If you find yourself a bit lost in a Spanish-speaking country or simply need to know where the closest restaurant, train station, landmark, etc., is located, it's important to know how to ask for directions in Spanish. Today's lesson will teach you some important phrases and vocabulary for doing so.
To approach a stranger, you might say some polite equivalent of "Excuse me," like Permiso, Disculpe or Mande in certain countries, or perhaps some greeting like Hola (Hello) or Buenos días (Good Morning), Buenas tardes (Good afternoon) or Buenas noches (Good evening), depending upon the time of day. We also recommend that, of the many ways to say "you" in Spanish, you choose the more formal one: usted, and/or address the person as señor (sir), señora (ma'am) or señorita (miss). Armed with this information, let's learn some fixed expressions that you could use as openers, all of which essentially mean "Can/could you tell me...?"
¿(Usted) me puede/podría decir...?
¿(Usted) me puede/podría indicar...?
¿(Usted) me puede/podría señalar...?
Now let's hear one of the aforementioned phrases connected to a typical way to ask about the location of something in Spanish:
Eh... ¿Me puede decir dónde está la calle Güemes?
Um... Can you tell me where Güemes Street is?
Caption 33, Español para principiantes Saludos y encuentros
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As we hear, ¿Dónde está(n)...? (Where is/are...?) is one of the most common ways to ask about location in Spanish. Let's learn some more useful phrases to do so:
¿Cómo llego a...? (How do I get to...?)
¿Hay un/a... cerca de aquí? (Is there a... around here?)
¿Sabe si está por aquí...? (Do you know if... is around here?)
¿Cuál es la mejor forma de llegar/ir a...? (What's the best way to get to...?)
Busco/Estoy buscando... (I'm looking for...)
¿Me puede mostrar en el mapa...? (Can you show me on the map...?)
Now, let's hear some of these, on their own or in combination, in action:
Disculpe, ¿hay un aeropuerto por aquí?
Excuse me, is there an airport around here?
Caption 11, Curso de español ¿Disculpe, hay un aeropuerto por aquí?
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Eh... ¿Podría decirme cómo llegar al aeropuerto?
Um... Could you tell me how to get to the airport?
Caption 13, Curso de español ¿Disculpe, hay un aeropuerto por aquí?
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Por cierto, ¿cómo llego a la cascada?
By the way, how do I get to the waterfall?
Caption 69, Aprendiendo con Priscilla Pidiendo direcciones
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¿Usted sabe dónde está el museo del Prado? Usted.
Do you [formal] know where the Prado Museum is? "Usted."
Caption 15, Fundamentos del Español 6 - Tú y Usted
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Next, let's learn some useful vocabulary in anticipation of some answers we might receive upon asking for directions in Spanish.
Let's start with the basic directions, right and left, as well as the cardinal and ordinal directions in Spanish:
la izquierda: left
la derecha: right
el norte: north
el sur: south
el este: east
el oeste: west
el noreste/nordeste: the northeast
el noroeste: the northwest
el sudeste/sureste: the southeast
el sudoeste/suroeste: the southwest
Note that when indicating directions, these words are usually used with the prepositions a (to) or hacia (to/toward). Let's see some examples:
está situado al este de la bahía.
is located to the east of the bay.
Caption 22, Viajando con Fermín Pasajes (Pasaia) - Part 1
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Por ejemplo, si tenemos que ir hacia la derecha, deberemos girar el volante hacia la derecha y si queremos ir hacia la izquierda, deberemos girar el volante hacia la izquierda.
For example, if we have to go right, we will have to turn the steering wheel to the right and if we want to go left, we will have to turn the steering wheel to the left.
Captions 38-41, Raquel y Marisa Aprender a conducir - Part 2
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Interestingly, all of the above-mentioned nouns can also function as adjectives, for example, la punta norte (the northern tip) or el lado izquierdo ("the left side," noting the change from a final "a" to an "o" to agree grammatically with the singular masculine noun). Another example of this is the fact that, like in English, Spanish uses the word mano (hand) to talk about "the right" or "left hand side":
Ve, entrá y la primera oficina que encontrás a mano derecha; ahí es.
Go, go in, and the first office you'll find on the right hand side; it's there.
Caption 74, La Sucursal del Cielo Capítulo 1 - Part 12
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Let's take a look at some additional directional words and phrases.
abajo: down
arriba: up
al lado de: next to
cerca de: close to
enfrente de: in front of/across from
derecho: straight/straight ahead/right
detrás de: behind
recto: straight/straight ahead
todo derecho/recto: straight ahead
As we already learned that the adjective derecho means "right," you may have been surprised to see in the list above that it can also mean "straight" or "straight ahead." Let's see examples of each usage:
¿Sigo derecho y no lo saludo?
Keep going straight and not say hi to him?
Caption 26, Confidencial: Asesino al Volante Capítulo 4 - Part 12
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"Mi guitarra está al lado derecho mío".
"My guitar is on my right side."
Caption 17, Kowy Vocabulario
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Let's take a look at many oft-used verbs for talking about how to get places in Spanish, a few of which we've already seen:
estar: to be located
quedar: to be located
llegar: to get there
seguir: to continue, keep going
doblar: to turn
girar: to turn
tomar: to take
pasar: to pass
cruzar: to cross
Now, let's see a couple of these in clips from the Yabla Spanish video library:
Señora, ¿y usted sabe dónde queda esa whiskería?
Ma'am, and do you know where that whisky bar is?
Caption 82, Confidencial: Broma pesada Capítulo 3 - Part 1
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debo girar por la calle de la izquierda.
I should turn down the street on the left.
Caption 50, Raquel Las direcciones
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Finally, we'll look at just a few of the many directions-related nouns that might come up as things to keep your eyes out for on your way to some destination:
el edificio: the building
la señal de pare/alto: the stop sign
el semáforo: the stop light:
el camino: the road
la carretera: the highway
la calle: the street
la esquina: the corner
la intersección: the intersection
Let's conclude today's lesson with a little blurb that includes several of the terms we have learned today:
Cuando salgas, caminas a la derecha, cruzas el semáforo y a tu derecha verás un edificio blanco grande.
When you leave, you walk to the right, you cross the traffic light, and to your right, you'll see a big white building.
Captions 22-24, Cleer y Lida Llegando a una nueva ciudad
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We hope that this vocabulary will help you to feel more confident both asking for directions in Spanish and understanding many potential answers when you do... and don't forget to write us with your questions and suggestions!
Have you ever heard the word vaina while watching Spanish-language content or talking with Latin American friends? This seemingly simple word has a rich history and multiple uses in modern Spanish slang. Today, we'll explore the origins and various meanings of vaina, a term commonly used in countries like Colombia, Venezuela, and the Dominican Republic.
Before we dive into its slang uses, let's take a brief look at the origins of the word vaina:
The word vaina has its roots in the Latin term "vagina". During the times of ancient Rome, this word referred to the sheath warriors used to store their swords. As language evolved, the meaning of vaina broadened to encompass any cover or case designed for sharp objects.
Later on, Spanish botanists adopted the term vaina for use in their field. They applied it to describe the elongated shells or coverings that encase certain seeds and legumes. You might be familiar with some common examples, such as the pods that contain chickpeas and peas.
Now, let's explore how vaina is used in everyday speech in some Latin American countries:
In countries like Colombia, Venezuela, and the Dominican Republic, vaina can refer to almost anything. It's often used when:
1. You don't know or can't remember the name of something.
2. You're referring to a concept or situation in general.
Let's see some examples:
¡Cincuenta mil pesos vale el arreglo de esa vaina!
It costs fifty thousand pesos to fix that thing!
Caption 27, Confidencial: Broma pesada Capítulo 2 - Part 7
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Quiubo, pues... Deje esa vaina ahí y camine.
What's up then... Stop with that stuff there and walk.
Caption 73, Tu Voz Estéreo Laura - Part 5
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No se vaya a molestar, Jaime, pero es que esta vaina ya no es seria.
Don't go getting upset, Jaime, but it's just that this thing isn't serious anymore.
Caption 22, Confidencial: El rey de la estafa Capítulo 5 - Part 4
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As you can see, vaina is quite versatile and can replace many nouns in casual conversation.
The word vaina is also used in various idiomatic expressions. Here are some popular ones from Colombia:
- Meaning: "What a pity/shame!" or "That's too bad!"
- Used to express disappointment or frustration
¡Qué vaina! Todos los esfuerzos que estás haciendo para liberarte del asunto, se te acaban de ir al piso.
What a shame! All the efforts that you're putting in to absolve yourself from the issue have just gone down the drain [literally "to the floor"].
Captions 6-9, Confidencial: Asesino al Volante Capítulo 4 - Part 12
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- Meaning: "Stop messing around" or "Cut it out"
- Used to tell someone to be serious or stop causing problems
"¡Déjate de vainas!" "No te hagas problemas" o "No me vengas con cuentos".
"¡Déjate de vainas!" "Don't worry about it" or "Cut the crap."
Captions 38-40, Carlos explica Vocabulario: La palabra “vaina”
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- Meaning: "What's the problem?" or "What's going on?"
- Used to inquire about a situation or issue
¡Ay! -¿Qué es la vaina?
Oh! -What's going on?
Caption 48, Los Años Maravillosos Capítulo 5 - Part 7
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- Meaning: "No way" or "Not a chance"
- Used to strongly reject an idea or proposal
"Ni de vainas," que significa, "Ni lo sueñes" o "No lo haré".
"Ni de vainas" ["Don't even think about it" or "No way"], which means, "Don't even think about it" or "I won't do it."
Captions 44-45, Carlos explica Vocabulario: La palabra “vaina”
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To help you understand how vaina is used in real conversations, let's look at a few more examples:
1. "No entendí nada de esa vaina" (I didn't understand any of that stuff.)
2. "Pásame esa vaina, por favor" (Pass me that thing, please.)
3. "¿Cómo es que se llama esa vaina?" (What's that thing called?)
¿En efectivo? Ya vuelo a hacer esa vaina,
In cash? I'll get that thing done right away,
Caption 59, La Sucursal del Cielo Capítulo 2 - Part 10
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Remember, while vaina is widely used in some countries, it may not be as common or have the same connotations in other Spanish-speaking regions. Always be mindful of the local context when using slang terms.
That's it for today's lesson on the versatile word vaina. Next time you're watching a Colombian telenovela or chatting with Venezuelan friends, keep an ear out for this useful slang term. And if you visit countries where it's commonly used, don't be afraid to try out esa vaina in your conversations!
Do you have any other Spanish slang terms you'd like to learn about? Please let us know, and don't forget to send us your questions and comments.
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