{"id":118243,"date":"2023-03-10T22:57:37","date_gmt":"2023-03-11T03:57:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/directions-in-french\/"},"modified":"2025-01-30T23:36:16","modified_gmt":"2025-01-31T04:36:16","slug":"directions-in-french","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/french\/directions-in-french\/","title":{"rendered":"Important Vocabulary for Directions in French (with Audio)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Asking for directions is one of the most important elements of basic French conversation, especially when you’re new to a French-speaking city.\u00a0We can help you become the human version of French Google Maps<\/a> (which, by the way, is a\u00a0great resource for learning vocab<\/a> and seeing how directions are written in French).<\/p>\n

Once you master the structures, nail down vocabulary and explore enough on your own, you may even end up giving directions yourself.<\/p>\n

[fluentu-toc]<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Most Important French Direction Vocabulary<\/h2>\n

Whether you’re heading somewhere en bus \u00a0<\/strong><\/em>(by bus), en train <\/strong><\/em>(by train), en voiture <\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>(by car) or \u00e0 pied <\/strong><\/em>\u00a0<\/i>(by foot), it’s crucial to know how to use the correct words and phrases. <\/span><\/p>\n

Otherwise, how will you find anything, or, even more importantly, locate l’a\u00e9roport <\/strong><\/em><\/span>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>(t<\/span>he airport) or la gare <\/strong><\/em><\/span>\u00a0<\/i><\/strong>(t<\/span>he train station) to begin your French journey?<\/span><\/p>\n

But before you get way ahead of yourself, make sure you lock down these phrases before purchasing un billet <\/strong><\/em>\u00a0<\/i>(a ticket).<\/span><\/p>\n

Tout droit <\/em> \u2014 Straight ahead<\/h3>\n

This is one of the most important direction phrases. Used in a sentence, it’s often repeated a few times, sometimes with the tout<\/em>\u00a0repeated for emphasis:<\/p>\n

“Oui, juste tout droit.” <\/em>(Yes, just straight ahead.)<\/p>\n

How it’s used:<\/strong><\/p>\n

“O\u00f9 sont les toilettes ?” <\/em> (Where is the bathroom?)<\/p>\n

“Il faut aller\u00a0tout droit.”\u00a0<\/em> (Go straight ahead.)<\/p>\n

\u00c0 droite \u2014 <\/i>To the right<\/h3>\n

What gets tricky with this phrase is the pronunciation. It’s imperative to note that droit \u00a0<\/em>in the direction phrase\u00a0tout droit<\/em> is pronounced\u00a0\/d\u0280wa\/, while, due to the “e” at the end\u00a0(indicating that you should pronounce all the letters in the word rather than cutting off the ending), droite <\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>should be pronounced \/d\u0280wat\/, with the “t” sound at the end. (For more information on the International Phonetic Alphabet and how to read it, visit their website<\/a>).<\/p>\n

As you first begin to use these direction words, pay special attention to this, as it’s the difference between going straight and turning right. Three straights don’t necessarily make a right!<\/p>\n

How it’s used:<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Excusez-moi, je cherche la boulangerie.” <\/em> (Excuse me, I’m looking for the bakery.)<\/p>\n

“Si vous allez tout droit, puis \u00e0 droite \u00e0 la Rue Verte, elle est au coin de la rue.” <\/em> (If you go straight ahead, then take a right at the Rue Verte, it’s at the corner.)<\/p>\n

\u00c0 gauche <\/em>\u2014<\/i>\u00a0<\/i>To the left<\/h3>\n

There’s no similar confusion on pronunciation here. Pronunciation is exactly like the word “gauche” in English\u2014which means something completely different (lacking ease or grace).<\/p>\n

How it’s used:<\/strong><\/p>\n

“O\u00f9 est le pont ?” <\/em> (Where is the bridge?)<\/p>\n

“Prenez \u00e0 gauche au parc.” <\/em> (Take a left at the park.)<\/p>\n

Nord, sud, ouest,<\/i>\u00a0<\/i> est<\/a>\u00a0<\/i>\u2014 <\/i><\/i>North, south, west, east<\/h3>\n

The cardinal directions above are useful in the city, when you’re familiar with the way the streets run and you know that Montmartre and the Sacr\u00e9-C\u0153ur are north of the Louvre and the Tuileries.<\/p>\n

A lot of locals will use the cardinal directions to tell you where to go, because, naturally, they’re familiar with the city and how it’s laid out.<\/p>\n

Of course, if you’re spending the day out hiking, these directions will be your only option\u2014so either way, they’re necessary.<\/p>\n

Just be careful with the pronunciation for\u00a0est\u2014<\/em>if it means east, the pronunciation changes to “ayst” (instead of the usual “ay”).\u00a0<\/p>\n

How they’re used:<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Est-ce qu’il y a un restaurant \u00e0 c\u00f4t\u00e9 ?” \u00a0 <\/em>(Is there a restaurant close by?)<\/p>\n

“Il y a un restaurant italien au sud de la gare.” <\/em> (There’s an Italian restaurant south of the train station.)<\/p>\n

Pr\u00e8<\/i>s de \/ \u00c0 c\u00f4t\u00e9 (de) <\/em> <\/em>\u2014<\/i>\u00a0<\/em><\/em>Close to<\/h3>\n

Just as important as knowing whether to turn right or left is identifying landmarks in relation to other landmarks.\u00a0Pr\u00e8s de<\/strong>,\u00a0<\/em>or “close to,” along with \u00e0 c\u00f4t\u00e9<\/em><\/strong>,<\/em> is a phrase that will help you do just that.<\/p>\n

Note that the preposition de \u00a0<\/strong><\/em>contracts with le \u00a0<\/strong><\/em>and les <\/em>\u00a0<\/strong>to make du <\/strong><\/em> and des <\/strong><\/em>\u00a0respectively. This applies to the expressions above as well as to the other expressions in this post.<\/p>\n

How it’s used:<\/strong><\/p>\n

(See the above example for\u00a0\u00e0 c\u00f4t\u00e9.)<\/em><\/p>\n

“L’\u00e9glise est pr\u00e8s du m\u00e9tro.” <\/em> (The church is close to the metro.)<\/p>\n

En face de <\/em>\u2014 <\/i>In front of<\/strong><\/h3>\n

En face de<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0is another great direction word that will help you find your location while looking for landmarks and important places nearby.<\/p>\n

How it’s used:<\/strong><\/p>\n

“La maison est en face de l’\u00e9glise.” <\/em> (The house is in front of the church.)<\/p>\n

Au coin de <\/em>\u2014 <\/i>At the corner of<\/h3>\n

This one’s a bit more specific, but you might hear it in the city.<\/p>\n

How it’s used:<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Il y a un supermarch\u00e9 au coin de ma rue.” <\/em> (There’s a supermarket on my street corner.)<\/p>\n

Ways to Ask for Directions<\/h2>\n

O\u00f9 est <\/em>\u2014 <\/i>Where is…<\/h3>\n

The simplest and quickest way to ask where something is located in French is to start the sentence with O\u00f9 est…\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Looking for the post office?<\/p>\n

“O\u00f9 est la poste ?” <\/em><\/p>\n

The nearest coffee shop?<\/p>\n

“O\u00f9 est le caf\u00e9 ?”\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

The library?<\/p>\n

“O\u00f9 est la biblioth\u00e8que ?” <\/em><\/p>\n

It’s quick, easy to pronounce and gets straight to the point.<\/p>\n

Est-ce que <\/em>\u2014 <\/i>is \/ are \/ does<\/h3>\n

This structure will be useful when you’re using basic question words like qui \u00a0<\/strong><\/em>(who), quoi \u00a0<\/em><\/strong>(what), quand <\/strong><\/em> \/ o\u00f9 <\/strong>\u00a0<\/i>(when), o\u00f9 \u00a0<\/strong><\/em>(where) and comment <\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>(how), and really, when you’re asking most questions.<\/p>\n

Est-ce que<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0functions as the “is\/are\/does” in a sentence like “Where is the church?” or “How does one get to Paris?”<\/p>\n

For example:<\/p>\n

“O\u00f9 est-ce que je peux trouver la gare ?” <\/em>(Where can I find the train station?)<\/p>\n

“Comment est-ce qu’on peut aller au centre ville ?” <\/em> (How can one get to the center of the city?)<\/p>\n

Inverted subject-verb<\/h3>\n

One way to ask a question in French<\/a> is to reverse the subject and verb and connect them with a hyphen. We do something similar in English.<\/p>\n

For example:<\/p>\n

“Puis-je aller au magasin ?” <\/em> (Can I go to the store?)<\/p>\n

This will come in handy when asking for directions, especially when you’re wanting to avoid using the sometimes long-winded Est-ce que<\/em>\u00a0but still would like to be polite.<\/p>\n

“Pouvez-vous me dire comment aller \u00e0 Notre-Dame ?” <\/em> (Can you tell me how to get to Notre Dame?)<\/p>\n

Transition Words for Giving and Understanding Directions<\/h2>\n

Puis <\/i>\u2014 <\/i><\/i>Then<\/h3>\n

Puis <\/strong><\/em>is a simple transition word that is used when giving consecutive directions.<\/p>\n

How it’s used:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Prenez \u00e0 droite, puis allez tout droit.” <\/em> (Go right, then go straight ahead.)<\/p>\n

Apr\u00e8s <\/i>\u2014 <\/i><\/i>After<\/h3>\n

Apr\u00e8s<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0has functionality similar to puis.<\/em><\/p>\n

How it’s used:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Prenez \u00e0 droite, et apr\u00e8s \u00e7a, allez tout droit.” <\/em> (Go right, and after that, go straight ahead.)<\/p>\n

Enfin <\/i>\u2014 <\/i><\/i>Finally<\/strong><\/h3>\n

If you’re receiving a set of directions that’s particularly long, you may hear enfin.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

How it’s used:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Prenez \u00e0 droite, puis allez tout droit, et enfin, prenez \u00e0 gauche au parc.” <\/em><\/p>\n

(Go right, then go straight ahead, and finally, take a left at the park.)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Now that you’ve mastered French directions, you’re free to hop on your avion \u00a0<\/strong><\/em>(plane) or bateau <\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>(boat), and start your travel adventure!<\/p>\n

But if you’re still not feeling comfortable enough in French to figure out your way around a foreign country, you can review more everyday phrases and questions using French language learning apps<\/a> or online classes<\/a>.<\/p>\n

So hopefully now, armed with all these phrases and resources, you’re feeling prepared and excited for your French vacation.<\/p>\n

Good luck\u2014and bon voyage ! <\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

And One More Thing...<\/h2>\r\n

\r\n\tIf you like learning French at your own pace and from the comfort of your device, I have to tell you about FluentU<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

\r\nFluentU makes it easier (and way more fun) to learn French by making real content like movies and series accessible to learners. You can check out FluentU's curated video library, or bring our learning tools directly to Netflix or YouTube<\/strong> with the FluentU Chrome extension. \r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\"learn-french-with-videos\"<\/a><\/p>\r\n

\r\nOne of the features I find most helpful is the interactive captions<\/strong>\u2014you can tap on any word to see its meaning, an image, pronunciation, and other examples from different contexts. It\u2019s a great way to pick up French vocab without having to pause and look things up separately.\r\n<\/p>

\r\n\"learn-french-with-movies\"<\/a><\/p>\r\n

\r\nFluentU also helps reinforce what you\u2019ve learned<\/strong> with personalized quizzes. You can swipe through extra examples and complete engaging exercises that adapt to your progress. You'll get extra practice with the words you find more challenging and even be reminded you when it\u2019s time to review!\r\n<\/p>

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\r\nYou can use FluentU on your computer, tablet, or phone with our app for Apple or Android devices. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Asking for directions is one of the most important elements of basic French conversation, especially when you’re new to a French-speaking city.\u00a0We can help you become the human version of…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":75,"featured_media":249522,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"slim_seo":{"title":"Important Vocabulary for Directions in French (with Audio) | FluentU French Blog","description":"Learn directions in French with this practical guide, which takes you through common phrases for giving and asking directions. Aside from important vocabulary, find out about useful grammar points like asking questions and using transition words for more complex directions. All of the phrases come with audio!"},"footnotes":""},"categories":[570,571],"tags":[],"coauthors":[673],"class_list":["post-118243","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-french","category-french-vocabulary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118243","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/75"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=118243"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118243\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":239405,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118243\/revisions\/239405"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/249522"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=118243"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=118243"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=118243"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=118243"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}