Asking for directions in Spanish: phrases that work
The two questions that get you almost anywhere are ¿Dónde está…? (Where is…?) and ¿Cómo llego a…? (How do I get to…?). The first asks where a place is; the second asks for the route to it. Notice that location uses estar, not ser: a place “is located” somewhere, so you say ¿Dónde está el museo?, never ¿Dónde es…?
This guide covers the words to ask and the words you will hear back, so you can both raise the question and act on the answer.
| Word | Transcription | Translation | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| ir recto | /iɾ ˈrekto/ | go straight | Sigue recto y luego gira a la izquierda en el parque.Go straight and then turn left at the park. |
| girar a la izquierda | /xiˈɾaɾ a la iθˈkjeɾða/ | turn left | Gira a la izquierda cuando veas el semáforo.Turn left when you see the traffic lights. |
| girar a la derecha | /xiˈɾaɾ a la deˈɾetʃa/ | turn right | Gira a la derecha en la esquina y camina hasta el final.Turn right at the corner and walk to the end. |
| junto a | /ˈxunto a/ | next to | El café está junto a la biblioteca.The café is next to the library. |
| enfrente de | /emˈfɾente ðe/ | across from | La farmacia está enfrente de la oficina de correos.The pharmacy is across from the post office. |
| lejos | /ˈlexos/ | far | El aeropuerto está lejos de la ciudad.The airport is far from the city. |
| cerca | /ˈθeɾka/ | near | La tienda está cerca de mi casa.The shop is near my home. |
Once you can ask the question, it helps to keep a few ready-made phrases for the most common situations. These work whether you are hunting for a bathroom, a bank, or the way into town.
| To ask | Spanish | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| where the bathroom is | ¿Dónde está el baño? | Where is the bathroom? |
| how to get downtown | ¿Cómo llego al centro? | How do I get downtown? |
| if it is far | ¿Está lejos? | Is it far? |
| if there is a bank nearby | ¿Hay un banco por aquí? | Is there a bank around here? |
| someone to repeat | ¿Puede repetir, por favor? | Can you repeat, please? |
How to ask where something is
To ask for a location, use ¿Dónde está…? with estar. Spanish uses estar, not ser, for where things are, the same split you sort out with ser and estar: position and location always take estar.
¿Dónde está la parada de autobús?
Where is the bus stop?
When the place name starts with el, remember the contraction a + el = al. So “to the center” is al centro, never a el centro.
¿Cómo llego al centro?
How do I get downtown?
Understanding the answer
The reply usually arrives as a short command. In Spain you will hear the informal sigue / gira (tú) or the polite siga / gire (usted).
Sigue recto y gira a la derecha.
Go straight and turn right.Siga todo recto; está al lado del banco.
Go straight ahead; it’s next to the bank.
If the place faces another building, you will hear enfrente de (across from, opposite).
Está enfrente de la iglesia.
It’s across from the church.
How far is it?
To check distance, ask ¿Está lejos? (Is it far?) or ¿Está cerca? (Is it close?). The answer often gives a time on foot rather than a distance.
No, está cerca, a cinco minutos andando.
No, it’s close, five minutes on foot.
Common mistakes
Using ser instead of estar for location
Where something is always takes estar, even though English just says “is”.
¿Dónde es el baño?→ ¿Dónde está el baño?
Where is the bathroom?
Forgetting the contraction al
When a meets el, they always join into al.
¿Cómo llego a el centro?→ ¿Cómo llego al centro?
How do I get downtown?
Mixing up izquierda and derecha
Izquierda is left and derecha is right; they are easy to swap under pressure. If you mean right, say derecha.
Gira a la izquierda.→ Gira a la derecha.
Turn right.
Asking for directions is really one exchange: you ask ¿dónde está…? and then have to decode gira a la derecha on the spot. In Fluera you drill both halves, building the question and recognizing the spoken answer in short sentences, so the reply does not rush past you. Give it a go when you practice Spanish.
Practice
Find your way
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