how to say “public transportation” in Hebrew

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/תחבורה-ציבורית-#.m4a” /]תַּחְבּוּרָה צִבּוּרִית

Here’s a completely modern expression with ancient roots.

The root ח.ב.ר[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/תחבורה-ציבורית-#.m4a” /], appearing already in the stories of Abraham, means connection. Modern Hebrew took the root, plugged it into a common structure and came up with תחבורה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/תחבורה-ציבורית-#.m4a” /] – transportation, or a system of connecting point A and point B.

ציבורי[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/תחבורה-ציבורית-#.m4a” /] means public, deriving from the root צ.ב.ר[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/תחבורה-ציבורית-#.m4a” /] meaning collection: the public – הציבור[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/תחבורה-ציבורית-#.m4a” /] – is a collection of individuals.

So what’s public transportation? תחבורה ציבורית[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/תחבורה-ציבורית-#.m4a” /].

For example:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/תחבורה-ציבורית-#.m4a” /]איך התחבורה הציבורית בעיר שלכם?

How’s the public transportation in your city?