Vehicles

1. Màchina

   Car

   Usage

   The everyday word for a car. "To go by car" is jiri cu la màchina

   Grammar Note

   A feminine noun. The stress is on the third syllable from the end, so the accent mark is written

2. Autobus

   City bus

   Usage

   The city bus. Tickets are usually bought beforehand at a tobacconist or kiosk and stamped in the machine on board

   Grammar Note

   A masculine noun with the same form in the plural. It is the international word, as in Italian; no distinct Sicilian form could be confirmed

3. Trenu

   Train

   Usage

   The basic word for a train. The station is stazzioni

   Grammar Note

   A masculine noun. "The train to somewhere" is u trenu pi plus the place name

4. Tram

   Usage

   The tram. In Sicily, Messina has a tram line

   Grammar Note

   A masculine noun with the same form in the plural. It is the international word; no distinct Sicilian form could be confirmed

5. Tassì

   Taxi

   Usage

   A taxi. It is more usual to use a rank or phone than to hail one in the street. Ask about a flat fare from the airport before you set off

   Grammar Note

   The stress is on the last syllable, so the accent mark is written. The plural is also tassì

6. Vespa

   Usage

   Piaggio's scooter. The name means "wasp", and vespa is also the insect. Tourist towns rent them out

   Grammar Note

   A feminine noun. The spelling is the same for the scooter and the insect, so context tells them apart

7. Navi

   Ship

   Usage

   A large ship. A small boat is a barca

   Grammar Note

   A feminine noun with the same form in the plural. The port is portu

8. Traghettu

   Ferry

   Usage

   The car-carrying ferry. It crosses the Strait of Messina between the mainland and Sicily and also serves the nearby islands

   Grammar Note

   A masculine noun. "To go by ferry" is jiri cu u traghettu

9. Aliscafu

   Hydrofoil

   Usage

   A fast boat that takes no cars. Around Sicily it serves routes such as the Aeolian islands, and rough seas cancel sailings

   Grammar Note

   A masculine noun, corresponding to Italian aliscafo and attested in the Sicilian Wikipedia; native review recommended

10. Ambulanza

    Ambulance

    Usage

    An ambulance. The emergency number is the Europe-wide 112, and the medical line 118 also works

    Grammar Note

    A feminine noun

11. Màchina in affittu

    Rental car

    Usage

    A rental car. Many old town centres are restricted traffic zones (ZTL) where cameras photograph unauthorised cars and a large fine follows later. If your hotel is inside one, ask them to register your plate

    Grammar Note

    In plus a noun gives "on ...". Affittu is "rental" (auto affittu is a rental car). Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

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