Directions
Derecho vs. derecha
Be careful with derecho and derecha! They look similar but they have very different meanings. Derecha means right.
Usted tiene que girar a la derecha.
You have to turn right.
And derecho means straight.
Vamos derecho en esta calle.
We go straight on this street.
Giving instructions
Remember that commands and instructions in Spanish change depending on whether the conversation is friendly or formal.
tú giras ➔ gira
¡Gira a la derecha!
Turn right!
usted gira ➔ gire
Gire a la derecha, por favor.
Turn right, please.
If the usted form ends in ‑gue, swap out the ‑gue for ‑ga.
tú sigues ➔ sigue
¡Sigue en esta calle!
Continue on this street!
usted sigue ➔ siga
Siga en esta calle, señor.
Continue on this street, sir.