Getting around in Albanian
Left, right, the station, one ticket, where is the toilet. Play the ten Albanian words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 10 Albanian phrases in this lesson
- Ku është tualeti?koo ESH-te too-a-LE-ti
- Where is the toilet?
- Si të shkoj te...?see te shkoy te
- How do I get to...?
- MajtasMY-tas
- To the left
- DjathtasDYATH-tas
- To the right
- Drejtdreyt
- Straight ahead
- Këtuke-TOO
- Here
- Stacioni i trenitsta-TSI-o-ni ee TRE-nit
- Train station
- Autobusa-oo-to-BOOS
- Bus
- Aeroportia-e-ro-POR-ti
- Airport
- Një biletë, ju lutemnye bi-LE-te yoo LOO-tem
- One ticket, please
Public toilets exist in cafes and restaurants. It is polite to buy a coffee or water if you use the facilities without being a customer. Most places will not mind if you ask nicely.
"Si të shkoj te stacioni?".
Remember it as "my tastes" without the te, and pair it with a hand gesture.
The "dj" is a single sound like the j in "jar." Point right as you say it. In Albanian cities, streets can be unmarked, so visual confirmation from locals is essential.
Short and easy. The "j" in Albanian sounds like "y" in English. When a local points straight and says this, you are on the right track.
"Atje" (a-TYE) is there.
Rail travel in Albania is limited but growing. Tirana has a central station. For intercity travel, furgons (shared minivans) are more common and very affordable.
Between towns, many routes run on furgons, shared minibuses that leave when full.
Tirana airport is Rinas, about half an hour from the center.
Tickets for buses and ferries are often bought at small booths or directly from the driver. Have small cash ready as exact change is expected in many cases.