點解我哋係 "on the bus" 但又係 "in the car"?

有個學生好認真咁同我講,英文人講搭巴士用 on,係因為啲座位太唔舒服,索性企喺車頂仲好。幾得意嘅 theory。錯嘅 theory。但佢背後嗰條問題係真嘅:點解講「on the bus」但又講「in the car」?兩樣都係車。兩樣都有座位。兩樣都有門。咁究竟有咩分別?

快速答案

如果架車大到你可以喺裏面行嚟行去,英文用 on。如果你要坐低,然後啲門喺你身邊閂埋,英文用 in。就係咁。同公共 vs 私人冇關,同舒唔舒服都冇關。

簡單規則

On = 你可以企起身、行嚟行去,又或者你坐喺佢上面:巴士、火車、飛機、船、渡輪、地鐵、單車、電單車、馬、滑板車。
In = 你爬入去坐喺一個封閉嘅位,然後留喺度:車、的士、貨車車廂、直升機、細艇(rowboat、canoe)、van 仔。

個 trick 係諗下你上車嗰陣,你個身體做緊乜嘢。係咪行落一條 aisle(走廊)?On。係咪 slide 入個位,然後 close 埋你身邊隻門?In。

真實例句

行嚟行去 / 跨坐式嘅交通(用 on)

I'm on the bus right now, I'll call you back.
She fell asleep on the train somewhere near Kyoto.
We met a fascinating stranger on the plane.
He rode on a horse for the first time and immediately fell off.
I left my jacket on the ferry.
Kids learn balance fastest on a bike.

封閉式個人交通(用 in)

The dog is waiting in the car.
Get in the taxi, the rain is getting worse.
We sat in the helicopter for ten minutes before takeoff.
There were three people in the canoe and only two paddles.

留意啲細艇。Rowboat 同 canoe 細到你坐低之後就動唔到,所以用 in,雖然一艘大型 cruise ship 係用 on。決定嘅唔係「船」呢個 category,而係尺寸同可唔可以行嚟行去。

常見錯誤

「I'm in the bus.」 → 「I'm on the bus.」 · 你可以企起身行落 aisle,所以係 on。
「She's on the taxi.」 → 「She's in the taxi.」 · 你坐喺封閉嘅位、門又閂埋,所以係 in。
「He arrived on a car.」 → 「He arrived in a car.」 · 同一條邏輯 —— 車係封閉嘅、要坐低嘅空間。
「We flew in the plane to Tokyo.」 → 「We flew on the plane to Tokyo.」 · 飛機有條 aisle 你可以行,所以係 on。
「I ride in my bike to work.」 → 「I ride my bike to work.」(或者「on my bike」) · 你坐喺單車上面,永遠唔會喺佢入面。

仲有個 bonus:上落車嗰下用嘅動詞都唔同。巴士、火車、飛機你 get on 同 get off。車、的士你 get in 同 get out of。同樣嘅「可唔可以行嚟行去」邏輯,匿喺呢啲動詞底下。

考試陷阱

TOEIC、TOEFL、IELTS 嘅聆聽題好鍾意呢種對比,因為佢聽落好微細,但其實 reveal 緊你係咪真係吸收咗英文,定係淨係識死背幾個 phrase。speaker 可能講「When I got on the train, I realized I'd left my bag in the car」,而 comprehension question 可能靜靜哋 check 你有冇明白 speaker 由一架車轉去另一架車。閱讀題喺旅程行程入面玩同樣嘅嘢:「She arrived in the rental car and continued on the express train to Osaka.」啲 preposition 真係做緊嘢 —— 佢哋話畀你聽邊架車係邊架。慢落嚟,諗下個身體點郁。

小測試

We spent six hours _____ the plane and watched four movies.
Quick, get _____ the car, it's about to start raining!
He's never ridden _____ a horse before today.
There's no signal _____ the subway, I'll text you when I get out.
The whole family squeezed _____ the tiny rental car.

答案

on —— 飛機有 aisle,所以你係 on 佢,唔係 in。
in —— 車係封閉、有座位有門,所以 in。
on —— 你坐喺馬上面,所以用 on。
on —— 地鐵係一架你可以喺入面行嘅火車,所以 on。
in —— 車,就算細到爆,都仲係封閉式座位,所以 in。

一句總結

On = 你可以行嚟行去、企起身,又或者跨坐喺上面。巴士、火車、飛機、船、單車、馬、滑板車。
In = 你坐低,門閂埋,你留喺度。車、的士、直升機、canoe、van 仔。
Get on / get off 配「可以行嚟行去」嗰組。Get in / get out of 配「封閉式」嗰組。

一條問題搞掂晒:我可唔可以喺呢樣嘢入面行嚟行去? 可以 → on。唔可以 → in。完。