Basic directions: Asking for directions
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Key Phrases
Wo ist die nächste U-Bahn-Station?
Where is the nearest subway station?
Wie komme ich dorthin?
How do I get there?
Gehen Sie geradeaus, dann links.
Go straight ahead, then left.
Skills You'll Learn
Ask politely for directions in public places.
Höflich nach dem Weg an öffentlichen Orten fragen.
Understand simple route instructions such as straight ahead and left.
Einfache Wegbeschreibungen wie geradeaus und links verstehen.
Ask about distance and walking time to a destination.
Nach Entfernung und Gehzeit zu einem Ziel fragen.
Lesson Roleplay
Imagine you are in Germany and need help finding the nearest U-Bahn station. You politely ask a passerby for directions, and they explain the simple walking route to get there.
Entschuldigung, wo ist die nächste U-Bahn-Station?
Excuse me, where is the nearest subway station?
Hallo, die nächste Station ist ganz in der Nähe.
Hello, the nearest station is very close by.
Wirklich? Wie komme ich dorthin?
Really? How do I get there?
Gehen Sie geradeaus bis zur Ampel.
Go straight ahead until the traffic light.
Dann links und noch zwei Minuten zu Fuß.
Then turn left and it’s another two minutes on foot.
Lesson Vocabulary & Phrases
Entschuldigung
ent-SHOOL-dee-goong
Excuse me
🇩🇪 Use [Entschuldigung] to get a stranger's attention before asking for directions; it's the normal polite opener, not a dramatic apology.
See breakdown →Wo
voh
Where
Ist
ist
Is
Die nächste U-Bahn-Station
dee NEKH-steh OO-bahn-shta-tsee-OHN
The next subway station
💬 [Nächste] here means "nearest," not strictly "next in order." The same thing happens in [die nächste Apotheke] for "the nearest pharmacy."
See breakdown →Wo ist die nächste U-Bahn-Station?
voh ist dee NEKH-steh OO-bahn-shta-tsee-OHN
Where is the nearest subway station?
💬 [Nächste] here means "nearest," not strictly "next in order." You'll hear the same pattern in [die nächste Haltestelle] for "the nearest stop."
See breakdown →Die nächste
dee NEKH-steh
The next
💬 [Nächste] often means "nearest" in direction questions, not just "next." So [die nächste Station] is usually the closest station, not the one that comes next on a route.
See breakdown →Station
shta-tsee-OHN
Station
Die nächste Station
dee NEKH-steh shta-tsee-OHN
The nearest station
💬 [Nächste] often means "nearest" in direction questions, not just "next." Compare [die nächste Bank] = "the nearest bank."
See breakdown →Ganz
gahnts
Quite
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