Asking for Directions in Russian
A phone battery dies, a map lies, and suddenly the most useful grammar in the world is «Извините, где метро?». This lesson makes sure you can both ask and — crucially — understand the answer.
Opening the Question
| Russian | English |
|---|---|
| Извините, где метро? | Excuse me, where's the metro? |
| Скажите, пожалуйста, где банк? | Could you tell me where the bank is? |
| Как пройти к вокзалу? | How do I get to the station? (on foot) |
The Three Directions
Ninety percent of every route:
| Russian | English |
|---|---|
| прямо | straight ahead |
| налево | to the left |
| направо | to the right |
| потом | then |
Прямо, потом налево.
Straight, then left.
Note: Real directions are short. Listen for the direction words and the потом between them.
Commands You'll Hear
Answers come as polite commands — learn them as sounds first; the grammar of imperatives comes later:
| Russian | English |
|---|---|
| Идите прямо! | Go straight! |
| Поверните направо! | Turn right! |
| Идите до конца улицы. | Go to the end of the street. |
Извините, где почта?
Excuse me, where's the post office?
Идите прямо, потом поверните налево. Почта рядом с банком.
Go straight, then turn left. The post office is next to the bank.
Это далеко?
Is it far?
Нет, близко. Пять минут пешком.
No, close. Five minutes on foot.
Near and Far
| Russian | English |
|---|---|
| далеко | far |
| близко | near |
| рядом | right nearby |
| находится | is located — Где находится музей? |
Common Mistakes
- Stopping strangers with «эй». Извините opens every polite request.
- Confusing налево and направо under stress. Право = right (think “right = law”, право). Лево is what's left.
- Asking but not listening. If the answer floods past you: «Извините, ещё раз?» — sorry, once more?
What You Can Do Now
You can stop anyone politely, ask where anything is, follow their answer turn by turn — and confirm the happy news that it's рядом.