Asking for Directions in German
How to Find Your Way Around Germany, Switzerland, and Austria
Feb 17, 2009
Even though many people in German-speaking countries know English, it is beneficial to at least have a basic grasp of the German language when traveling to Germany, Austria, or the German-speaking part of Switzerland. Knowing how to ask for directions, particularly in an area less frequented by tourists where the use of English may not be as widespread, can be extremely useful.
Going in the Right Direction
Here are some useful terms every beginning German speaker should know before traveling in a German-speaking country.
Basics for Getting Around:
- How do I get to...?: Wie komme ich nach...?
- Where is...?: Wo ist...?
- (to the) left: (nach) links
- (to the) right: (nach) rechts
- straight ahead: geradeaus
- street: die Strasse
- alley/smaller street: die Gasse
- direction (way, as in left or right or straight ahead, not instructions): die Richtung
- on the way: auf dem Weg
North, South, East, and West:
- north: nord
- south: sued
- east: ost
- west: west
The verb for "turn around" is umdrehen, and the command form is "Drehen Sie um." ("Turn around.") If you hear that, then you'll know you were going the wrong way!
Useful Transportation Terms in German
Public transportation systems in German-speaking countries are excellent. Use them and learn how to ask where they are.
- subway/metro/underground: die U-Bahn
- streetcar: die Strassenbahn
- taxi: der Taxi
- the (bus, train, etc.) stop: die Haltestelle
So if you were looking for the nearest Strassenbahn, you would say, Wo ist die Strassenbahn? Or, if you wanted to get fancy, you could say Wo ist die Strassenbahnhaltestelle? (German is a language fond of very long compound words, so do not be intimidated by street signs with lots of text.)
Ways to Indicate Destination in German
The German language has several ways of expressing destination: nach is the most commonly used for cities and some countries. For example, you would go nach Berlin, nach Deutschland, nach Oesterreich (Austria). Switzerland is the exception, however, as it is only acceptable to say that you are going in die Schweiz. But with Swiss cities, you would use nach, as in nach Zuerich. So if you were in the train station in Vienna and had to ask someone where the train ("der Zug") to Paris was, you could say "Wo ist der Zug nach Paris?"
A basic foundation of German, particularly when it comes to asking for directions, is a good way to help you find the right way when you're lost...or prevent you from getting lost in the first place.
Additional Resources
How to Say Names of European Cities and Countries in German
