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The Traditional GPS 🗺️ Asking for and Giving Directions in Spanish

Understanding Directions
in Spanish // Vocab and FREE QUIZ

Direction in spanish

When travelling to a Spanish-speaking country, one of the most valuable skills you can have is the ability to ask for directions.

Whether you’re exploring city streets, finding your way through a small town, or navigating a bustling market, knowing how to ask for directions in Spanish can make your journey smoother and more enjoyable.

In this blog, we’ll walk you through the essential vocabulary, phrases and tips needed to ask for directions, helping you find your way with ease.

Let’s break down asking for and giving directions in español!

Directions in Spanish || Asking for Directions in Spanish

Directions in Spanish || Giving and Understanding Directions in Spanish

Directions in Spanish || Common Phrases and Vocabulary To Get Around

Directions in Spanish || Quiz

Directions in Spanish || FAQs

Directions in Spanish || Asking for Directions

Direction in spanish

🗯 Let’s tackle that (when it comes to Spain at least) and grab the bull by the horns.

Let’s learn the essentials of asking directions in Spanish.

🌟 A prior note, always remember that when addressing and approaching a stranger for directions, it is usually best to use the formal “you”.

Direction in spanish

And now down to business.

Use these key phrases to never get lost again in Spain, ideally accompanied by gracias (thank you) and por favor (please), as we are asking a stranger to spare their time and attention to help us out.

Want to find a landmark or a street? 

¿Disculpe, para ir a…? (I beg your pardon, to go to…?) and fill in the blanks, like so:

Example

¿Disculpe, para ir a la estación de Atocha?

(I beg your pardon, to go to Atocha station?)

¿Perdón, me podría decir dónde está… (Excuse me, could you please tell me where … is?) and fill in the blanks, like so:

Example

¿Perdón, me podría decir dónde está la catedrál?

(Excuse me, could you please tell me where the cathedral is?)

¿Disculpe, me puede indicar por favor cómo llegar a …? (I beg your pardon, could you please tell me how to get to …?) and fill in the blanks, like so:

Example

¿Disculpe, me puede indicar por favor cómo llegar a la calle Alcalá?

(I beg your pardon, could you please tell me how to get to Alcalá Street?)

spanishenglish
¿Disculpe, para ir a…?I beg your pardon, to go to…?
¿Perdón, me podría decir dónde está…?Excuse me, could you please tell me where … is?
¿Disculpe, me puede indicar por favor cómo llegar a …?I beg your pardon, could you please tell me how to get to …?
Common structure

Would you like to ask for help for more proactive assistance in getting directions?

spanishenglish
Disculpe, me he perdido, me podría ayudar por favor.I beg your pardon, I am lost, could you please help me?
¿Me puede ayudar por favor?Could you please help me?

Some other useful phrases for when asking for directions

Direction in spanish

¿Queda lejos? (Is it far?) or lejos de aquí (far from here), like for example:

spanishenglish
¿Queda lejos el aeropuerto?Is the airport far away?
¿Disculpe, el Museo de Arte Contemporáneo queda lejos de aquí?I beg your pardon, is the Museum of Contemporary Art far from here?
¿Está cerca?Is it near?
Cerca de aquí, como por ejemplo:Nearby, like for example:
¿Hay alguna farmacia cerca de aquí?Is there a nearby pharmacy?
Desde aquí, como por ejemplo:From here, like for example:
¿Cómo se llega a la parada de autobús desde aquí?How do you get to the bus stop from here?

Directions in Spanish ||
Giving and Understanding Directions

Understanding directions in Spanish is key, not only when giving them but when receiving them as well. So let’s break down the main directions you will need to survive a navigational hazard. 

“Go straight” and its variants

Sigue recto literally translates to “continue straight” while tira recto and ve recto equate to “go straight” when using the informal (singular) “you” to address the person requesting directions.

Siga recto literally translates to “continue straight” while tire recto and vaya recto equate to “go straight” when using the formal (singular) “you” to address the person requesting directions.

go straight (Informal)Go straight (FORMAL)continue straight
Tira recto Tire recto Sigue recto
Ve recto Vaya recto Siga recto

Here are some examples of use:

spanishenglish
Sigue recto hasta llegar a la intersección.Continue straight until you get to the intersection.
Justo después de la floristería, tire recto.Right after the flower shop, go straight.
Direction in spanish

“Turn right” and its variants

Girar a la derecha translates to “turn right” and torcer a la derecha, would be more similar to “make a right”. Here are some examples of use:

spanishenglish
Después del semáforo, gire a la derecha.After the stoplight, turn right.
Tuerza a la derecha tras la segunda manzana.Make a right after the second block.

“Turn left” and its variants

Girar a la izquierda translates to “turn left” and torcer a la izquierda, would be more similar to “make a left”. Here are some examples of use:

spanishenglish
Al llegar al kiosko de la esquina, gire a la izquierda.When you get to the corner kiosk, turn left.
En unos cien metros, tuerza a la izquierda.In about one hundred meters, make a left.

Some other useful phrases for when asking for directions

Al lado (beside), like in the example:

Example

Al lado del banco, verá el cajero automático.

(Beside the bank, you will see the ATM.)

Cruzar la calle (cross the street), like in the example:

Example

Cuando vea la farmacia, cruce la calle.

(When you see the pharmacy, cross the street.)

BONUS || Want to feel lost in a whole new language? Check out how to say Directions in Chinese and Directions in Japanese

Directions in Spanish ||
Common Phrases and Vocabulary To Get Around

When referring to modes of transport: 

Direction in spanish
spanishenglish
IrTo go
Andando o a pieWalking or by foot
En cocheBy car
En transporte públicoIn public transportation
En metroSubway
En autobús o busBus
En motoMotorbike
En patinete eléctricoElectric scooter
En bici o bicicletaBicycle
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Need clarifications?

Ask to repeat: Me podría repetir por favor cómo llegar a…? (Could you please repeat how to get to…?) and fill in the blanks, like in the example:

Example

Me podría repetir por favor cómo llegar a Madrid en coche?

(Could you please repeat how to get to Madrid by car?)

To confirm the directions given: 

Entonces, tengo que… (So then, I have to…) and fill in the blanks, like in the example:

spanishenglish
¿Entonces tengo que seguir recto y después girar hacia la derecha?So then I have to continue straight and then turn right?
Si lo he entendido bien…If I understood correctly…
Si lo he entendido bien, tras la señal de tráfico, veré el restaurante…If I understood correctly, after the traffic sign, I will see the restaurant…

Need help interpreting with visual guides if you have a map or Google Maps: ¿Me lo puede mostrar por favor? (Could you please point it out to me?), like in this example:

Example

¿Me lo puede mostrar en Google Maps por favor?

(Could you please point it out to me in Google Maps?)

Urban landscape vocabulary

spanishenglish
ManzanaBlock
CalleStreet
MetrosMeters
EsquinaCorner
Cruce o IntersecciónCrossing or Intersection
SemáforoStoplight
Paso de peatonesPedestrian Lane
Parada de autobúsBus Stop
Estación de metroSubway Station
AceraSidewalk
FarolaStreetlamp
Señal de tráfico or señalizationTraffic Sign
PuenteBridge
Direction in spanish

More directionals (with examples of use)

SpanishEnglishExample of Use
Subirto go upSuba por las escaleras mecánicas. (Go up the mechanical stairs.)
Bajarto get off or to go downBaje en la parada de metro de Plaza Cataluña. (Get off in the Plaza Cataluña metro station.)
Pasar porpass byPase por la carretera comarcal y evitará el atasco. (Pass by the secondary highway and will avoid the traffic jam.)
Encima deon topLa casa está encima de la colina. (The house is on the top of the hill.)
Alrededor dearoundAlrededor de la estación hay muchos carteristas. (Around the station there are many pickpockets.)
Debajounder/underneathHay un jardín bonito debajo del puente. (There is a beautiful garden under the bridge.)
Delantein frontEl banco está delante de la panadería. (The bank is in front of the bakery.)
Detrás/atrásbehind/backLa puerta de acceso está en la calle de atrás. (The access door is in the back street.)

Directions in Spanish || Quiz

Welcome to your Directions in Spanish Quiz! Let's get going...

First Name
Email
Which phrase would you use to confirm directions given to you?

How do you say "Is it far?" in Spanish?

What does "Siga recto" translate to in English?

What is the best way to address a stranger when asking for directions in Spanish?

Which phrase means "Excuse me, could you please tell me where ... is?" in Spanish?

What is the Spanish term for "intersection"?

How do you ask someone to repeat directions in Spanish?

Which of the following is NOT a mode of transport mentioned in the blog?

Which phrase indicates you are lost in Spanish?

What does "Girar a la derecha" mean?

Now you’ve mastered Directions, check out these Spanish essentials:

👉 Spanish Questions Word

👉 Tips on How to Flirt in Spanish

👉 How to Order in Spanish

Directions in Spanish || FAQs

What are the directions north, south, east and west in Spanish?

The cardinal directions in Spanish, mostly used when reading/interpreting maps (yes Google Maps, too) and when referring to compass points, are the following:

Norte (North)

Sur (South)

Este (East)

Oeste (West)

When combining directions, just put the referred directions side-by-side, as you would do in English. Here are some examples:

Noreste (Northeast)

Suroeste (Southwest) 

Sur-Sureste (South-Southeast)

Oeste-Noroeste (West-Northwest).

How to say “wrong direction” in Spanish?

The course-correction phrase “wrong direction” in Spanish (not to be confused with “counter direction”), is dirección equivocada, and can come in handy when giving or receiving instructions from someone, to indicate one was not on the right path after all.

“Counter direction” (or the “opposite direction”), on the other hand, in Spanish is referred to dirección contraria, like in the example below.

El coche iba en dirección contraria cuando le paró la policía. (The car was going in the opposite direction when it got pulled over by the police.)

Directions in Spanish, left, right, straight?

When asking or receiving directions in Spanish, these are the standard directions given when referencing left, right and straight:

Ir recto (to go straight)

Seguir recto (to continue straight)

Girar a la izquierda (turn left)

Girar a la derecha (turn right)

How to ask where something is located in Spanish?

Although we can ask where something is located in Spanish by simply saying dónde está… (where is) and fill in the blanks, it is always best to accompany our query with pleasantries like excuse me, please and thank you, like so: 

¿Perdone, me podría decir dónde está la farmacia más cercana? (Excuse me, could you please tell me where the nearest pharmacy is?)

And you might be given a reply like Sí claro, la segunda calle a la derecha. (Yes, of course, the second street to the right).

To which you could reply: Muy amable, gracias. (Very kind of you, thank you.)

How to ask if you are going the right way in Spanish?

Part of asking for directions is confirming if you are on the right path, mainly to avoid going around in circles or to deviate from the right course. So to do that in Spanish, here are some examples of phrases you can use:

¿Perdone, voy bien por aquí para ir a …? (Excuse me, I am going the right way to go to…) and fill in the blanks with the direction or location you are headed to, like in this example:

¿Perdone, voy bien por aquí para ir al Ayuntamiento? (Excuse me, I am going the right way to go to the City Hall?)

Another way to confirm directionals would be like this:

Disculpe, éste es el camino correcto para ir a la taquilla del teatro? (I beg your pardon, is this the right way to go to the theater ticket booths?)

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