How to Ask for Directions and Get Around in French

Learning how to ask for directions in French is crucial, especially if you are new to a French-speaking city. If you ever get lost in a foreign land, finding your way can be very complicated when no one speaks your language.

So, in this blog, we will teach you the major direction words and phrases in French. Then, we will move on to discover the appropriate transition words used for describing directions and provide you with a small quiz to check your knowledge. 

Directions in French: Major Direction Words and Phrases

Whether you are heading towards a bus station or paying a visit to a French pal at their place, you need to learn how to ask for directions in French. While Google Maps come in handy, you still need the help of the residents in many instances. See below the directions in French and their meaning in English. 

Direction in French	Meaning in English
Tout droit	Straight ahead
À droite	To the right
À gauche	To the left
Nord, sud, ouest	North, south, west, east
Près de  / À côté (de)	Close to
En face de	In front of
Au coin de	At the corner of

Examples

Now, let’s see below the examples of how the direction words in French are used in sentences. 

Tout droit 

Asking for Directions: Où sont les toilettes ? (Where is the bathroom?)

Giving Directions: Il faut aller tout droit. (Go straight ahead.)

À droite

Asking for Directions: Excusez-moi, je cherche la boulangerie. (Excuse me, I’m looking for the bakery.)

Giving Directions: Si vous allez tout droit, puis à droite à la Rue Verte, elle est au coin de la rue.  (If you go straight ahead, then take a right at the Rue Verte, it’s at the corner.)

À gauche – To the left

Asking for Directions: Où est le pont? (Where is the bridge?)

Giving Directions: Prenez à gauche au parc. (Take a left at the park.)

Nord, sud, ouest

Asking for Directions: Est-ce qu’il y a un restaurant à côté ? (Is there a restaurant close by?)

Giving Directions: Il y a un restaurant italien au sud de la gare. (There’s an Italian restaurant south of the train station.)

Près de  / À côté (de)

Asking for Directions: Est-ce qu’il y a un restaurant à côté ?

Giving Directions: “L’restaurant est près du métro.” (The restaurant  is close to the metro.)

En face de 

Giving Directions: La maison est en face de l’église. (The house is in front of the church.)

Au coin de

Giving Directions: Il y a un supermarché au coin de ma rue. (There’s a supermarket on my street corner.)

Also Read: Counting From 1 to 100: A Journey in French Numbers

Directions in French: Ways to Ask for Directions

Now, let’s look at the ways for asking the directions in French. The simplest and quickest words in French used to ask where something is located are shown in the table below. 

French Word	English Word	Example Sentence
Où est	Where is	Où est la poste? (Where is the post office?)
Est-ce que	is / are / does	Où est-ce que je peux trouver la gare? (Where can I find the train station?)

Directions in French: Appropriate Transition Words

It’s time to arm yourself with the appropriate transition words to use in your sentences while asking for directions in French. Learning just the directions is not enough, you should also learn how to properly formulate an effective sentence with them. See below the appropriate transition words used while describing directions in French. 

French Word	English Word	Use in Sentences
Puis	Then	Prenez à droite, puis allez tout droit. (Go right, then go straight ahead.)
Après	After	Prenez à droite, et après ça, allez tout droit. (Go right, and after that, go straight ahead.)
Enfin	Finally	Prenez à droite, puis allez tout droit, et enfin, prenez à gauche au parc. (Go right, then go straight ahead, and finally, take a left at the park.)

Also Read: The Ultimate Guide to French Nouns For Beginners

Directions in French Quiz: Check Your Knowledge 

Check your knowledge of directions in French by answering the following questions. 

Q1 – True or False: The direction “Tout droit” means straight ahead in English. 

Q2 – Fill in the Blank: The direction “À gauche” means _________ in English.

Q3 – Match the following directions in French with their correct English meaning:

a) À droite	1. North, south, west, east
b) Nord, sud, ouest	2. To the right
c) Près de  / À côté (de)	3. In front of
d) En face de	4. Close to

Q4 – True or False: The direction “À droite” means in front of in English. 

Answers: A1 – True, A2 – To the left, A3 – a): 2; b): 1; c): 4; d) 3, A4 – False

Relevant Reads:

Mastering French Pronouns: A Complete Guide	50+ Basic French Language Words You Need to Know Before Getting Started
Beyond Salut: Introducing Yourself in French As A Beginner	Articles in French Made Easy: A Cheat Sheet for Beginners
Verbs in French: Check Out The List of Common French Verbs	A-Z with Ease: Learn the French Alphabet with Pronunciation Like a Breeze!

FAQs

And we are done with the directions in French. Explore Leverage Edu’s study abroad resources for more educative blogs on the French language daily. Ready, set, lingo!