Directions in Spanish: How to Ask and Give Directions

Key takeaways

• Asking for directions in Spanish requires a polite opener (perdone, ¿me podría decir…?), the correct verb for movement (ir, seguir, girar, cruzar), and the ability to understand the response at natural speech speed.
• Spanish direction instructions use the imperative mood: siga recto (keep going straight), gire a la derecha (turn right), cruce la calle (cross the street).
• Location prepositions are essential: al lado de (next to), enfrente de (opposite), a dos cuadras (two blocks away), entre (between).
• In Spain, directions may use vosotros forms in informal contexts; in Latin America, usted forms are standard even in casual exchanges.

Getting directions in a foreign country means not only producing the right question but understanding a native speaker’s answer at full speed, with contractions, reduced vowels, and local vocabulary. Most learners can ask for directions. Fewer can follow the reply.

This guide covers how to ask for directions in Spanish, the vocabulary for describing routes and locations, the imperative verbs that appear in every set of directions, example dialogues, and the key regional differences to watch for.

italki, which has connected 10M+ learners with teachers across 150+ languages since 2007, has Spanish teachers who run travel dialogue role-plays, including the specific challenge of understanding fast spoken directions. Find a Spanish tutor and practice both sides of a directions conversation before you need it in real life.

How to ask for directions politely

Opening a directions request correctly signals respect and makes it more likely the other person will respond helpfully.

Phrase	Meaning	Register
Perdone, ¿me puede decir cómo llegar a…?	Excuse me, can you tell me how to get to…?	Formal, polite
Disculpe, ¿dónde está…?	Excuse me, where is…?	Neutral, polite
Oye, ¿sabes dónde queda…?	Hey, do you know where … is?	Informal
Perdona, ¿está lejos…?	Excuse me, is … far?	Casual, polite
¿Me podría indicar cómo llegar a…?	Could you show me how to get to…?	Formal

Perdone and disculpe both mean “excuse me” but come from different verbs. Perdone (from perdonar) is more common in Spain; disculpe (from disculpar) is more commonly heard in Latin America.

Direction verbs and movement vocabulary

These are the verbs that appear in almost every set of directions in Spanish.

Verb (infinitive)	Usted command	Tú command	Meaning
seguir	siga	sigue	continue, keep going
ir	vaya	ve	go
girar / doblar	gire / doble	gira / dobla	turn
cruzar	cruce	cruza	cross
tomar	tome	toma	take (a street, road)
pasar	pase	pasa	pass, go past
seguir recto	siga recto	sigue recto	go straight
subir	suba	sube	go up
bajar	baje	baja	go down

Directions in Spanish are almost always given in the imperative (command) form. For a refresher on how these forms work, the guide to commands in Spanish covers both the tú and usted forms with full conjugation tables.

Direction words:

Spanish	English
a la derecha	to the right
a la izquierda	to the left
recto / derecho	straight ahead
al fondo	at the end / straight back
de frente	straight ahead
atrás / para atrás	behind / back
por aquí	this way
por allá	that way

Understanding direction instructions when spoken fast is one of the places where working with a Spanish teacher pays off. A teacher can give you direction instructions at different speeds and with different vocabulary, the way a real person on the street would, not at the controlled pace of a recording.

Location vocabulary: describing where things are

When someone gives you directions, they describe locations in relation to landmarks. These preposition phrases are essential for following what they say.

Spanish	English	Example
al lado de	next to	Al lado del banco. (Next to the bank.)
enfrente de / frente a	opposite, facing	Enfrente del parque. (Opposite the park.)
detrás de	behind	Detrás del supermercado. (Behind the supermarket.)
delante de	in front of	Delante de la iglesia. (In front of the church.)
entre	between	Entre la farmacia y el hotel. (Between the pharmacy and the hotel.)
cerca de	near	Cerca de la estación. (Near the station.)
lejos de	far from	Está lejos de aquí. (It’s far from here.)
a dos cuadras	two blocks away	A dos cuadras de aquí. (Two blocks from here.)
a la vuelta de la esquina	around the corner	Está a la vuelta de la esquina. (It’s around the corner.)
en la esquina	on the corner	En la esquina de la calle. (On the corner of the street.)

Note: cuadra (block) is the standard Latin American word; in Spain, manzana is used for a city block.

Landmarks and reference points

Spanish directions frequently use landmarks rather than street names. Knowing these nouns makes you able to follow directions even when you don’t know the area.

Spanish	English	Spanish	English
la calle	street	la avenida	avenue
el semáforo	traffic light	el cruce	intersection, crossing
la esquina	corner	el puente	bridge
la plaza	square	el parque	park
la iglesia	church	el banco	bank
la farmacia	pharmacy	el supermercado	supermarket
la estación (de metro/tren)	metro/train station	el aeropuerto	airport
el hospital	hospital	el ayuntamiento	town hall
la rotonda	roundabout	el semáforo	traffic light

Full dialogue examples

Dialogue 1: Asking a stranger for directions (formal, Latin America)

A: Disculpe, ¿me puede decir cómo llegar al museo?

B: Claro. Siga recto por esta calle dos cuadras, luego doble a la derecha en el semáforo. El museo está enfrente del parque, no tiene pérdida.

A: ¿Está lejos?

B: No, son unos diez minutos a pie.

Translation:

A: Excuse me, can you tell me how to get to the museum?

B: Of course. Go straight along this street for two blocks, then turn right at the traffic lights. The museum is opposite the park, you can’t miss it.

A: Is it far?

B: No, it’s about ten minutes on foot.

Dialogue 2: Asking a friend (informal, Spain)

A: Oye, ¿sabes dónde queda la farmacia?

B: Sí, mira: sal de aquí, gira a la izquierda, y está a la vuelta de la esquina, al lado del bar.

A: ¿La que está enfrente de la iglesia?

B: Esa misma.

Translation:

A: Hey, do you know where the pharmacy is?

B: Yes, look: come out of here, turn left, and it’s around the corner, next to the bar.

A: The one opposite the church?

B: That’s the one.

Distances and time expressions:

for

Spanish	English
a cinco minutos a pie	five minutes on foot
a unos diez minutos en coche	about ten minutes by car
a dos paradas de metro	two metro stops away
no tiene pérdida	you can’t miss it
está un poco lejos	it’s a bit far

When you don’t understand the directions

In real situations, directions come fast. Knowing how to ask for clarification or repetition is as important as understanding the first answer.

Phrase	Meaning
¿Me lo puede repetir más despacio, por favor?	Could you repeat that more slowly, please?
No he entendido bien. ¿Podría explicarlo otra vez?	I didn’t understand well. Could you explain again?
¿Dónde exactamente?	Where exactly?
¿Cómo se llama la calle?	What’s the street called?
¿Giro aquí o en el siguiente semáforo?	Do I turn here or at the next traffic light?
¿Puede señalarme en el mapa?	Can you show me on the map?

The ability to ask for clarification naturally is what separates a confident traveller from one who nods and hopes for the best. Practicing these phrases in a role-play with an online Spanish tutor means the words are available when the real situation is stressful.

Regional differences: spain vs. Latin America

Feature	Spain	Latin America
Word for “block”	manzana	cuadra
Address of “you”	tú (informal), usted (formal)	usted (most contexts)
Coger	take (a bus, a street)	avoid; vulgar in most of LatAm
Informal directions	may use vosotros imperative	usted even with strangers

The coger example is important for travellers: coge la primera calle a la derecha is completely standard in Spain but should be avoided in Latin America, where toma or agarra is used instead.

Practising before the trip counts

Reading a directions dialogue is different from understanding one in real time, from a stranger, in an unfamiliar area, when you are also navigating and reading a map. The comprehension gap closes through practice with a live speaker who can increase speed, use different vocabulary, and simulate the conditions of a real exchange.

italki has 30,000+ teachers across 150+ languages, including qualified Spanish teachers from Spain and across Latin America who run exactly this kind of travel preparation dialogue. Book a Spanish conversation tutor for a session before a trip and spend it entirely on directions, asking, understanding, and asking for clarification.

FAQ

How do you ask for directions in Spanish?

Start with a polite opener: Perdone or Disculpe (excuse me), then ask ¿dónde está…? (where is…?) or ¿cómo llego a…? (how do I get to…?). Perdone, ¿me puede decir cómo llegar a la estación? (Excuse me, can you tell me how to get to the station?) is a reliable all-purpose opener.

What verbs are used in Spanish directions?

The most common are seguir (continue), girar/doblar (turn), cruzar (cross), and ir (go), all given in the imperative: siga recto, gire a la derecha, cruce el puente.

What is the difference between cuadra and manzana?

Both mean “city block.” Cuadra is the standard word in Latin America; manzana is used in Spain. In Latin America, manzana means apple.

How do I understand fast spoken directions in Spanish?

Ask the speaker to slow down (¿Me lo puede repetir más despacio?) and ask for clarification on any part you missed. Practicing with a Spanish tutor at gradually increasing speeds before travel builds the comprehension needed for real exchanges.

Is usted always used for directions?

In Latin America, yes, almost universally, even from young people to other young people in public. In Spain, informal situations may use tú, especially between peers. When in doubt, use usted.