How to Ask for and Follow Directions in Spanish

Imagine you are in that Spanish-speaking country you have always dreamed of visiting. However, after selecting your tourist destination for the day, you realize that you have lost the city map, and your phone is out of battery.

At that moment, you think: What do I do now? Don't worry too much; approach the locals and start a conversation to ask for directions to successfully reach your destination. If you're worried about not knowing how to ask for directions in Spanish, keep reading!

In this article, we will teach you how to do it properly.

Starting the Conversation 

Getting lost in an unfamiliar city can stress you out and put you in danger. Therefore, it is crucial to start a friendly conversation so that the other person is more receptive. Here are some useful examples:

Excuse me, can I ask you something? Excuse me, do you have a minute? Good morning, sorry to bother you, can you help me? If you want to be a bit more direct so the other person quickly understands the situation, you can use:

Excuse me, I’m a bit lost, could you help me?

Asking the Question 

When the other person responds affirmatively, you should ask for directions. However, remember that the questions vary depending on the information you need and usually require a specific verb.

Ask the exact location of a place using the verbs “estar” (to be) or “quedar” (to be located).

Example: Good afternoon, could you tell me where the cathedral is? Good morning, do you know where the museum is? Good evening, ma’am, where is the stadium? Excuse me, sir, where is the shopping center?

“Haber” (to be) can be used to confirm the proximity of a place. Example: Good day, miss, is there a coffee shop around here? Good evening, young man, is there a fast food restaurant nearby?

To ask how to get to a place, the verb “llegar” (to arrive) should be used.

Example: Excuse me, how can I get to the hospital? Good morning, ma’am, could you tell me how to get to the beach?

To confirm that you are close to your destination, ask if the person knows where the place is. (Conocer - to know) Example: Excuse me, miss, do you know the main square? Excuse me, sir, do you know Fifth Avenue?

Incorrect Questions 

Now that we have learned how to ask for directions properly, it is also important to mention the incorrect way of doing it. Whenever you need help with directions and locations, try to ask logical questions to receive precise information and not confuse the person helping you. Here are some incorrect examples:

Hi! The stadium? Good afternoon, is the supermarket? Excuse me, is there a bakery? Good morning, where the restaurant? Good evening, ma’am, to the nightclub?

If you look closely, after reading these questions several times, we can understand their meaning; however, if you pay attention, you will notice that some lack important adverbs like “where,” others are missing essential verbs like “to be,” and others simply lack context. Strive to ask for directions correctly without omitting those important components. You can do it!

General Examples 

There are many ways to ask for directions, and they all can vary depending on the information we need to obtain. Expand your vocabulary with the following examples:

How can I go to the airport? Where can I find the police station? Do you know where the park is? I need to go to the shopping center, do you know how to get there? Am I close to the Art Museum? Am I going in the right direction to get to the theater? What is the best way to go to the beach? I’m looking for the zoo, how far am I?

Surely you noticed that these phrases lack a subject. It’s your turn to practice; take these examples, add a subject with the corresponding courtesy title (sir, ma’am, miss, young man), and of course, do not forget to start the conversation politely with “Excuse me” or “Pardon.”

How to Follow Directions 

Congratulations! You now know how to ask for directions properly. However, we still need to cover another fundamental aspect: how to follow directions and interpret them correctly.

To correctly interpret the directions you receive, study the following verbs: ir (to go), cruzar (to cross), girar (to turn), tomar (to take), retroceder (to go back), seguir (to follow/continue), doblar (to turn).

• Cruzar, Girar, Doblar 

These three verbs are used to indicate a change of direction to the left or right.

Example: To get to the bakery, walk straight ahead and then turn right. (In this case, you can also use “girar” or “doblar” instead of “cruzar” and it will have the same meaning)

• Seguir 

This verb is used to tell someone they are on the right path and should continue.

Example: Keep walking a couple of meters and you will find the hospital.

• Ir 

Commonly, we use the verb “ir” to indicate a specific direction.

Example: To get to the restaurant, you can go to the corner, turn left, and there you will see it.

• Retroceder 

When someone tells us to go back, it means we have walked a few extra meters and have passed our destination, so we need to go back.

Example: To get to the theater, you need to go back about 20 meters.

• Tomar

Frequently, this verb is used to indicate the correct path to a destination, for example, a specific street.

Example: To get to the cinema, you can take 34th Street, then just turn left and you’ll be there.

In conclusion, don't let not knowing how to ask for directions or how to follow directions in Spanish stop you from traveling to your favorite Spanish-speaking countries. Everything mentioned in this article can be put into practice so that gradually asking for directions becomes something easy for you. If you are polite, use the appropriate courtesy titles, and use the verbs, logic, and context correctly, I assure you there will be no direction you can't reach. 

Have a great trip!