Useful English Phrases for Giving Directions

If you’re in a new town or city and you want to know where a place or building is, these are useful phrases for
asking for directions. There are also phrases for giving directions to other people who ask you for help.

How you can ask for directions

Say “Excuse me” before you ask a person. To make it sound like a question, make your voice go up on “me”.
“Excuse me. How do I get to (the Romantic Museum) please?”
“Excuse me. Where’s the nearest (bus station) please?”
“Excuse me. I’m looking for the Buenavista mall.”
“Excuse me. Is there a bank near here?
“Excuse me. Are there any grocery stores around here.”
Giving directions The person who helps you often says how near or far the place is:

“It’s about five minutes from here.”

“It’s about a ten-minute walk.”
“It’s easier if I can show you on the map…”
Specific instructions
Here are some useful words and phrases for giving directions on the street. Maybe you’re helping a driver, or
someone who stops you to ask for directions.

• “Turn left / right.”

• “Go straight on at the lights / when you come to the crossroads.” (Lights = traffic lights;
crossroads = where two roads cross)
• “Go across the roundabout.” (Roundabout = where all the cars go round a circle in the middle of the
road)
• “Take the first turning / road / street on your left / right.” (Turning = road that goes left or right)
• “You’ll see / You’ll come to a (bank). Then …”
• “Don’t take the first road.”
• “Go on for about (2 minutes / 100 metres).”
Landmarks
We often make reference to landmarks when we give directions to help the other person. These can be places
in a town, such as cinema, bank, bus stop, etc. They can also be parts of the road system. Here are some
common terms:
Taxi Rank

Overpass / flyover

Underpass
 crossroad
Pedestrian crossing

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Roundabout Traffic lights
Main road

Around the corner

Use prepositions of direction
Go past = continue past something so that is now behind you
Go across = cross something, like a road or crossroads
Go along = continue down a road
Go straight on = don’t turn left or right
Go up = walk / drive up a hill
Go down = walk or drive down a hill or a road
Go through = pass through something, such as a tunnel or a town
Go out of = exit (i.e. a railway station)
It’s in front of you = you can see it facing you
It’s opposite the bank = it faces the bank
It’s on the corner = it’s where two roads meet at a 90° angle
OK. Go straight on, then Excuse me, I’m looking
turn left at the crossroads, for the nearest bank.
It’s about 50 meters on your Please.
left. You can’t miss it! Thanks!
It’s nothing!

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 It’s about 5 minutes
from here, just go straight
on and turn left.
Excuse me, Am I far
You’re welcome!
from the airport?.
Great! Thank you!

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Is there a…in this town? Where is it?

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