How do I get downtown?

In Spanish: "¿Cómo llego al centro?". This is a high-frequency question used in asking for directions in spanish.

In Spanish: "¿Se puede ir caminando?". This is a high-frequency question used in asking for directions in spanish.

How many blocks is it?

In Spanish: "¿Cuántas cuadras son?". This is a high-frequency question used in asking for directions in spanish.

Is there an ATM around here?

In Spanish: "¿Hay un cajero por aquí?". This is a high-frequency question used in asking for directions in spanish.

Which bus drops me at…?

In Spanish: "¿Qué bus me deja en…?". This is a high-frequency question used in asking for directions in spanish.

In Spanish: "¿Es por aquí?". This is a high-frequency question used in asking for directions in spanish.

Can you show me on the map?

In Spanish: "¿Me lo muestra en el mapa?". This is a high-frequency question used in asking for directions in spanish.

Free practice — no signup

Asking for Directions in Spanish

Q: Where is the station?

In Spanish: "¿Dónde queda la estación?". This is a high-frequency question used in asking for directions in spanish.

Asking is easy. Understanding the answer is the real skill

Anyone can memorize "¿Dónde está…?". The hard part comes next, when someone answers with a fast stream of rights, lefts, and landmarks you don't recognize.

In much of Latin America people give directions by landmarks, not street names: "dos cuadras después del parque", "frente a la farmacia". In Nicaragua and Costa Rica you'll even hear directions from places that no longer exist.

This guide gives you the asking phrases, the words you'll hear in the answer, and the recovery phrases for when you get lost anyway.

8 practice questions2 sample dialogues1 roleplay scenarios

Key vocabulary

Essential words and phrases for this topic.

Spanish	English
Disculpe, ¿dónde queda…?	Excuse me, where is…?
¿Está lejos?	Is it far?
Derecho / recto	Straight ahead
A la derecha / a la izquierda	To the right / left
Una cuadra	A block(Spain says "manzana"; LATAM says cuadra)
La esquina	The corner
Frente a / al lado de	Across from / next to
¿Me lo puede repetir más despacio?	Can you repeat that more slowly?

8 practice questions

Read each question out loud, then answer in Spanish.

01
¿Dónde queda la estación?
Where is the station?
02
¿Cómo llego al centro?
How do I get downtown?
03
¿Se puede ir caminando?
Can you walk there?
04
¿Cuántas cuadras son?
How many blocks is it?
05
¿Hay un cajero por aquí?
Is there an ATM around here?
06
¿Qué bus me deja en…?
Which bus drops me at…?
07
¿Es por aquí?
Is it this way?
08
¿Me lo muestra en el mapa?
Can you show me on the map?

Quick speaking test

Say it out loud

1 of 80 said right

How would you say this in Spanish?

Where is the station?

Sample dialogues

Practice both sides out loud to build natural rhythm.

Finding the pharmacy

A street corner in San José, Costa Rica.

You
Disculpe, ¿hay una farmacia por aquí?
Excuse me, is there a pharmacy around here?
Señora
Sí, siga derecho dos cuadras y a mano derecha, frente al parque.
Yes, go straight two blocks and on the right, across from the park.
You
¿Me lo puede repetir más despacio?
Can you repeat that more slowly?
Señora
Claro. Dos cuadras derecho. Frente al parque.
Sure. Two blocks straight. Across from the park.
You
Muchas gracias.
Thank you so much.
Señora
Con mucho gusto.
My pleasure.

Lost on the way

You've walked too far and stop at a corner store.

You
Perdón, creo que estoy perdido. ¿Dónde queda la calle Juárez?
Sorry, I think I'm lost. Where is Juárez street?
Tendero
Uy, se pasó. Regrésese tres cuadras y es la de la esquina.
Oh, you went past it. Go back three blocks and it's the one at the corner.
You
¿Se puede ir caminando?
Can I walk there?
Tendero
Sí, son cinco minutos.
Yes, it's five minutes.

Roleplay scenarios

Step into a real situation and respond in Spanish.

Scenario 1

Find your hostel

Your phone died. You need to find your hostel using only Spanish.

Your role: The lost traveler

What to say

Politely stop someone on the street.
Ask where the hostel's street is.
Ask if it's far and if you can walk.
Ask them to repeat more slowly.
Repeat the directions back to confirm, then thank them.

Practice challenge: Repeat it back

Read the pharmacy directions once, cover the screen, and repeat them back out loud. Repeating directions back is the habit that keeps you from getting lost.

"Entonces, dos cuadras derecho y frente al parque, ¿verdad?"

Get free Spanish speaking practice every week

New conversation questions, roleplays, and dialogues delivered to your inbox. Unsubscribe anytime.

Keep exploring

Homepage Beginner Spanish hub TutorIA — AI voice tutor