Arriving in a Spanish-speaking city is exciting until you need to find a bank, a pharmacy, or the nearest bus stop and cannot name any of them. This vocabulary is the difference between wandering in circles and confidently asking a local for directions. Let's cover the buildings, the street layout, and the exact phrases that get you where you are going.

Places and buildings

  • el banco: el banco — the bank.
  • la farmacia: la farmacia — the pharmacy (look for the green cross).
  • el ayuntamiento: el ayuntamiento — the town / city hall.
  • la oficina de correos: la oficina de correos — the post office.
  • la comisaría: la comisaría — the police station.
  • el hospital: el hospital — the hospital.
  • la plaza: la plaza — the square (the heart of most Spanish towns).
  • el mercado: el mercado — the market.
  • la parada de autobús: la parada de autobús — the bus stop.
  • el quiosco: el quiosco — the newsstand / kiosk.

Elements of the street

  • la calle: la calle — the street.
  • la avenida: la avenida — the avenue (a wider street).
  • la esquina: la esquina — the corner.
  • el semáforo: el semáforo — the traffic light.
  • el cruce: el cruce — the crossing / intersection.
  • la acera: la acera — the sidewalk / pavement.
  • el paso de peatones: el paso de peatones — the pedestrian crossing / crosswalk.

Prepositions of place

To describe where something is, you need these little linking phrases:

  • al lado de: al lado de — next to. La farmacia está al lado del banco. (The pharmacy is next to the bank.)
  • enfrente de: enfrente de — opposite / in front of. El mercado está enfrente de la plaza.
  • entre: entre — between. El quiosco está entre el banco y el hospital.
  • cerca de: cerca de — near. ¿Hay un hotel cerca de aquí?
  • a la vuelta de la esquina: a la vuelta de la esquina — around the corner.

Phrases to ask for directions

  • Asking location: ¿Dónde está la comisaría? — Where is the police station?
  • Asking if something exists nearby: ¿Hay un banco por aquí? — Is there a bank around here?
  • Understanding distance: Está a dos manzanas. — It's two blocks away.
  • Confirming direction: ¿Está lejos? — Is it far?
  • Thanking: Muchas gracias, muy amable. — Thank you very much, that's very kind.

Good to know: what is a "manzana"?

When someone tells you a place is a dos manzanas, they do not mean two apples. In this context manzana means a city block, the square of buildings surrounded by streets. So Está a tres manzanas means "It's three blocks away." The same word, manzana, does also mean "apple" at the market, so context is everything. In some Latin American countries you will hear cuadra for a block instead of manzana, so both are worth knowing.

One more tip: la plaza is usually the reference point locals give you. Directions often start from the main square, so if you can find the plaza, you can find almost anything else.

👉 Read also: Spanish question words and 100 most common Spanish words.

Frequently asked questions

How do I ask "Where is the nearest...?"

Use ¿Dónde está el/la ... más cercano/a? For example, ¿Dónde está la farmacia más cercana? (Where is the nearest pharmacy?). A simpler option is ¿Hay una farmacia por aquí? (Is there a pharmacy around here?), which native speakers use all the time.

Why do some places take "el" and others "la"?

Every Spanish noun has a gender. El banco and el mercado are masculine, while la plaza and la farmacia are feminine. There is no perfect rule, so learn each word together with its article from the start.

Is it "manzana" or "cuadra" for a city block?

Both are correct. Manzana is common in Spain, while cuadra is widely used across Latin America. If you learn both, you will understand directions no matter where you are.