Giving Directions in Spanish

When you ask for or give directions, knowing how to use the right phrases helps you guide someone quickly and clearly around a city or neighborhood.

To indicate turns, you’ll often use:

• a la derecha (to the right)
• a la izquierda (to the left)
• sigue todo recto (continue straight ahead)

If you need to explain next to or between, use:

• al lado de (next to)
• entre (between)

To talk about distance, the most common words are:

• cerca (near)
• lejos (far)

For explaining paths and crossings:

• cruza (cross)
• pasa (pass by)
• por delante de (in front of)
• por detrás de (behind)

For instructions about going up and down:

• sube (go up, e.g., a street or stairs)
• baja (go down, e.g., a street or stairs)

Examples:

• Sigue todo recto y gira a la izquierda en la esquina.
• La tienda está al lado de la oficina.
• Cruza la calle y el parque estará por delante de ti.
• La escuela está entre la plaza y el restaurante.
• Pasa por delante de la casa y después sube la calle.

Naming Common Places

Knowing place names helps clarify your directions. Some typical locations:

• la calle (the street)
• la casa (the house)
• la escuela (the school)
• la esquina (the corner)
• la oficina (the office)
• el parque (the park)
• la plaza (the square)
• el restaurante (the restaurant)
• la tienda (the store)

Examples of using places with directions:

• Toma la calle principal y sigue todo recto hasta la plaza.
• La oficina está lejos, pero el parque está cerca.
• El restaurante está a la derecha de la tienda.
• La escuela está al lado de la casa.

If you ask someone in Mexico for directions, people may use landmarks like la plaza or el parque to help you, as these are common gathering points in Mexican towns and cities.