Spanish Phrase
Pasa tu tarjeta al bajarte.
Meaning
The sentence tells someone to swipe or tap their travel card at the moment they get off a bus, train, or subway. It’s a practical instruction that avoids extra charges or fines.
When to use
You’ll hear this phrase on public‑transport announcements, on signage inside vehicles, or when a friend reminds you not to forget to tap your card before exiting.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Pasatutarjetaalbajarte
Imperative (tú) – Pasa
‘Pasa’ is the affirmative imperative form of the verb *pasar* for the informal ‘tú’ subject, used to give a direct command.
Possessive adjective – tu
‘tu’ (without accent) is the possessive adjective meaning ‘your’, placed before the noun it modifies.
Contraction – al
‘al’ is the contraction of the preposition *a* + the masculine singular article *el*, meaning ‘to the/when the’ in this context.
Infinitive with clitic – bajarte
‘bajarte’ combines the infinitive *bajar* (to get off) with the reflexive clitic *te*, indicating the action is performed by the listener.
🗨In Conversation
¿Ya pasé la tarjeta?
Did I already tap my card?
Sí, pásala al bajarte.
Yes, tap it when you get off.
✕Common Mistakes
Pasas tu tarjeta al bajarte.
‘Pasas’ is the present indicative; the command needs the imperative ‘Pasa’.
Pasa tu tarjeta al bajar.
Using the bare infinitive ‘bajar’ loses the reflexive sense; the clitic ‘te’ shows the action is done by the listener.
Pasa tú tarjeta al bajarte.
Do not write ‘tú’ with an accent here; the accent marks the pronoun, not the possessive adjective.
↔Alternatives
Desliza tu tarjeta al bajar.
Slide your card when you get off.
Pasa la tarjeta al descender.
Pass the card when you descend.
Toca tu tarjeta al bajarte.
Touch your card when you get off.
Cultural Tip
In many Spanish‑speaking cities (e.g., Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Santiago), contactless travel cards must be tapped both when boarding *and* alighting. Forgetting to tap ‘al bajarte’ can result in a higher fare or a penalty, so the phrase is part of everyday commuter vocabulary.