background helps me design lessons that are engaging and effective. I use real-life examples and focus on topics that are useful for daily life.
In this series of lessons, we will study Arabic vocabulary by theme. Each lesson will include Arabic words with short vowels, English meaning, transliteration, and an example sentence. Today’s theme is transportation. This is a topic that students enjoy because they use these words often in their daily conversations. Whether they are going to school by bus or traveling with their family by car or plane, these words are part of their life.
This method—practical, focused, and structured—helps students improve step by step.
Let’s begin with the transportation lesson.
Transportation in Arabic – Vocabulary with Short Vowels and Examples
This lesson is for beginner and lower-intermediate students.
The goal is to help you recognize and use the most common transportation words in Arabic.
Each word includes:
- Arabic with short vowels
- English meaning
- Transliteration
- Example sentence with full vowels and translation
I chose words that are used in daily life. These are useful for speaking, reading, and writing.
١. سَيّارَة
sayyārah – car
أَنا أَرْكَبُ السَّيّارَةَ مَعَ أَبِي
ʾanā ʾarkabu as-sayyārah maʿa ʾabī
I ride the car with my father
٢. حافِلَة
ḥāfilah – bus
هِيَ تَذْهَبُ إِلى المَدْرَسَةِ بِالحافِلَةِ
hiya tadhhabu ʾilā al-madrasah bi-l-ḥāfilah
She goes to school by bus
٣. دَرّاجَة
darrājah – bicycle
عِنْدِي دَرّاجَةٌ جَميلَةٌ
ʿindī darrājatun jamīlah
I have a nice bicycle
٤. دَرّاجَة ناريَّة
darrājah nāriyyah – motorcycle
الرَّجُلُ يَرْكَبُ دَرّاجَةً ناريَّةً
ar-rajulu yarkabu darrājah nāriyyah
The man rides a motorcycle
٥. قِطار
qiṭār – train
نَذْهَبُ إِلى العاصِمَةِ بِالقِطارِ
nadhhabu ʾilā al-ʿāṣimah bi-l-qiṭār
We go to the capital by train
٦. طائِرَة
ṭāʾirah – airplane
هُمْ يُسافِرونَ بِالطّائِرَةِ
hum yusāfirūna bi-ṭ-ṭāʾirah
They travel by airplane
٧. سَفِينَة
safīnah – ship
السَّفِينَةُ كَبِيرَةٌ وَبَطِيئَةٌ
as-safīnatu kabīratun wa-baṭīʾah
The ship is big and slow
٨. شاحِنَة
shāḥinah – truck
الشّاحِنَةُ تَنْقُلُ الأَثاثَ
ash-shāḥinatu tanqulu al-athāth
The truck transports the furniture
٩. مِرْوَحِيَّة
mirwaḥiyyah – helicopter
المِرْوَحِيَّةُ تَطِيرُ فَوْقَ البُيوتِ
al-mirwaḥiyyah ṭaṭīru fawqa al-buyūt
The helicopter flies over the houses
١٠. مِتْرُو
mitrū – metro
نَرْكَبُ المِتْرُو فِي الوِلايَةِ
narkabu al-mitrū fī al-wilāyah
We take the metro in the state
١١. تاكْسِي
tāksī – taxi
نَأْخُذُ تاكْسِي إِلى المَطارِ
naʾkhudhu tāksī ʾilā al-maṭār
We take a taxi to the airport
١٢. عَرَبَةُ القِطارِ
ʿarabatu al-qiṭār – train car / wagon
العَرَبَةُ مُمْتَلِئَةٌ بِالرُّكّابِ
al-ʿarabatu mumtaliʾah bi-r-rukkāb
The wagon is full of passengers
١٣. مَرْكَبة فَضائِيَّة
markabah faḍāʾiyyah – spaceship
رَأَيْنا مَرْكَبةً فَضائِيَّةً فِي الفِيلْمِ
raʾaynā markabatan faḍāʾiyyatan fī al-fīlm
We saw a spaceship in the movie
١٤. قَارِب
qārib – small boat
هُوَ يُحِبُّ رُكُوبَ القَارِبِ فِي النَّهْرِ
huwa yuḥibbu rukūba al-qārib fī an-nahr
He likes to ride the boat in the river
١٥. تَرَام
tarām – tram
الرُّكُوبُ بِالتَّرَامِ سَرِيعٌ وَسَهْلٌ
ar-rukūbu bi-t-tarām sarīʿun wa-sahl
Riding the tram is fast and easy
١٦. جَمَل
jamal – camel
الرَّجُلُ يَرْكَبُ الجَمَلَ فِي الصَّحْراءِ
ar-rajulu yarkabu al-jamal fī aṣ-ṣaḥrāʾ
The man rides the camel in the desert
١٧. حِمار
ḥimār – donkey
الفَلّاحُ يَسْتَعْمِلُ الحِمارَ فِي القَرْيَةِ
al-fallāḥu yastaʿmilu al-ḥimār fī al-qaryah
The farmer uses the donkey in the village
١٨. دابَّة
dābbah – riding animal
في الزَّمَنِ القَدِيمِ، النّاسُ يَرْكَبُونَ الدَّوابَّ
fī az-zamani al-qadīm, an-nāsu yarkabūna ad-dawābb
In old times, people used to ride animals
١٩. كَارافَان
kāravān – caravan (trailer)
لَدَيْنا كَارافَانٌ لِلسَّفَرِ
ladaynā kāravānun li-s-safar
We have a caravan for travel
٢٠. زُورَق
zawraq – small motorboat
الزُّورَقُ يَسِيرُ في البُحَيْرَةِ
az-zawraqu yasīru fī al-buḥayrah
The boat moves on the lake
I teach Arabic because I believe language is identity. When you learn the words, you connect to the culture, to your roots, and to the people.
This lesson was not just about vocabulary. It was about giving students tools they can use. Transportation words are simple, but they are important. You use them when you talk about your day, your plans, your routine. That’s why I started here.
Every word in this lesson was chosen on purpose. I used full vowels to help you read correctly. I gave examples that make sense. I kept the format clean so you can focus on what matters.
If you’re serious about learning Arabic, start small but stay consistent. Don’t memorize without understanding. Read the examples. Say them out loud. Write them down. Use them in your life.
I work with students from around the world. Many of them grew up hearing Arabic but never learned how to read or write it. My goal is to close that gap. To make the language accessible. To build your confidence.
More lessons are coming. I’ll continue with other themes—things you see and use every day. This is how real learning happens. One step at a time.
If this lesson helped you, go over it again tomorrow. If you have a question, send it. And when you’re ready, move to the next one.
—Mohamed Ramdani
Founder of Ramdani Arabic Academy
To help you further, I upload many detailed lessons and explanations on my YouTube channel. Watching these videos can boost your understanding and make learning easier.
Check out one of my useful videos here:
