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She goes on the bus

She goes on the bus

3
votes

I wonder if "she goes on the bus" has a similar meaning to "she is on the bus".

Thank you.

2291 views
updated Feb 7, 2011
posted by nila45

8 Answers

1
vote

She goes by bus - is more normal meaning she travels by bus.

She is on the bus - means she is physically on the bus.

She gets on the bus is just a simple present tense and would not be said very often.

She goes on the bus is quite an unusual way to say "She goes by bus"

updated Feb 7, 2011
posted by ian-hill
It's not that unusual. "How does she go to work?" "She goes on the bus." .It's probably a USA vs UK thing. - lorenzo9, Dec 9, 2010
Accepted lorenzo - ian-hill, Dec 9, 2010
Interesting. - nila45, Dec 10, 2010
4
votes

She goes on the bus is similar to saying she goes by bus. I don't think that it is stating that she is physically on the bus. (similar to en avión, por avión?)

updated Feb 7, 2011
edited by 0074b507
posted by 0074b507
Really? - nila45, Dec 9, 2010
3
votes

(similar to en avión, por avión?)

Ella va en avión.- she goes by plane

Mira, ella va en el avión (similar to "look, she is on the plane")

Ella está en el avión.- she is on the plane

Esta caja va a ser enviada por avión.- This box is going to be sent by plane.

"Por avión" is for an object.

"En avión" is for a person.

updated Dec 9, 2010
edited by nila45
posted by nila45
Interesting. Gracias. - 0074b507, Dec 9, 2010
2
votes

In my neck of the woods, if you say "She goes on the bus." Then you most likely mean that she did not make it to the bathroom. If you wish to say she uses the bus as a mode of transportation, we generally say, "She takes the bus."

updated Dec 10, 2010
posted by djnotsophat
Good point! - Maria-Russell, Dec 9, 2010
1
vote

Does it have make any sense to say "She is in the bus"? or could it be correct in some context? grin

updated Dec 10, 2010
edited by Carlos-F
posted by Carlos-F
Does it *make* any... and it does make sense but is more often stated "on" the bus rather than "in". - Yeser007, Dec 9, 2010
Carlos, this is sort of skirting Nila's actual question but just think of any mode of transportation that you can stand and walk around "on", and anything smaller you sit "in". - Yeser007, Dec 9, 2010
I wouldn't put it that way, yesero. - Maria-Russell, Dec 9, 2010
No one is going to stand on top of a bus while its driving down the highway. Strictly speaking, you are "in" the bus. Yet, it is perfectly permissible to say "on the bus" because people are said to get "on" and "off" buses. - Maria-Russell, Dec 9, 2010
Thanks for your answers and corrections. - Carlos-F, Dec 9, 2010
Yesero's answer is correct, other than failing to mention that you ride on things like horses, motorcycles, etc. that you actually sit on. The one exception that I know of is you ride in a limo even if it is big enough to walk around in. - lorenzo9, Dec 10, 2010
We can say, depending on the context, that someone is either in the bus or on the bus. - Maria-Russell, Dec 10, 2010
If our emphasis is on the fact that they're not off the bus, the right word is on. If our emphasis is on the fact that they're not outside the bus, then the proper word is in. - Maria-Russell, Dec 10, 2010
1
vote

"she goes on the bus"

Su manera/método de transporte es por autobus. Normalmente para expresar cómo ella suele llegar a alguna destinación. Puede usearse en sentido mas general (sin pensar en una destinación específica) e.g. Because she doesn't have a car, she goes by bus. (Viaja a todos lados por autobus porque no tiene coche.)

updated Dec 9, 2010
posted by samdie
1
vote

She goes on the bus is a statement about what often happens.

She is on the bus is a statement about what is happening right now.

It Depends on the context.

updated Dec 9, 2010
edited by Maria-Russell
posted by Maria-Russell
1
vote

It can either mean she travels by bus (the more common meaning), or a somewhat unusual way of describing someone getting on the bus, usually only used in a description of a series of actions.

updated Dec 9, 2010
posted by lorenzo9