Give a route in short steps, name useful landmarks and help a visitor notice when they have gone too far. Gehen Sie von der Bibliothek geradeaus. — Go straight ahead from the library.
The idea
The polite imperative uses the verb followed by Sie: Gehen Sie geradeaus. A separable prefix goes last: Biegen Sie rechts ab.
Build the next part of this conversation with Asking for directions in German: a short phrase guide
Use it in context
The fictional route starts at the library, turns right at the first crossing and crosses a bridge. Only then is the café on the left. Give those steps in that order. The park is a warning landmark beyond the destination, not another instruction to continue.
Examples
- Gehen Sie von der Bibliothek geradeaus.Go straight ahead from the library.
- An der ersten Kreuzung biegen Sie rechts ab.At the first intersection, turn right.
- Überqueren Sie die Brücke.Cross the bridge.
- Danach liegt das Café auf der linken Seite.After that, the café is on the left.
- Wenn Sie den Park sehen, sind Sie zu weit gegangen.If you see the park, you have gone too far.
- Ich zeichne Ihnen den Weg.I will draw the route for you.
Read-aloud uses a synthetic German voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.
No German device voice is available. You can still read the text and use the linked listening resources.
Watch out
Links and rechts follow the walker’s viewpoint along the route. A landmark after the destination can signal that they have gone too far, not that they should continue.
Try it yourself
An der ersten Kreuzung: links oder rechts?
Show answer or example answer
rechts
Rechts matches the second step of this fictional route.
Das Café liegt nach ___. (der Brücke / dem Park)
Show answer or example answer
der Brücke
The café comes after the bridge; the park is beyond it.
Höflicher Imperativ: ___ Sie geradeaus! (Gehen / Geht)
Show answer or example answer
Gehen
The polite imperative uses the verb plus Sie: Gehen Sie.
Für Sie zeichnen: Ich zeichne ___ den Weg. (Ihnen / Sie)
Show answer or example answer
Ihnen
Ihnen is dative: the person receiving the drawn route.
Practice round
Answer three questions, then rebuild three German sentences. We keep your score.
An der ersten Kreuzung: links oder rechts?
Das Café liegt nach ___. (der Brücke / dem Park)
Höflicher Imperativ: ___ Sie geradeaus! (Gehen / Geht)
Für Sie zeichnen: Ich zeichne ___ den Weg. (Ihnen / Sie)
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Keep your progress
Sign up for free to save your practice results in your account and carry on with the story in the game.
Sign up to saveI already have an accountUse it today
Retell the library-to-café route to a visitor using Sie. Keep the right turn and bridge in order, and add the park warning.