Ready to navigate a city in Spanish? In this lesson, you'll learn how to ask for and give directions. You'll master essential direction words like right, left, and straight, plus verbs for getting around: walk, turn, cross, and continue. By the end, you'll be able to tell someone how to get from point A to point B!
Learning tips
- Directions use informal commands (imperative) — 'camina' (walk!), 'gira' (turn!), 'cruza' (cross!). For -ar verbs, just drop the -s from the tú form.
- Practice giving directions to yourself as you walk around — 'Camino recto, giro a la derecha...'
- In Colombia, people often say 'siga derecho' (continue straight, using the formal usted command) even in informal situations.
- Remember: 'hay' (there is/are) is incredibly useful — 'Hay un banco en la esquina' (There's a bank on the corner).
Warm-up & Active Recall
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| cerca | near |
| lejos | far |
| al lado de | next to |
| enfrente de | in front of |
| detrás de | behind |
| entre | between |
| aquí | here |
| allí | there |
| ¿dónde? | where? |
| quedar | to be located |
Dialog
Andrés asks Valentina for directions to the Museo del Oro (Gold Museum) in central Bogotá. Notice how Valentina uses informal commands to give directions: 'camina' (walk), 'gira' (turn), 'cruza' (cross), 'sigue' (continue). She uses 'cuadras' (blocks) as a unit of distance, which is very typical in Colombian cities. The conversation also practices 'hasta' (until/as far as) for indicating endpoints.
Vocabulary
Active words
| Word | IPA | Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| derecha | /de.ˈɾe.tʃa/ | right (direction) | Used with 'a la': gira a la derecha |
| izquierda | /is.ˈkjeɾ.ða/ | left (direction) | Used with 'a la': gira a la izquierda |
| recto | /ˈrek.to/ | straight (ahead) | Also 'derecho' is used in Colombia — 'siga derecho' |
| seguir | /se.ˈɣiɾ/ | to continue, to follow | Irregular: sigo, sigues, sigue — the 'e' changes to 'i' |
| girar | /xi.ˈɾaɾ/ | to turn | Regular -ar verb: giro, giras, gira |
| cruzar | /kɾu.ˈsaɾ/ | to cross | Regular -ar verb: cruzo, cruzas, cruza |
| la cuadra | /ˈkwa.ðɾa/ | the block (city block) | Used for measuring distance in Latin American cities |
| llegar | /ʝe.ˈɣaɾ/ | to arrive, to get (to a place) | Used with 'a': llegar al museo (to arrive at the museum) |
| hasta | /ˈas.ta/ | until, as far as, up to | Indicates an endpoint: camina hasta la plaza |
| caminar | /ka.mi.ˈnaɾ/ | to walk | Regular -ar verb — you learned this in Unit 3 too |
Passive words
| Word | IPA | Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| doblar | /do.ˈβlaɾ/ | to turn (alternate) | Also common for 'turn' — interchangeable with 'girar' |
| pasar | /pa.ˈsaɾ/ | to pass, to go past | |
| bajar | /ba.ˈxaɾ/ | to go down, to get off | |
| subir | /su.ˈβiɾ/ | to go up, to get on | |
| la esquina | /es.ˈki.na/ | the corner | |
| el mapa | /ˈma.pa/ | the map |
Useful chunks
| Word | Translation |
|---|---|
| siga derecho | go straight (formal command) |
| gire a la derecha | turn right (formal command) |
Grammar: Giving directions with informal commands — 'hay' for existence
| Infinitive | Tú command | Example |
|---|---|---|
| caminar | camina | Camina dos cuadras. |
| girar | gira | Gira a la derecha. |
| cruzar | cruza | Cruza la calle. |
| seguir | sigue | Sigue recto. |
| hay (there is / there are) | Example |
|---|---|
| singular | Hay un banco en la esquina. |
| plural | Hay muchos restaurantes en esta calle. |
To give directions in Spanish, you use informal commands (imperative). For regular -ar verbs, the tú command is the same as the él/ella present tense form:
- caminar → camina (walk!)
- girar → gira (turn!)
- cruzar → cruza (cross!)
For the irregular verb seguir (to continue), the tú command is sigue (continue!).
Common direction patterns:
- Camina recto = Walk straight
- Gira a la derecha = Turn right
- Gira a la izquierda = Turn left
- Cruza la calle = Cross the street
- Sigue recto hasta… = Continue straight until…
You'll also use hay (there is/there are) to mention landmarks:
- Hay un banco en la esquina = There's a bank on the corner
- Hay muchos restaurantes en esta calle = There are many restaurants on this street
'Hay' is invariable — it works for both singular and plural, and it never changes form.
Exercises
Fill in the Blanks
Complete each sentence with the missing word.
- a la derecha en la esquina.(tú command of 'girar')
- Camina dos cuadras.(word meaning 'straight')
- la avenida y sigue recto.(tú command of 'cruzar')
- Sigue recto la plaza.(preposition meaning 'until')
- ¿Cómo al museo?(first person of 'llegar')
Grammar Application
Give the tú command (informal imperative) for each verb.
- caminar (tú command) → recto.(-ar verb: drop -ar, add -a)
- girar (tú command) → a la izquierda.(-ar verb: drop -ar, add -a)
- cruzar (tú command) → la calle.(-ar verb: drop -ar, add -a)
- seguir (tú command) → recto hasta el parque.(irregular: e → i stem change)
- there is a bank on the corner → un banco en la esquina.(invariable form for existence)
Translation (English → Spanish)
Translate each sentence into Spanish.
- Turn right.
- Walk two blocks and cross the street.
- Continue straight until the plaza.
- How do I get to the museum?
- There is a restaurant on the corner.
Creative Construction
Write simple directions from one place to another. Include at least 3 direction verbs and a mention of 'hay.'
Takeaway
Give directions using tú commands: 'Camina recto' (walk straight), 'Gira a la derecha' (turn right), 'Cruza la calle' (cross the street), 'Sigue hasta…' (continue until…). Use 'hay' to mention landmarks along the way.