German - Asking Directions

Lesson 107 of 158

Learner looking at a city map while practicing German direction phrases — Asking Directions A1 lesson.

Goal: Simple German phrases to find places in the city

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

Ready to get around town in German? This short lesson helps you ask and follow basic directions with friendly, repeatable phrases.

Level A1: In this lesson (107) you'll practice common direction phrases like asking where to turn, saying go to or go past a place, and telling someone to cross or take the first street. This CEFR-aligned set is compact and practical — listen, repeat, and try the short quizzes.

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Recognize and use A1-direction phrases in German (asking and giving directions).
  • Practice short commands: Geh bis zu ___, Geh an ___ vorbei, Überquere ___, Nimm die erste ___.
  • Learn to describe locations: gegenüber von, zwischen, vor, hinter.
A friendly street scene illustrating German direction phrases like 'Geh bis zu ___' and 'Nimm die erste ___'.

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.

Muss ich bei ___ abbiegen?

Do I turn at ___?

Meaning: Do I turn at ___?

When to use: Use this question when you want to confirm if you should turn at a specific landmark or intersection (e.g., the traffic light, church, or square).

Tip: Beginners sometimes omit 'bei' and say only 'Muss ich ___ abbiegen?'; include 'bei' with landmarks.

Muss ich bei der Ampel abbiegen?
Do I turn at the traffic light?
Muss ich bei der Kirche abbiegen?
Do I turn at the church?

Geh bis zu ___.

Go to ___.

Meaning: Go to ___.

When to use: Use this short command to tell someone to continue until a named place (e.g., 'Geh bis zum Bahnhof' or 'Geh bis zur Kreuzung').

Geh bis zum Bahnhof.
Go to the train station.
Geh bis zur nächsten Kreuzung.
Go to the next intersection.

Geh an ___ vorbei.

Go past ___.

Meaning: Go past ___.

When to use: Use when you want someone to pass a landmark on the way (e.g., pass a bakery, park, or store).

Tip: Watch dative forms: say 'an der Bäckerei vorbei' (not 'an die Bäckerei vorbei').

Geh an der Bäckerei vorbei.
Go past the bakery.
Geh am Park vorbei.
Go past the park.

Überquere ___.

Cross ___.

Meaning: Cross ___.

When to use: Use the imperative to tell someone to cross a street, square, or bridge (e.g., 'Überquere die Straße').

Überquere die Straße.
Cross the street.
Überquere den Platz.
Cross the square.

Es ist gegenüber von ___.

It's across from ___.

Meaning: It's across from ___.

When to use: Use to describe a place that faces another place (e.g., 'Es ist gegenüber von der Schule').

Es ist gegenüber von der Post.
It's across from the post office.
Es ist gegenüber vom Hotel.
It's across from the hotel.

Es ist zwischen ___ und ___.

It's between ___ and ___.

Meaning: It's between ___ and ___.

When to use: Use to point out a location that sits between two landmarks or streets (e.g., 'zwischen der Kirche und dem Rathaus').

Es ist zwischen der Kirche und dem Rathaus.
It's between the church and the town hall.
Es ist zwischen dem Park und der Apotheke.
It's between the park and the pharmacy.

Es ist vor ___.

It's in front of ___.

Meaning: It's in front of ___.

When to use: Use to tell someone a place is located directly in front of another landmark (e.g., 'Es ist vor dem Kino').

Es ist vor dem Kino.
It's in front of the cinema.
Es ist vor dem Supermarkt.
It's in front of the supermarket.

Es ist hinter ___.

It's behind ___.

Meaning: It's behind ___.

When to use: Use to say a place is located behind another landmark (e.g., 'Es ist hinter dem Museum').

Es ist hinter dem Museum.
It's behind the museum.
Es ist hinter dem Bahnhof.
It's behind the train station.

Nimm die erste ___.

Take the first ___.

Meaning: Take the first ___.

When to use: Use to tell someone to take the first street, exit, or turn (e.g., 'Nimm die erste Straße links').

Tip: Remember gender: 'die erste Straße' but 'den ersten Weg' — endings depend on the noun.

Nimm die erste Straße links.
Take the first street on the left.
Nimm die erste Ausfahrt.
Take the first exit.

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

Asking a passerby for directions to a nearby place

Two people on a sidewalk using German direction phrases in a short conversation about a nearby church and bakery.

Where does David first tell Anna to go?

Portrait of Anna in a German lesson dialogue

Anna

Entschuldigung, muss ich bei der Ampel abbiegen?

Excuse me, do I turn at the traffic light?

Portrait of David in a German lesson dialogue

David

Nein. Geh bis zur großen Kirche.

No. Go to the big church.

Portrait of Anna in a German lesson dialogue

Anna

Und soll ich an der Bäckerei vorbei gehen?

And should I go past the bakery?

Portrait of David in a German lesson dialogue

David

Ja. Überquere die Straße und nimm die erste Straße links.

Yes. Cross the street and take the first street on the left.

Portrait of Anna in a German lesson dialogue

Anna

Danke. Ist es gegenüber von der Post?

Thanks. Is it across from the post office?

Portrait of David in a German lesson dialogue

David

Genau, gegenüber von der Post.

Exactly, across from the post office.

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

Which German phrase asks 'Do I turn at ___?'

How do you say 'Go past the bakery.' in German?

Which phrase means 'It's across from the post office.'?

Which instruction tells someone to take the first street?

Excuse me, do I turn at the traffic light?

Entschuldigung, ___ der Ampel abbiegen?

From here, go to the square.

Von hier aus ___ dem Platz.

Go past the bakery and cross the street.

Geh ___ und überquere die Straße.

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:

Muss ich bei ___ abbiegen?

Do I turn at ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

Geh bis zu ___.

Go to ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

Geh an ___ vorbei.

Go past ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

Überquere ___.

Cross ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

Es ist gegenüber von ___.

It's across from ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

Es ist zwischen ___ und ___.

It's between ___ and ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

Es ist vor ___.

It's in front of ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

Es ist hinter ___.

It's behind ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

Nimm die erste ___.

Take the first ___.