Getting lost can be part of the adventure, but knowing how to ask for and understand directions in Spanish will help you navigate cities, find attractions, and discover hidden gems with confidence.
Asking for Directions
Disculpe, ¿dónde está...?
dees-KOOL-peh, DOHN-deh ehs-TAH
Excuse me, where is...?
¿Cómo llego a...?
KOH-moh YEH-goh ah
How do I get to...?
¿Está lejos de aquí?
ehs-TAH LEH-hohs deh ah-KEE
Is it far from here?
Direction Words
A la derecha
ah lah deh-REH-chah
To the right
A la izquierda
ah lah ees-KYEHR-dah
To the left
Todo recto / Derecho
TOH-doh REHK-toh
Straight ahead
En la esquina
ehn lah ehs-KEE-nah
On the corner
Al lado de
ahl LAH-doh deh
Next to
Enfrente de
ehn-FREHN-teh deh
In front of / Across from
Understanding Directions
You
Disculpe, ¿dónde está la estación de metro?
Local
Siga todo recto dos calles, luego gire a la izquierda. Está al lado del banco.
You
Gracias. ¿Está lejos?
Local
No, está a cinco minutos caminando.
Siga
SEE-gah
Continue / Go
Gire
HEE-reh
Turn
Cruce
KROO-seh
Cross
La calle
lah KAH-yeh
The street
La cuadra / manzana
lah KWAH-drah
The block
El semáforo
ehl seh-MAH-foh-roh
The traffic light
Places to Find
La estación de metro
lah ehs-tah-SYOHN deh MEH-troh
The metro station
La parada de autobús
lah pah-RAH-dah deh ow-toh-BOOS
The bus stop
El banco
ehl BAHN-koh
The bank
La farmacia
lah far-MAH-syah
The pharmacy
El hospital
ehl ohs-pee-TAHL
The hospital
El centro
ehl SEHN-troh
Downtown / City center
¿Puede mostrarme en el mapa?
PWEH-deh mohs-TRAR-meh ehn ehl MAH-pah
Can you show me on the map?
Navigation Tip
In Spanish cities, addresses often use street names with numbers. "Calle Mayor, 25" means 25 Mayor Street. "Plaza" means square, and many destinations are described relative to major plazas.
¡Perfecto! Now you can find your way around any Spanish-speaking city. Next, we will learn shopping vocabulary.