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Spanish · Getting around · Elementary

How to ask for directions in Spanish

Start with “Perdona” and ask “¿Dónde está la estación?” or “¿Por dónde se va al centro?”. Then check “¿Está lejos?” or “¿Puedo ir andando desde aquí?”. Listen for “Todo recto”, “Sigue recto hasta el semáforo” and “La segunda calle a la derecha”.

Try it · about two minutes

You stop a passer-by to ask the way to the station and whether it’s walkable.

Sound on: the passer-by speaks Spanish. You choose what to say back, and Frasa tells you why it works.

The conversation

  1. You come out of the metro and can’t see the train station. A man is waiting at a bus stop.

    You

    Perdona, ¿dónde está la estación?

    Excuse me, where is the station?

  2. Passer-by

    Cruza la calle y sigue recto.

    Cross the street and keep going straight.

    You

    ¿Está lejos?

    Is it far?

  3. Passer-by

    Andando son veinte minutos, pero en metro llegas antes.

    It’s twenty minutes on foot, but you’ll get there sooner by metro.

    You

    Prefiero ir andando.

    I’d rather walk.

  4. Passer-by

    Sigue recto hasta el semáforo.

    Keep going straight until the traffic lights.

    You

    ¿Y luego, después del semáforo?

    And then, after the traffic lights?

  5. Passer-by

    La segunda calle a la derecha.

    The second street on the right.

    You

    Vale: la segunda a la derecha.

    OK: the second on the right.

  6. Passer-by

    No tiene pérdida.

    You can’t miss it.

    You

    Muchas gracias, muy amable.

    Thank you very much, that’s very kind.

Key phrases

  • Perdona, ¿dónde está la estación?

    Excuse me, where is the station?

  • ¿Está lejos?

    Is it far?

  • ¿Puedo ir andando desde aquí?

    Can I walk there from here?

  • ¿Cuánto se tarda andando?

    How long does it take on foot?

  • ¿Mejor voy andando o en autobús?

    Is it better to walk or take the bus?

  • ¿Me lo enseñas en el mapa?

    Can you show me on the map?

  • ¿Y luego, después del semáforo?

    And then, after the traffic lights?

  • Todo recto.

    Straight ahead.

  • La segunda calle a la derecha.

    The second street on the right.

  • Está a unos cinco minutos andando.

    It’s about five minutes’ walk.

Good to know in Spain

Perdona or perdone

Your age

Perdona, ¿dónde está la estación?

Excuse me, where is the station?

Older person

Perdone, ¿dónde está la estación?

Excuse me, where is the station? (formal)

Use perdona with people around your age and perdone with older people. Either way, start with it before you ask.

Directions you’ll hear

  1. 1

    Straight on.

    Straight ahead.
  2. 2

    Which turning, and which side.

    The second street on the right.
  3. 3

    How long on foot.

    It’s about five minutes’ walk.

Ask for the map

If the directions get long, hold out your phone and ask them to show you.

¿Me lo enseñas en el mapa?

Can you show me on the map?

More situations in Spanish

All situations in Spanish

Keep these phrases in Frasa

Frasa is an iPhone app for the conversations in front of you. Save phrases like these, rehearse them out loud, and they come back until they stick.

AI-generated. May be inaccurate.