Giving and Asking for Directions

Giving and Asking for Directions

  • Understanding commonly-used phrases for directions is essential - for example, “Dónde está …?” means “Where is …?”. Other key words include “derecha” (right), “izquierda” (left), “recto” (straight), “cerca” (near), “lejos” (far).

  • Be familiar with essential vocabulary related to locations and places, such as “la estación de tren” (the train station), “la parada de autobús” (the bus stop), “la plaza” (the town square), “el centro comercial” (the shopping centre), “el hospital” (the hospital).

  • Know how to use different forms of the verb “estar” which is used in Spanish to indicate location. For example, “Está a la derecha” (It’s on the right), “Estoy perdido/a” (I’m lost).

  • Learn vocabulary related to measurements of distance, such as “a la vuelta de la esquina” (around the corner), “al final de la calle” (at the end of the road), “en frente de” (in front of) and “al lado de” (next to).

  • Practice phrases like “¿Puedes decirme cómo llegar a …?” (Can you tell me how to get to …?) and “¿Me puedes dar direcciones para …?” (Can you give me directions to …?)

  • Learn how to understand responses. If someone says “Toma la segunda calle a la derecha”, it means “Take the second street on the right”. If they say “Sigue todo recto”, it means “Go straight ahead”.

  • Be aware that in Spain, addresses are written in the order: street name, building number. So, ‘Calle Mayor, 21’ translates to ‘21, Major Street’.

  • Remember, practice is crucial. Practice scenarios where you’d need to ask for and give directions. Chat with a language partner, use language apps or even roleplay scenarios on your own.

Above all, aim to develop a comfort with not understanding every single word but rather grasping the overall meaning. It is also okay and quite common to ask people to repeat or speak slower by saying “Puede repetir, por favor?” (Can you repeat, please?) or “Puedes hablar más despacio, por favor?” (Can you speak slower, please?). Developing this confidence in real-world ability is invaluable for travel and tourism in Spanish-speaking countries.