אם יש תחבורה ציבורית טובה, אני לא צריך אוטו.

אם means if here.

So אם יש תחבורה ציבורית טובה means if there is good public transportation.

A useful note: אם can also mean whether in other sentences, depending on context.

יש means there is / there are or exists / available.

So יש תחבורה ציבורית טובה literally means something like there is good public transportation.

Hebrew often uses יש to talk about existence or availability:

• יש זמן = There is time
• יש בעיה = There is a problem
• יש אוטובוס עכשיו = There is a bus now / A bus is available now

In this sentence, it gives the idea that good public transportation exists or is available.

In Hebrew, the present tense usually does not use a word like English is / are when linking a subject and an adjective.

So:

• התחבורה הציבורית טובה = The public transportation is good

There is no separate present-tense copula like English is.

But in your sentence, the word יש is not just is. It means there is / exists, so it serves a different function.

Compare:

• תחבורה ציבורית טובה = good public transportation
• יש תחבורה ציבורית טובה = there is good public transportation

Because טובה has to agree with תחבורה, which is a feminine singular noun.

In Hebrew, adjectives usually agree with the noun in:

• gender
• number
• sometimes definiteness in usage patterns

So:

• תחבורה = feminine singular
• therefore טוב becomes טובה

Examples:

• אוטו טוב = a good car (masculine singular)
• תחבורה טובה = good transportation (feminine singular)

Even though ציבורית is also there, טובה still agrees with the main noun תחבורה.

In Hebrew, adjectives usually come after the noun.

So:

• תחבורה ציבורית = public transportation
• literally: transportation public

And if you add another adjective:

• תחבורה ציבורית טובה = good public transportation

Both ציבורית and טובה come after the noun because they describe תחבורה.

Both words describe תחבורה, which is feminine singular.

So both adjectives must match it:

• ציבורי → masculine form

• ציבורית → feminine form

• טוב → masculine form
• טובה → feminine form

That is why you get:

• תחבורה ציבורית טובה

not:

• תחבורה ציבורי טוב

In Hebrew, צריך is the normal everyday word for need or to need.

So:

• אני צריך = I need / I am in need of
• אני לא צריך אוטו = I don’t need a car

It behaves a bit like an adjective in form, which is why it changes for gender:

• male speaker: אני צריך
• female speaker: אני צריכה

This is very common Hebrew.

Yes.

In this sentence:

• אני לא צריך אוטו is what a male speaker would say.

A female speaker would say:

• אני לא צריכה אוטו

Other forms also exist:

• אתה צריך = you (masc.) need
• את צריכה = you (fem.) need
• הוא צריך = he needs
• היא צריכה = she needs

So the exact form depends on gender, and sometimes number as well.

Hebrew does not have an indefinite article like English a / an.

So:

• אוטו can mean a car or just car, depending on context.
• תחבורה ציבורית טובה can mean good public transportation

If Hebrew wants to say the, it uses ה־:

• האוטו = the car
• התחבורה הציבורית = the public transportation

In your sentence, both nouns are indefinite/general, so there is no ה־.

לא is the standard word for not, and it usually comes before the word or phrase being negated.

So:

• אני צריך אוטו = I need a car
• אני לא צריך אוטו = I do not need a car

That placement is normal in Hebrew.

Yes, but the tone changes a little.

• אוטו = very common, everyday word for car
• מכונית = also correct, but often feels a bit more formal or bookish in many contexts

So your sentence could also be:

• אם יש תחבורה ציבורית טובה, אני לא צריך מכונית.

But אוטו is very natural in spoken Hebrew.

Because the sentence starts with an if-clause:

• אם יש תחבורה ציבורית טובה = the condition
• אני לא צריך אוטו = the main statement

The comma helps separate them, just like in English:

• If there is good public transportation, I don’t need a car.

In informal writing, punctuation can sometimes vary, but this comma is standard and helpful.

Yes, in conversation that can happen, especially when the subject is clear from context.

• אני לא צריך אוטו = full, clear form
• לא צריך אוטו = don’t need a car / I don’t need a car, depending on context

However, because צריך does not always make the subject fully obvious by itself, including אני is often clearer, especially for learners.

So the version with אני is a very good, natural sentence.