Lesson 7- Asking where things are
Asking where things are
Two questions that will get you out of almost any situation.
You’re lost. Your train leaves in fifteen minutes. You need to find the platform, the exit, the taxi rank. Two questions do all of this.
DOV’È?
Where is…?
Dov’è is a contraction of dove è — where is. Use it whenever you need to find something specific.
Dov’è + il/la/l’ + place?
Dov’è la fermata? — Where is the bus stop?
Dov’è la fermata?
Where is the bus stop?
Dov’è il binario sette?
Where is platform 7?
Dov’è l’uscita?
Where is the exit?
Dov’è il posteggio taxi?
Where is the taxi rank?
Dov’è la biglietteria?
Where is the ticket office?
No article? For proper names and some places you drop it: Dov’è Termini? — Where is Termini station? Works fine.
PER ANDARE A…?
How do I get to…?
This is softer and more natural than dov’è when you’re asking for directions to a place rather than just locating something nearby.
Per andare a + place?
Per andare al Colosseo? — How do I get to the Colosseum?
Per andare al Colosseo?
How do I get to the Colosseum?
Per andare alla stazione?
How do I get to the station?
Per andare all’aeroporto?
How do I get to the airport?
Per andare in centro?
How do I get to the centre?
a + il = al | a + la = alla | a + l’ = all’
These contractions are automatic in Italian. You’ll hear them and start using them naturally.
These contractions are automatic in Italian. You’ll hear them and start using them naturally.
CAPIRE LA RISPOSTA
Understanding directions
You asked. Someone answered. These are the words you need to understand.
sempre dritto
straight ahead
a destra
on the right
a sinistra
on the left
gira a destra
turn right
gira a sinistra
turn left
è lì
it’s there
a piedi
on foot
al primo piano
on the first floor
Survival tip: if the answer is too fast or too long, say può ripetere piano, per favore? — can you repeat slowly please? No one minds.
PRACTICE
Quick check
You want to find the exit. What do you ask?
Someone tells you “gira a sinistra”. What do you do?
How do you ask “How do I get to the station?”
You didn’t understand the directions. What do you say?