Beyond Left and Right: How to Ask for and Give Directions in Spanish
Being able to navigate confidently is a huge advantage when visiting Spanish speaking countries, so it is really worth making the effort to master the intricacies of both asking for and giving directions. One of the first things many of us learn in a new language is how to ask for or give directions. However we usually only learn the very basics, such as left (izquierda) and right (derecha) and maybe straight ahead (todo derecho / recto / adelante). While these terms are important to know, giving and receiving directions in everyday scenarios is often much more complicated and requires both a broader vocabulary and understanding of how to construct more nuanced sentences. This guide will help you master these interactions, using practical examples from everyday situations.
Basic Vocabulary
To start, let's expand our vocabulary with some essential words and phrases that you may find useful :
Turn (command) - Gire / Doble
Street - Calle
Block - Cuadra
Corner - Esquina
Next to - Al lado de or junto a
In front of (or across the street from) - En frente de or frente a
Behind - Detrás de
Around the corner from - A la vuelta de
Near - Cerca de or a la altura de
Far from - Lejos de
Through the - Por el/la or a través de
Intersection - Cruce / Intersección
Avenue - Avenida
Highway - Carretera / Autopista
Roundabout - Glorieta / Rotonda
Traffic light - Semáforo
Pedestrian crossing - Paso de peatones or cruce peatonal
Bridge - Puente
Underpass - Pasaje subterráneo
Overpass - Paso elevado
Asking for Directions
When you find yourself in need of directions, it's important to be both polite and clear. Here are some example sentences and questions you can use:
Disculpe, ¿me puede decir cómo llegar a…? (Excuse me, can you tell me how to get to...)
Disculpe, ¿me puede decir cómo llegar a la Plaza Mayor?
¿Dónde está el/la …? (Where is the ...)
¿Dónde está la estación de autobuses?
¿Cómo puedo llegar a… ? (How can I get to...)
¿Cómo puedo llegar al Museo Frida Kahlo?
¿Está lejos de aquí? (Is it far from here?)
¿La biblioteca está lejos de aquí?
¿Hay algún/a... cerca? (Is there a... nearby?)
¿Hay algún supermercado cerca?
¿Cuál es la mejor manera de llegar a...? (What is the best way to get to...)
¿Cuántas cuadras hay hasta...? (How many blocks are there to...)
¿Se puede caminar hasta...? (Can I walk to...)
Giving Directions
When someone asks you for directions, here’s how you can respond clearly and effectively (and how they might respond to the questions in the section above):
Siga todo recto... (Go straight ahead...):
Siga todo recto por esta calle y verá el parque a su izquierda.
Gire a la derecha / izquierda en la próxima esquina. (Turn right / left at the next corner.)
Gire a la derecha en la próxima esquina y la farmacia estará enfrente de usted.
Doble a la derecha / izquierda después de la/del... (Turn right / left after...)
Doble a la izquierda después del semáforo.
Está al lado de la/del... (It's next to...)
El restaurante está al lado de la panadería.
Está en frente de la/del... (It's in front of...)
La iglesia está en frente del banco.
Está detrás de la/del... (It's behind...)
El estacionamiento está detrás del edificio grande.
Cruce la calle... (Cross the street...)
Cruce la calle y verá el cine a su derecha.
Suba por la avenida... (Go up the avenue...)
Suba por la avenida hasta llegar a la rotonda.
Baje por la carretera... (Go down the highway...)
Baje por la carretera hasta el siguiente puente.
Tome la …..(Take the…..)
Tome la primera salida de la glorieta.
Continúe hasta….. y luego …… (Continue until….. and then……)
Continúe hasta el cruce y luego gira a la izquierda
Pase …. y luego... (Go past …..and then...)
Pase el puente y luego tome el pasaje subterráneo
Siga por esta calle hasta llegar a la/al... (Follow this street until you reach...)
Siga por esta calle hasta llegar a la estatua de dos vacas cantando
Real-life Example
Let’s imagine you’re in Mexico City and someone asks you how to get to a famous landmark, El Zócalo:
Person A:
Disculpe, ¿cómo puedo llegar al Zócalo desde aquí?
Person B:
Claro, siga todo recto por esta calle hasta llegar a la Avenida 5 de Mayo. Gire a la izquierda en la esquina y continúe por dos cuadras. El Zócalo estará en frente de la catedral.
In this example, Person B provides clear and detailed directions that go beyond simply "left" and "right", ensuring that Person A can navigate with confidence.
Additional Tips
Landmarks are your friends: When giving or receiving directions, referencing landmarks such as parks, churches, or well-known stores can be very helpful. In Felipe Carrillo Puerto where the Na’atik school is based, it is common to hear people give directions using a particularly well known tree as a landmark. In other towns it might be a famous house, or mural.
Use of prepositions: Mastering prepositions like "al lado de" (next to), "en frente de" (in front of), and "detrás de" (behind) can greatly improve your ability to give precise directions.
Practice with locals: Don’t hesitate to practice asking for and giving directions with locals. It’s a great way to improve your Spanish and get to know the area better.
Be specific: When giving directions, specificity can prevent confusion. Instead of saying "Turn right," (gire a la derecha) you can say "Turn right after the bakery." (gire a la derecha después de la panadería)
Practice with locals: Don’t hesitate to practice asking for and giving directions with locals. It’s a great way to improve your Spanish and get to know the area better.
Be aware of regional variations: While Mexican Spanish is widely understood, some terms and phrases may vary. For example, "cuadra" (block) is commonly used in Mexico, but in some regions/cities such as Cancún and in other countries, they might say "manzana" instead.
Clarify unfamiliar terms: If you're unsure about a term, ask for clarification. You can say, "¿Qué significa...?" (What does... mean?)
More Advanced Situations
Let’s dive into more complex scenarios you might encounter, which require a good command of direction-related vocabulary:
Using Public Transportation
¿Dónde puedo tomar el autobús para...? (Where can I take the bus to...)
¿Dónde puedo tomar el autobús para el aeropuerto?
¿Qué línea del metro debo tomar para llegar a la/al...? (Which metro line should I take to get to...)
¿Qué línea del metro debo tomar para llegar al estadio?
¿Cuántas paradas hay hasta la/el...? (How many stops are there until...)
¿Cuántas paradas hay hasta el centro médico?
¿Debo hacer transbordo/trasbordo? (Do I need to transfer?)
¿Debo hacer transbordo para llegar al Felipe Carrillo Puerto?
Navigating a Large Building or Complex
¿Dónde está la salida más cercana? (Where is the nearest exit?)
¿Dónde está la salida más cercana del centro comercial?
¿En qué piso está...? (On which floor is...)
¿En qué piso está la oficina de turismo?
¿Cómo llego a la recepción? (How do I get to the reception desk?)
¿Cómo llego a la recepción en este edificio?
Combining Directions with Other Information
Sometimes, directions might need to be combined with other pieces of useful information, especially if the journey involves multiple steps or modes of transport.
Para llegar al centro histórico, primero tome el metro línea 2 en dirección a Tasqueña. Baje en la estación Pino Suárez y cambie a la línea 1 en dirección a Pantitlán. Baje en la estación Zócalo. (To get to the historic center, first take metro line 2 towards Tasqueña. Get off at Pino Suárez station and transfer to line 1 towards Pantitlán. Get off at Zócalo station.)
Para ir a la playa, salga del hotel y doble a la derecha en la Avenida del Mar. Camine dos cuadras y verá la entrada al paseo marítimo. (To go to the beach, leave the hotel and turn right onto Avenida del Mar. Walk two blocks and you will see the entrance to the boardwalk.)
Practicing Directions
Good practice makes perfect, so here are a few exercises you can do to help you get comfortable with these phrases and vocabulary:
Role-Playing: Partner up with a fellow learner or a native speaker and take turns asking for and giving directions to various places.
Mapping Exercises: Use a map of a Spanish-speaking city and practice giving directions from one landmark to another.
Listening Practice: Listen to Spanish audio guides or watch videos that involve navigation and directions to get used to how these phrases are used in real life.
Writing Exercises: Write out directions for how to get from your home to your favorite local spot in Spanish, using as many of the new vocabulary terms as possible.
Is there another Spanish language topic that you are struggling with or would like to read an article about? Let us know at communications@naatikmexico.org. You can find our other Spanish language blogs here.
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If you would like to take the next step in your language journey, Na’atik offers a unique nonprofit language immersion program, where your Spanish or Maya lessons are enhanced by a homestay experience in the town of Felipe Carrillo Puerto. Sharing meals and spare time with local and Indigenous people makes this a unique opportunity to see authentic Mexico. Online classes are also available. Every visit and online package helps us to provide life-changing educational opportunities to local children.Visit our Immersion page or contact us on mas@naatikmexico.org to find out more.