Asking for and giving directions
Chiedere e dare indicazioni
- Ask for directions in a city
- Giving directions to a stranger
- Ask for the existence of a building or service.
- The expressions of place: a destra, vicino a, ...
Master asking for and giving directions in Italian with key phrases like "a destra" (to the right), "vicino a" (near), and locations such as "la piazza" (the square) and "la stazione" (the station) to navigate the city confidently.
Listening and reading
Start this class by listening to the audio and completing the corresponding exercises.
Vocabulary (12) Share Copied!
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Exercise 1: Reorder sentences
Instruction: Make correct sentences and translate.
Exercise 2: Match a word
Instruction: Match the translations
Exercise 3: Cluster the words
Instruction: Classify the words according to the category they belong to in order to learn how to ask for and give directions in the city.
Luoghi in città
Indicazioni di posizione
Exercise 4: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
Il parco
The park
2
Ritornare
To return
3
La piazza
The square
4
Lontano
Far
5
Dietro
Behind
Esercizio 5: Conversation exercise
Istruzione:
- Chiedere come arrivare a un edificio (Ask how to go to a building.)
- Dai indicazioni agli altri. (Give directions to the others. )
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
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C'è una fermata dell'autobus qui vicino? Is there a bus stop nearby? |
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Vai dritto e poi prendi la seconda strada a sinistra. Go straight and then take the second street on the left. |
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La stazione ferroviaria è accanto al parco. The train station is next to the park. |
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Sai dov'è la scuola? Do you know where the school is? |
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Sì, devi solo andare dritto. Yes, you just have to go straight. |
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Conosci la strada per la piazza principale? Do you know the way to the main square? |
| ... |
Exercise 6: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 7: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. Mi scusi, come ___ alla piazza principale?
(Excuse me, how ___ to the main square?)2. Per andare al parco, ___ sempre dritto e poi gira a destra.
(To go to the park, ___ always straight and then turn right.)3. Ho ___ una farmacia vicino alla stazione.
(I ___ a pharmacy near the station.)4. Non ___ trovato il museo, è lontano da qui.
(I ___ found the museum, it's far from here.)Exercise 8: Asking for and giving directions in the city
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Ritornare - To return
Presente
- io ritorno
- tu ritorni
- lui/lei ritorna
- noi ritorniamo
- voi ritornate
- loro ritornano
Trovare - To find
Passato prossimo
- io ho trovato
- tu hai trovato
- lui/lei ha trovato
- noi abbiamo trovato
- voi avete trovato
- loro hanno trovato
Chiedere - To ask
Presente
- io chiedo
- tu chiedi
- lui/lei chiede
- noi chiediamo
- voi chiedete
- loro chiedono
Spiegare - To explain
Presente
- io spiego
- tu spieghi
- lui/lei spiega
- noi spieghiamo
- voi spiegate
- loro spiegano
Trovare - To find
Presente
- io trovo
- tu trovi
- lui/lei trova
- noi troviamo
- voi trovate
- loro trovano
Exercise 9: Le espressioni di luogo: a destra, vicino a, ...
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: The expressions of place: a destra, vicino a, ...
Show translation Show answersal centro, vicino al, lontano dal, accanto a, vicino alla, accanto alla, accanto all'
Grammar Share Copied!
It's not the most exciting thing, we admit, but it’s absolutely essential (and we promise it'll pay off)!
A1.43.2 Grammatica
Le espressioni di luogo: a destra, vicino a, ...
The expressions of place: a destra, vicino a, ...
Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Ritornare to return Share Copied!
Presente
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| (io) ritorno | I return |
| (tu) ritorni | You return |
| (lui/lei) ritorna | he/she returns |
| (noi) ritorniamo | we return |
| (voi) ritornate | You return |
| (loro) ritornano | they return |
Trovare to find Share Copied!
Passato prossimo
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| (io) ho trovato | I have found |
| (tu) hai trovato | You have found |
| (lui/lei) ha trovato | he/she found |
| (noi) abbiamo trovato | we found |
| (voi) avete trovato | you have found |
| (loro) hanno trovato | they found |
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Lesson Overview: Asking for and Giving Directions in Italian
This lesson focuses on essential expressions and vocabulary for navigating and asking for directions in Italian. It is designed for A1 level learners and covers common phrases used in everyday situations such as finding places in a city, understanding spatial relationships, and clearly communicating location-related questions and answers.
Key Vocabulary: Places and Position Terms
You will learn the names of common city locations and prepositions or phrases indicating position in space. Familiarity with these terms helps you understand and give directions effectively.
- City Places: il centro (the city center), il parco (the park), la piazza (the square), la rotonda (the roundabout)
- Position Terms: accanto a (next to), dietro (behind), vicino a (near), sempre dritto (straight ahead)
Example Phrases for Asking Directions
Typical polite questions include:
- Mi scusi, dov'è la piazza? (Excuse me, where is the square?)
- Può indicarmi la direzione per il centro? (Can you show me the direction to the center?)
- Mi scusi, come posso arrivare al parco vicino alla piazza? (Excuse me, how can I get to the park near the square?)
Giving Directions
Directions often use verbs and expressions indicating turns, movement, and location:
- Gira a destra alla rotonda. (Turn right at the roundabout.)
- Vai sempre dritto e poi gira a sinistra. (Go straight ahead and then turn left.)
- Il museo è vicino al parco. (The museum is near the park.)
Dialogue Examples
Role-play dialogues enhance comprehension and practical use. For example:
- Asking directions to the museum:
“Scusi, dov’è il museo?” – “Il museo è al centro della città.” - Giving directions to the station:
“Mi scusi, sa dov’è la stazione?” – “Prenda questa strada, poi giri a sinistra accanto alla scuola.”
Practical Language Notes
Italian often uses the polite form Lei when asking strangers for help, important in formal contexts. The prepositions paired with location words (e.g., accanto a, vicino a) specify relative positions clearly. Verbs like andare (to go), girare (to turn), and trovare (to find) frequently appear in directions and can be seen in present and past tenses.
Comparing English and Italian Directions
In Italian, directions tend to be more explicit about spatial relations using prepositions combined with places (vicino al parco – near the park). The formal polite form Lei is extensively used for strangers, unlike English which generally uses the informal second person more freely. Useful phrases include:
- Mi scusi – Excuse me (used to get attention politely)
- Dov’è... – Where is...
- Gira a destra/sinistra – Turn right/left
- Vai sempre dritto – Go straight ahead
- Accanto a – Next to
- Vicino a – Near
This lesson equips you with the vocabulary and structures to confidently ask for and give directions, essential for everyday communication while exploring Italian-speaking areas.
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