By Ima Ocon Last updated: December 6, 2023

How to Ask for and Give Directions in English: 200+ Essential Words and Phrases

Thanks to Google Maps, it’s easier than ever to find your way around, but being able to ask for and give directions is still an essential English skill.

After all, talking to locals is fun too. They might be able to tell you about a cool cafe where you can stop on the way to your destination. You’ll get to practice English conversation—and we all know that practice makes perfect.

Read on for useful expressions for asking and giving directions in English. Then check out an example conversation that puts these into practice!

Important Direction Vocabulary Words

woman standing in front of traffic lights

Before we get into phrases for asking and giving directions, let’s look at the most basic words that you’ll need to know.

Verbs Related to Directions

The following verbs are very important. In fact, you can give very simple but effective directions just with the verbs “turn…” and “go straight…”

Position Words

You’ll need to know position words for clearer directions. For example, the destination might be near a coffee shop or next to a bank.

General Direction Words

These words represent the eight main directions in English. You’ll still see them on maps (and even on street names sometimes):

Asking for Directions

tourist asking for directions

I know you might be shy and it’s hard to stop a stranger on the street. Perhaps you’re not confident about your spoken English fluency. Maybe it’s your listening skills that you’re worried about.

But asking for directions in English is actually quite straightforward if you know the right vocabulary!

Basic Phrases

When you’re approaching someone to ask for directions, start off with these polite phrases to get their attention:

Then you can ask for directions to the specific place you have in mind:

Distance

Distance can be described by kilometers or miles, but you can also ask about time—how long it’ll take you to get to your destination.

Transportation

Common modes of transportation include walking, taking the bus or train, driving and even riding a bike.

Landmarks

Landmarks are very helpful for checking if you’re on the right track with the directions.

Clarifications

Since listening to directions can sometimes be confusing, you can make sure you’re understanding it correctly with these expressions:

Saying Thank You

Of course, don’t forget to thank the other person afterwards!

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Giving Directions

girl giving directions to tourist

Chances are, you’ve experienced being asked for help before with directions. Giving directions in English is a little trickier because you need to imagine the route that the other person will take, but you’ll get the hang of it with practice! It’s important to give the right directions because you don’t want other people to get (more) lost, do you?