Asking for directions
Two questions get you a long way almost anywhere: ¿Dónde está la farmacia? (Where is the pharmacy?) and ¿Cómo llego al museo? (How do I get to the museum?). Just learn them as whole chunks – they work with almost any place.
Right, left and straight ahead
The three most important direction words: a la derecha (right), a la izquierda (left), todo recto (straight ahead). With these you'll already get very far.
Where is something located?
To say exactly where a place is, estar helps you again: El banco está a la derecha. (The bank is on the right.) La farmacia está al lado del banco. (The pharmacy is next to the bank.) El museo está enfrente del parque. (The museum is opposite the park.)
Location expressions
Along with these come al lado de (next to), enfrente de (opposite), entre (between), delante de (in front of), detrás de (behind), cerca (near) and lejos (far). At la esquina (the corner) or el cruce (the crossroads) you often decide which way to go.
Showing someone the way
You hear these short forms constantly when getting directions: Gira a la derecha. (Turn right.) Gira a la izquierda. (Turn left.) Sigue todo recto. (Keep going straight ahead.) Cruza la calle. (Cross the street.) For now you just learn them as ready-made, practical expressions – exactly how they're formed comes later, in their own grammar lesson.
The compass directions
Briefly, the four compass directions: el norte (north), el sur (south), el este (east), el oeste (west).
Examples
- ¿Dónde está la farmacia?
- A la derecha.
- Todo recto.
- Gira a la izquierda.