You step off the train at Atocha station in Madrid. Your hotel is somewhere nearby, your phone battery is at two per cent, and you need to ask a stranger. Five short phrases get you there: excuse me, where is it, left, right and straight on. This lesson gives you those, plus what you need to buy a ticket and understand the answer.
Level: A1.
Getting someone's attention
Start with disculpe or perdone: "excuse me". These are the polite usted forms, right for a stranger. With a friend, say disculpa or perdona. Add por favor at the end of your question and you'll sound polite everywhere.
Lo siento means "I'm sorry". It's an apology, not a way to open a question.
Asking the way
- ¿Dónde está la estación? Where is the station?
- ¿Cómo llego al centro? How do I get to the centre? (a + el becomes al)
- ¿Está lejos? Is it far? ¿Está cerca? Is it near?
- ¿Me puede ayudar? Can you help me?
- Estoy perdido (or perdida if you're a woman). I'm lost.
Notice the verb: places use estar for where they are. "El hotel está en la calle Mayor."
Left, right and straight on
- a la derecha: on the right, to the right
- a la izquierda: on the left, to the left
- todo recto: straight on (usual in Spain)
- derecho or todo derecho: straight on (common in Latin America)
Here's the trap: derecha is right, but derecho is straight on. Listen for the last letter.
You'll hear instructions as polite commands. You don't need to make them yet, just recognise them:
- Gire a la derecha. Turn right. You'll also hear doble a la derecha, with the same meaning.
- Siga todo recto. Keep going straight on.
- Tome la primera calle a la izquierda. Take the first street on the left.
- Siga hasta el semáforo. Keep going as far as the traffic lights.
Where things are
- la esquina: the corner, as in "en la esquina"
- la cuadra: a city block in Latin America. In Spain, a block is la manzana, the same word as apple.
- al lado de: next to. "Al lado del banco."
- enfrente de: opposite, across from. "Enfrente del museo."
- Está a cinco minutos a pie. It's five minutes' walk away.
Tickets and transport
- el boleto in much of Latin America, el billete in Spain: a ticket. In Latin America, billete often means a banknote.
- de ida: one way. de ida y vuelta: round trip, or return.
- la parada de autobús: the bus stop. The bus has local names too: el camión in Mexico, el colectivo in Argentina.
- la maleta: suitcase (la valija in Argentina and Uruguay).
- Tengo una reserva. I have a reservation. In Mexico you'll also hear reservación.
Mistakes learners make
- Mixing up derecha and derecho. "Siga derecho" doesn't mean turn right. It means keep going straight.
- Using ser for location. "La estación es cerca" is wrong. Say "La estación está cerca."
- Opening with lo siento. Use disculpe or perdone to get attention.
- Forgetting al and del. "Voy a el hotel" becomes "voy al hotel"; "al lado de el banco" becomes "al lado del banco".
- Saying coger for catching a bus everywhere. "Coger el autobús" is everyday Spanish in Spain, but in Mexico, Argentina and several other countries coger is vulgar. Tomar el autobús is safe everywhere.
Frequently asked questions
How do you ask for directions in Spanish?
Start with "Disculpe" and then ask "¿Dónde está…?" (where is…?) or "¿Cómo llego a…?" (how do I get to…?). End with "por favor".
How do you say left and right in Spanish?
Left is a la izquierda and right is a la derecha. Straight on is todo recto in Spain and derecho in much of Latin America.
Is it billete or boleto for a ticket?
Both mean a travel ticket. Billete is the usual word in Spain; boleto is common in much of Latin America, where billete often means a banknote.
What are the most useful Spanish phrases for travel?
Disculpe, ¿dónde está…?; ¿Está lejos?; a la derecha, a la izquierda, todo recto; and un boleto (or billete) de ida y vuelta, por favor. With those you can find your way and buy a ticket.
Try it
Say each card out loud before you flip it. Then picture yourself back at Atocha with a flat phone and ask a stranger the way to your hotel. ¿Cómo se dice "Excuse me, how do I get to the hotel? Is it far?"?