Lost? It happens. Whether you’re finding a subway station or a famous landmark, a few clear Mandarin phrases can save the day. In this A2-friendly guide, you’ll learn how to politely ask for directions, understand common answers, and give directions to others. We’ll keep it practical with short patterns, essential words, and bite-sized exercises so you can start using them on the street.

Polite openers: start with 请问

In Chinese, a polite way to start a question is 请问 (qǐngwèn), which means “excuse me, may I ask…”. Combine it with 在哪里/在哪儿 (zài nǎlǐ/zài nǎr) to ask “where is…?” Both are common; 哪儿 is heard more in northern China, 哪里 is widely understood.

• 请问，地铁站在哪里？qǐngwèn, dìtiě zhàn zài nǎlǐ? — Excuse me, where is the subway station?
• 请问，厕所在哪儿？qǐngwèn, cèsuǒ zài nǎr? — Excuse me, where is the bathroom?

You can also ask 怎么走 (zěnme zǒu) — “how to get there / how do I go?”

• 去故宫怎么走？qù Gùgōng zěnme zǒu? — How do I get to the Forbidden City?

，地铁站在哪里？

Core direction words you’ll hear

These are the building blocks locals use when guiding you:

Step-by-step directions: 先…然后… / 到…再…

When giving or understanding multi-step directions, these patterns are super helpful:

• 先…, 然后… — first…, then…
• 到…再… — reach/arrive at…, then…

Examples:

• 先直走，然后在路口左拐。— Go straight first, then turn left at the intersection.
• 到红绿灯再右拐。— Turn right when you reach the traffic light.
• 先过马路，然后往右走。— First cross the road, then walk to the right.

你直走，然后左拐。

Asking about distance and time

To check if a place is near or far, use 离 (lí):

• A 离 B 近/远 — A is near/far from B.
• 这里离地铁站近吗？— Is it near the subway station from here?

To ask how long it takes: 走路 + time / 开车 + time.

• 走路五分钟。— Five minutes on foot.
• 开车十分钟。— Ten minutes by car.
• 大概/差不多 — about/approximately.

Answering:

• 不远，走路大概十分钟。— Not far, about ten minutes on foot.
• 很近，就在对面。— Very close, it’s right across.

这里地铁站近吗？

Mini-dialog: putting it together

Try ordering these lines of a street conversation. Focus on the flow: polite opener, question, steps, confirmation, thanks.

Cultural notes for smoother street chats

• Politeness matters: opening with 请问 almost always gets a friendlier answer.
• Landmarks over addresses: locals often mention 红绿灯 (traffic lights), 公园 (parks), or 大楼 (buildings) rather than exact numbers.
• Gestures help: people point while speaking 左/右/前面. Watch the hands.
• 哪儿 vs. 哪里: both are fine. 哪儿 feels more northern; 哪里 is a safe default.
• Apps are normal: If you show a map and say 请你看一下地图 (please take a look at the map), most people will help.

请问，地铁站在那儿？ → 请问，地铁站在哪儿？ Use 在哪儿/在哪里 to ask “where,” not 在那儿 (there). 请往右。 → 请往右走。 Add 走 to make a clear direction: 往右走 = walk to the right. 过右拐。 → 右拐。 拐 = turn; 过 is for crossing/passing, not turning.

More examples you can reuse

Short, clear patterns you can memorize and adapt on the street:

Practice wrap-up

• Start with 请问 for politeness.
• Use 在哪里/在哪儿 to ask “where”, and 怎么走 to ask “how to get there”.
• Direction words: 左, 右, 直走, 拐, 路口, 红绿灯, 前面, 后面, 旁边, 对面.
• Structure steps with 先…, 然后… / 到…再…
• Check distance/time with 离, 近, 远, 走路五分钟.

Keep it simple and combine gestures with short phrases. Next time you’re out, try one new sentence from this post. Small steps lead to big confidence—你可以的! (You’ve got this!)