Asking directions in Spanish - vocabulary and expressions
Spanish
Learn how to ask for and give directions in Spanish, including key phrases and cardinal directions!
Video
Podcast
Directions in Spanish
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Both nouns are feminine. Use the feminine article "la". For example: "La derecha" => "right" "La izquierda" => "left" |
|
| La derecha | Right |
| La izquierda | Left |
| Todo recto | Straight ahead |
| "Todo" means "all" in Spanish. The combination of the words "todo recto" translates to "straight ahead" or "straight on" in English. | |
Dialogue on directions
| Spanish Dialogue | English Translation |
|---|---|
| ¿Cómo llego al parque? | How do I get to the park? |
| Gira a la derecha. | Turn right. |
| ¿Y al museo? | And the museum? |
| Sigue todo recto y está a tu izquierda. | Go straight ahead and it is on your left. |
Use the polite expression "¿Por favor?" (Please) when making your request.
For example:
"¿Por favor, cómo llego al mercado?" => "Please, how do I get to the market?"
"Para llegar al mercado, gira a la derecha" => "To get to the market, turn right".
Cardinal directions in Spanish
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Norte | North |
| Este | East |
| Oeste | West |
| Sur | South |
Cardinal directions are helpful when asking for general directions.
Dialogue on cardinal directions
| Spanish Dialogue | English Translation |
|---|---|
| ¿Dónde sale el sol? | Where does the sun rise? |
| El sol sale al este. | The sun rises in the east. |
| We use “sale” when we talk about the sunrise. | |
| ¿Y dónde se pone el sol? | And where does the sun set? |
| El sol se pone al oeste. | The sun sets in the west. |
| We use “se pone” when we refer to the sunset. | |
Key takeaways
Here is a quick summary of this lesson.
- The main key phrases to ask about a direction are "¿Dónde está...?" (Where is...?) and "¿Cómo llego a...?" (How do I get to...?).
- The common directional words are "derecha" (right), "izquierda" (left), and "recto" (straight).
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