Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Learn essential Italian place expressions like 'a destra' (to the right), 'vicino a' (near), and 'di fronte a' (in front of) to describe locations and directions clearly in everyday conversations.
Espressioni di luogo (Expressions of place)Esempio (Example)
A destraGira a destra! (Turn right!)
A sinistra Gira a sinistra! (Turn left!)
Di fronte a Il parco è di fronte alla piazza. (The park is in front of the square.)
Al centroIl museo è al centro della città. (The museum is in the centre of the city.)
Accanto aLa farmacia è accanto a la scuola. (The pharmacy is next to the school.)
Vicino aIl ristorante è vicino a casa mia. (The restaurant is near to my house.)
Lontano daIl negozio è lontano dalla stazione. (The shop is far from the station.)

Exercise 1: Le espressioni di luogo: a destra, vicino a, ...

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

al centro, vicino al, lontano dal, accanto a, vicino alla, accanto alla, accanto all'

1. Accanto:
La farmacia è ...ospedale.
(The pharmacy is next to the hospital.)
2. Accanto:
La biblioteca è ... scuola.
(The library is next to the school.)
3. Lontano:
Il cinema è ... centro città.
(The cinema is far from the city centre.)
4. Centro:
La scuola è ... del villaggio.
(The school is at the centre of the village.)
5. Vicino:
Il ristorante è ... piazza principale.
(The restaurant is near the main square.)
6. Accanto:
L'università è ... casa mia.
(The university is next to my house.)
7. Centro:
L'ospedale è ... della città.
(The hospital is in the centre of the city.)
8. Vicino:
C'è una farmacia ... mio ufficio.
(There is a pharmacy near my office.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Gira ___ destra al semaforo, il cinema è vicino a quella strada.

(Turn ___ right at the traffic light, the cinema is near that street.)

2. La farmacia è ___ alla scuola lungo questa via.

(The pharmacy is ___ next to the school along this street.)

3. Il museo si trova ___ centro della città, è facile da trovare.

(The museum is located ___ city center, it is easy to find.)

4. Il negozio è lontano ___ stazione, meglio prendere l'autobus.

(The shop is far ___ station, better to take the bus.)

5. La piazza è ___ fronte alla chiesa principale del paese.

(The square is ___ front of the main church of the town.)

6. Gira ___ sinistra dopo il bar, il ristorante è vicino a quel palazzo.

(Turn ___ left after the bar, the restaurant is near that building.)

Place Expressions in Italian: a destra, vicino a, and More

This lesson covers essential Italian expressions used to indicate location and directions. Knowing how to use these expressions will help you describe where places are situated and how to give or follow directions effectively.

Key Expressions and Examples

  • a destra – "Gira a destra!" (Turn right!)
  • a sinistra – "Gira a sinistra!" (Turn left!)
  • di fronte a – "Il parco è di fronte alla piazza." (The park is in front of the square.)
  • al centro – "Il museo è al centro della città." (The museum is in the center of the city.)
  • accanto a – "La farmacia è accanto a la scuola." (The pharmacy is next to the school.)
  • vicino a – "Il ristorante è vicino a casa mia." (The restaurant is near my home.)
  • lontano da – "Il negozio è lontano dalla stazione." (The store is far from the station.)

How These Expressions Work

These phrases typically combine a preposition with a noun phrase, indicating position or direction. For example, "a destra" literally means "to the right." When giving directions, these expressions often appear with verbs like andare (to go) or girare (to turn).

Comparisons and Useful Notes

In English, location expressions often use "on the right," "next to," or "in front of." Italian uses similar structures but with specific prepositions like a, di, al, and combinations such as vicino a (near to). It's important to attach the preposition correctly; for example, vicino a casa means "near the house." Note also that some Italian prepositions contract with definite articles, such as da + la = dalla in lontano dalla stazione.

Practical Expressions to Use

  • "Gira a destra al semaforo." (Turn right at the traffic light.)
  • "La farmacia è accanto a la scuola." (The pharmacy is next to the school.)
  • "Il museo si trova al centro della città." (The museum is located in the city's center.)
  • "Il negozio è lontano dalla stazione." (The shop is far from the station.)
  • "La piazza è di fronte alla chiesa." (The square is in front of the church.)

Summary

This lesson provides fundamental vocabulary and structures for discussing location and giving directions in Italian, focusing on simple prepositional phrases that are frequently used in everyday conversations and travel contexts. Mastery of these will significantly enhance your ability to communicate about places and navigate your surroundings.

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Fabio Pirioni

Bachelor in Humanities

University of Udine

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Last Updated:

Thursday, 17/07/2025 16:14