English Asking Directions Phrases
To ask the way in English, start with 'Excuse me' and say 'How do I get to…?' or 'Where's the nearest…?'. To follow the answer, learn 'Go straight on', 'Turn left/right', and place words like 'next to' and 'opposite'.
Level: A2. This is a phrasebook page: the phrases you need to stop a stranger politely, ask the way, and follow the answer. They are grouped by job — asking, understanding the reply, and checking you got it right. Play each line and copy it aloud.
By the end of this page you can…
…stop someone politely, ask where a place is, understand simple directions, use place words like ‘next to’ and ‘opposite’, and ask someone to repeat the answer.
Stopping someone and asking
Always begin with Excuse me. Then choose a question.
| Phrase | Natural meaning |
|---|---|
| Excuse me, how do I get to the station? | The standard way to ask the route |
| Where’s the nearest bank? | Asking for the closest one |
| Is there a supermarket near here? | Asking whether a place is nearby |
| Can you tell me the way to the museum, please? | A full, polite question form |
Understanding the answer
Replies are built from a few verbs and prepositions. Learn these and most directions make sense.
| Phrase | Natural meaning |
|---|---|
| Go straight on. | Keep going, don’t turn (US: go straight ahead) |
| Turn left. / Turn right. | Change direction at a junction |
| Take the first turning on the right. | Turn into the first road (US: the first turn) |
| Go past the church. | Pass it and continue |
| It’s on your left. / on your right. | Which side the place is on |
Place words
These say where something is in relation to something else.
| Phrase | Natural meaning |
|---|---|
| It’s next to the post office. | Right beside it |
| It’s opposite the café. | Across the road from it |
| It’s between the bank and the library. | In the middle of two things |
| It’s on the corner. | Where two roads meet |
When you don’t understand
You will not catch everything the first time. These rescue phrases buy you another go.
- Sorry, could you say that again more slowly? — ask for a repeat.
- Is it far? — check the distance.
- How long does it take to walk? — ask how long on foot.
- So, I turn left and then go straight on? — repeat it back to confirm.
A short conversation
You: Excuse me, how do I get to the train station? Local: Go straight on to the traffic lights, then turn left. You: Is it far? Local: No, about five minutes. It’s on your right, opposite the park. You: So, straight on and left at the lights. Thank you!
The phrases, with audio
Press play and repeat. You will both say and hear these when you ask the way.
- Excuse me, how do I get to the station?The polite, standard way to ask the route.
- Where's the nearest cash machine?'Nearest' = the closest one.Swap in any place you need.
- Is there a pharmacy near here?Asking whether a place is nearby.
- Can you tell me the way to the museum, please?A full, polite question form.
- Go straight on to the end of the road.Keep going without turning.
- Turn left at the traffic lights.Change direction at the lights.
- Turn right after the bridge.'After' marks when to turn.
- Take the first turning on the right.British 'turning'; American 'turn'.
- Go past the bank and it's on your left.Pass the bank, then look left.
- It's next to the post office.Next to = right beside.
- It's opposite the café.Opposite = across the road from.
- It's between the bank and the library.In the middle of two things.
- It's on the corner of King Street.On the corner = where two roads meet.
- Is it far from here?Asking about distance.
- How long does it take to walk?Asking how long on foot.
- It's about a five-minute walk.Giving distance as time on foot.
- Sorry, could you say that again more slowly?Asking for a slower repeat.
- So, I turn left at the lights?Repeating the directions back to confirm.
- You can't miss it.A common phrase meaning it is easy to find.
- Thank you very much for your help.Thanking someone for directions.
Quick recap before you practise.
Practice
Directions phrases practice
Try each one, then press Check. No sign-up, nothing is sent anywhere — it all runs in your browser.
1 Match each place word to its meaning.
- next to
- opposite
- between
- on the corner
Show answer
- next to → right beside
- opposite → across the road from
- between → in the middle of two things
- on the corner → where two roads meet
These prepositions say where one place is in relation to another.
Hint: across the road from
Show answer
opposite — 'Opposite' means on the other side of the road, facing it.
Hint: a polite attention-getter
Show answer
Excuse — 'Excuse me' politely signals a question is coming.
6 Put the words in order to ask the way to the museum.
Show answer
How do I get to the museum? — A natural question: How do I get to the museum?
How to say it
A few direction words are hard to say — copy the sounds.
- Excuse me sounds like ik-SKYOOZ me — stress the second part of excuse.
- straight has a silent gh: say strayt, one syllable.
- opposite stresses the first part: OPP-uh-zit, and the middle vowel is weak.
- nearest has a clear ee then a weak ending: NEER-ist.
- corner starts with a k and has a soft er: KOR-ner.
Quiz
Directions phrases quiz
10 questions · pick an answer and you'll see straight away if it's right.
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Show answer
Excuse me — 'Excuse me' politely gets attention before a question.
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keep going, don't turn — It tells you to continue in the same direction.
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opposite — 'Opposite' = on the other side of the road.
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Is it far from here? — 'Is it far?' asks how far away the place is.
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turn into the first road on your left — A 'turning' (US 'turn') is a road you can turn into.
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You can't miss it. — 'You can't miss it' means it is obvious and easy to find.
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Sorry, could you say that again more slowly? — This politely asks for a slower repeat.
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where King Street meets another road — A corner is the point where two roads meet.
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turn — British 'turning' is American 'turn'.
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repeat the directions back — Repeating them back ('So, I turn left…?') lets the person correct any mistake.
Recap cheat-sheet
| Job | Phrase to use |
|---|---|
| Ask the way | Excuse me, how do I get to…? |
| Nearest place | Where’s the nearest…? |
| Keep going | Go straight on. |
| Turn | Turn left / right. |
| Where it is | next to / opposite / on the corner |
| Not sure | Could you say that again more slowly? |
Next
- Related lesson: English: Asking for Directions
- Related lesson: English: Using Public Transport
- New here? Start with Start Learning English Here
All English phrases topics
Vocabulary, pronunciation, phrases, practice and exam help, ordered by level. Pick a topic and go straight to it. New lessons go live every day, so topics marked Coming soon fill in over the next weeks.
Phrases
A1 4 topics · 4 ready
A2 7 topics · 7 ready
- 05 English Travel Phrases
- 06 English Restaurant Phrases
- 07 English Hotel Phrases
- 08 English Shopping Phrases
- 09 English Asking Directions Phrases You are here
- 10 English Emergency Phrases
- 11 English Airport Phrases