🧭Navigation
Finding your way: streets, junctions, the places you're heading for — and how to say you're lost.
14 concepts
Columns follow the languages switched on at the top. Gender after the word (m/f/n); IPA beneath; notes, alternatives and origins underneath — nothing is hidden.
| Concept | English | Français | Español |
|---|---|---|---|
street noun | street A road is between places; a street has buildings along it. | ruef | callef /ˈkaje/ for most speakers. |
corner (of a street) noun | corner 'On the corner' outside, 'in the corner' inside — and in the cage. | coinm | esquinaf Esquina is the outside corner; rincón is the inside one. |
crossroads noun | crossroads Singular despite the s: 'a crossroads'. American English: intersection. | carrefourm Yes — the supermarket is named 'crossroads'. | crucem |
traffic light noun | traffic light Also 'the lights': 'turn left at the lights'. | feum Literally 'fire'. Full form: feu de circulation. | semáforom |
roundabout noun | roundabout American English: traffic circle. | rond-pointm | rotondaf |
straight ahead adverb | straight ahead 'Straight' is the direction; 'strait' is the water. Same sound. | tout droit Droit is also 'right' — tout droit means straight on, not 'all right'. | todo recto also: derecho |
to turn verb | turn Turn left / turn right — no preposition. | tourner | girar also: doblar |
map noun | map | cartef Also a menu, a playing card and a bank card. | mapam Masculine despite the -a — it came from Greek through Latin. |
address noun | address British stress is on the second syllable; Americans often say ADD-ress. | adressef One d, two s — the opposite of English. | direcciónf Also 'direction' — the same word does both jobs. |
to get lost verb | get lost As an order it means 'go away' — tone decides which. | se perdre Reflexive: 'je me suis perdu'. | perderse Reflexive, like French and Italian. |
bus stop noun | bus stop | arrêt de busm | parada de autobúsf |
station (train) noun | station | garef Not 'station' — that's a metro stop or a resort. | estaciónf |
airport noun | airport | aéroportm Four syllables: a-é-ro-port. | aeropuertom |
sign (road sign) noun | sign The g is silent — but you hear it again in 'signal'. | panneaum pl. panneaux | señalf |