Directions in Italian

It’s time to master directions in Italian! Check out this free audio lesson for the essential travel Italian you’ll need to navigate your way around Italy.

I wish it were as simple as learning the word for 'where' in Italian and a few Italian road signs, but there’s a little more to it than that!

As you may have already guessed, understanding the directions you are given can be more challenging than asking the questions. But have no fear – just listen to the Italian pronunciation in the audio and practice saying the Italian words and phrases aloud, as you imagine yourself strolling around Florence or driving through Tuscany!

Resources for further reading:

Asking for directions in Italian

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Dove posso trovare la stazione dei treni, per cortesia?

Where can I find the train station, please?

Come posso arrivare alla stazione dei treni?

How do I get to the train station?

Sa (Lei) dove si trova la stazione dei treni?

Do you know where the train station is? (formal)

Sai (tu) dove si trova la stazione dei treni?

Do you know where the train station is? (casual)

Road sign

Another more complete way of asking for directions is by saying…

Mi scusi, potrebbe dirmi dove si trova la stazione dei treni, per favore?

Excuse me, could you please tell me where the train station is? (formal)

Scusa, potresti dirmi dove si trova la stazione dei treni, per favore?

Excuse me, could you please tell me where the train station is? (casual)

Here's a list of some places you might like to go to and places you may pass on the way to getting there.

L'agenzia di viaggio

The travel agency

La strada

The street

Il centro commerciale

The shopping center

Il centro storico

The historic center

La stazione di polizia

The police station

L'ospedale

The hospital

Il parco

The park

Il municipio

The town hall

I bagni pubblici / le toilette pubbliche

The public restrooms

Il centro città

The town center

La periferia

The suburb

Il monumento

The monument

Il bar

The bar

Here are some words and phrases you might get to hear when asking for directions in Italian…

Sinistra

Left

Destra

Right

A sinistra

To the left

A destra

To the right

Dritto / diritto

Straight

Alla fine di

At the end of

All'inizio di

A the beginning of

A ovest

To the west

A nord

To the north

A sud

To the south

A est

To the east

When someone gives you directions in Italian, they'll tell you that you need to take such-and-such street, turn left, and then follow another street…

Prenda… / Prendi…

Take… (formal / informal)

Attraversa… / Attraversi…

Cross (formal / informal)

Segua… /Segui…

Follow (formal / informal)

Vada... / Vai...

Go (formal / informal)

Do not cross here

Dietro l'angolo

Around the corner

La prossima strada a sinistra

The next street to the left.

La prossima strada a destra

The next street to the right.

La prossima strada

The street after the next.

L'angolo

The corner

Il ponte

The bridge

Di fronte a

In front of

Vicino a

Next to

Now, you might want to know whether it is far or not…

È molto lontano?

Is it very far?

È lontano.

It's far.

Non è lontano.

It's not far.

È vicino?

Is it close by?

È vicino.

It's close by.

Non è vicino.

It's not close by.

For more lessons on Italian vocabulary I recommend these!

A presto!

Maria DiLorenzi and the Rocket Italian Team

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