Vehicles

1. Мошин

   Mo-shin

   Car

   Usage

   Мошин is the everyday Tajik word for a car; худрав and автомобил are the formal terms

2. Такси

   Tak-si

   Taxi

   Usage

   Intercity travel runs on shared taxis sold by the seat; say як ҷой for one seat and show the driver your destination

3. Автобус

   Av-to-bus

   Bus

   Usage

   City route bus; in Dushanbe you identify the route by its number

4. Микроавтобус

   Mik-ro-av-to-bus

   Minibus (marshrutka)

   Usage

   The word for buses under 5.5 m; the Soviet-era Russian loan маршрутка also works. It is the main way to move around town and nearby

5. Троллейбус

   Trol-ley-bus

   Trolleybus

   Usage

   Dushanbe has run trolleybuses since 1955 and still has over 200; route 4 serves the airport. The word is a Russian loan but it is what people actually say

6. Мошини боркаш

   Mo-shi-ni bor-kash

   Truck

   Usage

   Literally load-carrying car; on mountain roads people sometimes ride along with truckers

7. Мошини ёрии таъҷилӣ

   Mo-shi-ni yo-ri-i taʼ-ji-li

   Ambulance

   Usage

   Ёрии таъҷилӣ alone means emergency medical care; show this word to have one called

8. Қатора

   Qa-to-ra

   Train

   Usage

   Lines include Dushanbe - Qurghonteppa - Kulob; the network is limited and does not reach the mountains

9. Поезд

   Po-yezd

   Train (Russian loan)

   Usage

   A Soviet-era Russian loan; at stations it is often understood better than қатора

10. Роҳи оҳан

    Ro-hi o-han

    Railway

    Usage

    Literally iron road; you see it on ticket windows and station signs

11. Ҳавопаймо

    Ha-vo-pay-mo

    Airplane

    Usage

    The Dushanbe - Khorog flight crosses the mountains and is cancelled often because of weather

12. Самолёт

    Sa-mo-lyot

    Airplane (Russian loan)

    Usage

    A Soviet-era Russian loan; older people often understand it better than ҳавопаймо

13. Чархбол

    Charkh-bol

    Helicopter

    Usage

    Literally spinning wing; the Russian вертолёт also works. Used for mountain rescue

14. Дучарха

    Du-char-kha

    Bicycle

    Usage

    Literally two-wheeler; the Russian велосипед is used just as much

15. Мотосикл

    Mo-to-sikl

    Motorcycle

    Usage

    Widely used for getting around villages; three-wheeled cargo versions exist too

16. Ароба

    A-ro-ba

    Cart

    Usage

    A two- or four-wheeled cart pulled by a horse or donkey; still in daily use in the countryside

17. Киштӣ

    Kish-ti

    Ship / Boat

    Usage

    Tajikistan is landlocked, so this mostly comes up for ferries on reservoirs

18. Мошини иҷоравӣ

    Mo-shi-ni i-jo-ra-vi

    Rental car

    Usage

    The Pamir Highway loses its pavement in places, so people normally hire a 4x4 with a driver

19. Ройгонсаворӣ

    Roy-gon-sa-vo-ri

    Hitchhiking

    Usage

    Also автостоп; on the Pamir Highway traffic is thin and riding along with truckers is a real option. It is customary to offer money for fuel

Browse all TravelPhrases languages