Topic: Giving and Asking for Directions

Key Directional Vocabulary

Familiarise yourself with the key directional vocabulary. Some common phrases include “a la derecha” (to the right), “a la izquierda” (to the left), “todo recto” (straight ahead), “la segunda salida en la rotonda” (the second exit on the roundabout), among others.
Practice constructing sentences or questions using these phrases to give or ask for directions. For instance, “¿Dónde está la estación de tren?” (Where is the train station?), “Tome la primera calle a la derecha.” (Take the first street to the right.)
Be comfortable with variations of asking “where.” You can ask “¿Dónde está…?” for a fixed place such as a building, or “¿Por dónde se va a…?” when asking for directions towards a general direction.

Understand the use of “usted” (formal you) and “tú” (informal you) and their corresponding verb endings when giving directions. You are likely to use “usted” when speaking with strangers.

Familiarize yourself with the different types of locations you might need directions to. For instance, “la biblioteca” (the library), “el hospital” (the hospital), “el parque” (the park), “la panadería” (the bakery), etc.

Go through example exercises where you not only write down the directions but also speak them aloud to get used to pronouncing vocabulary correctly.
Familiarise yourself with real-world Spanish street signs, they may feature in your test. For example: “Ceda el paso” (Give way), “Sentido unico” (One way), “No entrar” (Do not enter), “Salida” (Exit), etc.

Revise phrases for distance and location. These may include “al lado de” next to, “enfrente de” in front of, “detrás de” behind, “cerca de” near, “lejos de” far from and “entre” between.

Gain confidence in understanding and responding to spoken directions. Try listening to Spanish audio, practising real-time translation and responding to directions given.