Getting lost is stressful, but asking for directions in French can be much simpler than it seems. In most cases, you only need a few question patterns and a small set of location words.
The most useful questions
- Ou est… ? = Where is… ?
- Comment aller a… ? = How do I get to… ?
- C’est loin d’ici ? = Is it far from here?
- Vous pouvez m’aider ? = Can you help me?
Useful location words
- a gauche = on the left
- a droite = on the right
- tout droit = straight ahead
- pres de = near
- loin de = far from
- en face de = opposite
- a cote de = next to
Useful examples
- Ou est la station de metro ?
- Comment aller au centre-ville ?
- Le musee est loin d’ici ?
- La gare est a gauche ou a droite ?
Mini dialogue
A: Bonjour, excusez-moi, ou est la gare ?
B: Continuez tout droit, puis tournez a gauche.
A: Merci beaucoup.
B: Avec plaisir.
Final tip
When you ask for directions, speak slowly and keep your question short. Clear simple French works better than trying to say too much.
Leave a comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.