Asking for and Following Simple Directions in Spanish
Asking for and following simple directions in Spanish
In this lesson, you will learn how to ask how to reach a familiar place and how to understand a few common direction instructions in Spanish.
The goal is practical: ask for a destination, identify the main direction words, and follow a short sequence of instructions.
Asking where a place is
You already know ¿Dónde está…? — Where is…? Use it when you want the location of a specific place.
- — Where is the bank?
- — Where is the pharmacy?
- — Where is the station?
- — Where is the hospital?
This question can be enough when the place is nearby and the answer is simple.
Asking how to get somewhere
A useful practical question is ¿Cómo llego a…? — How do I get to…?
- — How do I get to the bank?
- — How do I get to the pharmacy?
- — How do I get to the hospital?
- — How do I get to the station?
The destination uses a la before feminine singular places and al before masculine singular places, following the pattern from the previous lesson.
Using perdón to begin politely
In a real interaction, you can begin with Perdón. — Excuse me.
Person A: — Excuse me. How do I get to the bank?
Person B: — Go straight.
This keeps the request short and polite.
Understanding sigue recto
— Go straight. is one of the most common direction instructions.
- — Go straight.
- — Go straight until the bank.
- — Go straight until the park.
For now, learn sigue recto as a practical direction phrase. You do not need to analyze the command form yet.
Recognizing todo recto
— straight ahead is another common direction phrase. You may hear it as a short answer or inside a longer instruction.
- . — Straight ahead.
- — Keep going straight ahead.
Functionally, . — Straight ahead. points you in the same general direction as — Go straight. You only need to recognize both expressions here.
Understanding gira a la derecha
— Turn right. tells you to change direction to the right.
- — Turn right.
- — Turn right at the bank.
- — Turn right at the pharmacy.
The word derecha means right in this direction expression.
Understanding gira a la izquierda
— Turn left. tells you to change direction to the left.
- — Turn left.
- — Turn left at the park.
- — Turn left at the station.
The word izquierda means left.
Comparing right and left
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| a la derecha | to the right |
| a la izquierda | to the left |
When you hear gira, listen carefully for derecha or izquierda because that word determines the direction.
Understanding cruza
— Cross. is useful when the route requires you to cross a street or other simple reference point.
- — Cross the street.
- — Cross and go straight.
Learn cruza as one practical instruction.
Recognizing calle and esquina
Two useful map and direction words are — the street and — the corner.
- — the street
- — the corner
- — on / at the corner
These words help you understand where a turn or destination is located.
Using en la esquina
— on / at the corner is a common location phrase in directions.
- — The bank is on the corner.
- — The pharmacy is on the corner.
- — Turn right at the corner.
Using familiar places as landmarks
Directions often use a visible place as a reference point.
- — Turn left at the bank.
- — Turn right at the supermarket.
- — Go straight until the hospital.
You already know these neighborhood words, so focus on the direction instruction around them.
Following a two-step route
Short directions often contain two instructions.
— Go straight and turn right.
— Go straight and turn left.
— Cross the street and turn right.
The connector y — and joins the steps in sequence.
Following a route to the pharmacy
Read this short exchange:
Person A: — Excuse me. How do I get to the pharmacy?
Person B: — Go straight and turn left at the bank. The pharmacy is next to the park.
The first sentence gives movement instructions. The second confirms the final location.
Following a route to the station
Person A: — How do I get to the station?
Person B: — Cross the street and go straight. The station is next to the restaurant.
Listen for the sequence: first cruza — cross the street, then sigue recto — go straight.
Following a route to the hospital
Person A: — How do I get to the hospital?
Person B: — Go straight until the park and turn right. The hospital is next to the bank.
The landmark — the park tells you where to change direction.
Checking that you understood
If you are unsure, you can use a familiar clarification phrase.
— Can you repeat, please?
After the speaker repeats the route, listen especially for three things:
- the destination
- right or left
- the landmark where you turn or stop
Reading a short direction sequence
Read:
— Go straight. Turn left at the pharmacy. Cross the street. The bank is next to the park.
The route contains three movement steps, followed by a final location clue.
A simple method for following directions
When you hear short Spanish directions, use this sequence:
- Identify the destination.
- Listen for sigue recto, , gira, or
- If you hear gira, identify derecha or izquierda.
- Identify the landmark after en or hasta.
- Use the final location phrase to confirm the destination.
You do not need to translate every word before moving to the next step.
From simple directions to helping a visitor
You can now ask how to reach a familiar neighborhood place and follow short directions using sigue recto, , gira a la derecha, gira a la izquierda, cruza , and familiar landmarks. The next lesson is a speaking task in which you will help a visitor find places in your neighborhood in Spanish.