How do you say "Turn left" in Japanese?

"Turn left" in Japanese is "左に曲がってください。". This phrase is commonly used in Japan.

What does "左に曲がってください。" mean in English?

"左に曲がってください。" means "Turn left" in English. Usage tip: Classic direction phrase: [左に] + [曲がってください] = “Please turn left.”

⬅️↩️

How to Say ‘Turn left’ in Japanese

左に曲がってください。

hidari ni magatsu te kudasai

[hee-dah-ree nee mah-gaht teh koo-dah-sigh]

💬 Usage Tip: Classic direction phrase: [左に] + [曲がってください] = “Please turn left.”

🇯🇵 In Japan: If someone is helping you, they might add a distance cue like “a little” or “at the next one,” but the core is this phrase.

Phrase Breakdown

左

hidari

[hee-dah-ree]

left

Left direction. Frequently paired with 曲がる for instructions: 左に曲がってください (Please turn left).

Example

次の交差点を左に曲がってください。

Please turn left at the next intersection.

に

[nee]

to; toward (direction marker)

に indicates the direction of the turn: 左に = “to the left.”

Example

左に曲がってください。

Please turn left.

曲がってください

magatsu te kudasai

please turn

曲がる (to turn) in te-form + ください. A standard polite direction instruction.

Example

次の角を曲がってください。

Please turn at the next corner.

Words in this phrase

曲がっ

magatsu

[mah-gaht]

turn

Stem of 曲がる. With て + ください it becomes a polite command used in directions.

Example

左に曲がってください。

Please turn left.

て

[teh]

(te-form)

Connects to ください to form a polite request: 曲がってください.

Example

左に曲がってください。

Please turn left.

ください

kudasai

[koo-dah-sigh]

please (do)

Polite request word used after て-form verbs. Standard phrasing for giving directions politely.

Example

左に曲がってください。

Please turn left.

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