French - Asking Directions

Lesson 107 of 159

Person holding a map and asking for directions in French — lesson about asking directions for learners.

Goal: Simple questions and short commands to find a place

Free French lessons with guided practice, audio, and speaking support.

Welcome — ready to find your way in French-speaking streets? This short lesson gives you friendly phrases people actually use when asking for and giving directions. Say them out loud as you learn.

Level A1: In this lesson you'll practice short, useful direction phrases: asking if you turn at a place, telling someone to go until a point, pass something, cross, and saying where something is (in front/behind/between/across). CEFR-aligned and practical — quick, clear, and street-smart for lesson 107.

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Understand and use basic direction phrases at A1 level.
  • Ask a local if you should turn at a specific place: "Je tourne à ___ ?"
  • Give or follow short instructions: "Va jusqu'à ___.", "Passe devant ___.", "Prends la première à ___."
A friendly street scene with signs and landmarks to practice French direction phrases.

Ready? Let's go!

When you tap play on phrases, we track your progress through this lesson.

1. Reading + Listening Practice

Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.

Je tourne à ___ ?

Do I turn at ___?

Meaning: Do I turn at ___?

When to use: Ask this when you want to confirm a specific turn point (a street, plaza, or intersection).

Tip: Don’t forget the article when needed: « à la rue » / « au carrefour » depending on the noun.

Je tourne à la rue Victor ?
Do I turn at Victor Street?
Je tourne au carrefour ?
Do I turn at the intersection?

Va jusqu'à ___.

Go to ___.

Meaning: Go to ___.

When to use: Tell someone to continue straight until a landmark or point.

Va jusqu'à la place.
Go to the square.
Va jusqu'à la gare.
Go to the station.

Passe devant ___.

Go past ___.

Meaning: Go past ___.

When to use: Use this to tell someone to walk or drive by a visible place on the way.

Passe devant la bibliothèque.
Pass by the library.
Passe devant le parc.
Go past the park.

Traverse ___.

Cross ___.

Meaning: Cross ___.

When to use: Tell someone to cross a street, square, or small area.

Traverse la rue.
Cross the street.
Traverse la place.
Cross the square.

C'est en face de ___.

It's across from ___.

Meaning: It's across from ___.

When to use: Use this to point out that a place is on the opposite side of a street or square.

C'est en face de la poste.
It's across from the post office.
Le café, c'est en face du cinéma.
The café is across from the cinema.

C'est entre ___ et ___.

It's between ___ and ___.

Meaning: It's between ___ and ___.

When to use: Say this to locate a place that sits between two landmarks.

C'est entre la banque et le supermarché.
It's between the bank and the supermarket.
La boulangerie est entre la pharmacie et le parc.
The bakery is between the pharmacy and the park.

C'est devant ___.

It's in front of ___.

Meaning: It's in front of ___.

When to use: Use this to point to a place located directly before another landmark.

C'est devant la mairie.
It's in front of the town hall.
Le marché est devant l'école.
The market is in front of the school.

C'est derrière ___.

It's behind ___.

Meaning: It's behind ___.

When to use: Say this when a place is on the back side of a landmark.

C'est derrière le cinéma.
It's behind the cinema.
Le jardin est derrière la bibliothèque.
The garden is behind the library.

Prends la première à ___.

Take the first ___.

Meaning: Take the first ___.

When to use: Give a simple turn instruction: usually followed by left (gauche) or right (droite).

Tip: Be clear left/right: learners sometimes forget to add « à droite » or « à gauche » after the phrase.

Prends la première à droite.
Take the first right.
Prends la première à gauche après le parc.
Take the first left after the park.

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

Anna asks a passerby for help finding a museum.

Two people on a street using short French direction phrases to explain how to get somewhere.

Is Anna asking where to turn or how to continue?

Portrait of Anna in a French lesson dialogue

Anna

Je tourne à la rue Victor ?

Do I turn at Victor Street?

Portrait of David in a French lesson dialogue

David

Non. Va jusqu'à la place, puis passe devant la bibliothèque.

No. Go to the square, then go past the library.

Portrait of Anna in a French lesson dialogue

Anna

Après la bibliothèque ?

After the library?

Portrait of David in a French lesson dialogue

David

Prends la première à droite. Le musée, c'est en face de la poste.

Take the first right. The museum is across from the post office.

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

Which French phrase means 'Go past the library'?

Which phrase asks 'Do I turn at the intersection?'

Which instruction tells you to cross something?

Which phrase would you use to say 'It's between the bank and the supermarket'?

Walk straight to the station, then cross the square to reach the museum.

Walk straight to the station, then ___ the square to reach the museum.

Is the café opposite the library? — Yes, it's across from the library.

Is the café opposite the library? — Yes, ___ en face de la bibliothèque.

From the park, take the first left, the bakery is right there.

From the park, ___ la première à gauche, the bakery is right there.

Match the core phrases

Match the extra phrases

4. Speaking Practice

Say phrases yourself (mic/recording).

Recording stays on your device only. Check speech uses your browser's speech tools when available.

Say this phrase out loud:

Je tourne à ___ ?

Do I turn at ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

Va jusqu'à ___.

Go to ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

Passe devant ___.

Go past ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

Traverse ___.

Cross ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

C'est en face de ___.

It's across from ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

C'est entre ___ et ___.

It's between ___ and ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

C'est devant ___.

It's in front of ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

C'est derrière ___.

It's behind ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

Prends la première à ___.

Take the first ___.