PortuTalk Mascot
PortuTalkBetaLearn to speak like a local.
A1 · Beginner

Asking for Directions

Ask for directions in European Portuguese and understand the answer — onde fica, vire à esquerda, sempre em frente, and the prepositions of place.

📝 Vocabulary

PortugueseEnglishNotes
Onde fica...?Where is...?The go-to question for locations
A estaçãoThe station
A ruaThe street
A praçaThe square
À esquerdaTo the left
À direitaTo the right
Sempre em frenteStraight aheadLiterally 'always ahead' — what locals actually say
Vire à esquerdaTurn leftFormal command
Perto / longeNear / far
Fica longe?Is it far?

Advertisement

💡 Grammar Notes

Ser vs. Ficar for Locations

While ser and estar both mean "to be", for the fixed location of a building or street, European Portuguese loves the verb ficar (to be located):

  • "Onde fica o metro?" (Where is the metro located?)
  • "A estação fica perto." (The station is nearby.)

"Onde é...?" also works and you will hear both — but fica is the word that makes you sound local.

Understanding the Answer: Commands

Directions come back as formal commands (the imperative). The big three:

  • Vire à direita. (Turn right.)
  • Siga / Vá sempre em frente. (Go straight ahead.)
  • Atravesse a praça. (Cross the square.)

You do not need to produce these — just recognize them while nodding confidently.

Prepositions of Place

The little words that locate everything:

  • ao lado de (next to): "Fica ao lado do banco." (It's next to the bank.)
  • em frente de (in front of / opposite): "É em frente da igreja."
  • perto de / longe de (near / far from): "Fica perto da estação?"
  • atrás de (behind): "O café fica atrás do mercado."

Note how de contracts with the article: de + o = do, de + a = da.

Advertisement