Asking for Directions
Nach dem Weg fragen
Ask a passerby for help finding the train station and the nearest U-Bahn.
Want to hear this dialogue with native audio?
Dialogue
You
Entschuldigung!
Excuse me!
Passerby
Ja, bitte?
Yes, please?
You
Kannst du mir kurz helfen?
Can you help me for a moment?
Passerby
Klar. Wohin musst du?
Sure. Where do you need to go?
You
Ich suche den Bahnhof.
I'm looking for the train station.
Passerby
Okay. Der Bahnhof ist nicht weit.
Okay. The train station isn't far.
You
Wie komme ich zum Bahnhof?
How do I get to the train station?
Passerby
Geh hier geradeaus bis zur Ecke.
Go straight ahead here until the corner.
You
Bis zur Ecke, okay.
Until the corner, okay.
Passerby
Dann links in die nächste Straße.
Then left into the next street.
You
Die nächste Straße links, ja?
The next street on the left, right?
Passerby
Genau. Dann immer geradeaus.
Exactly. Then keep going straight.
You
Ist es weit zu Fuß?
Is it far on foot?
Passerby
Nein, vielleicht fünf Minuten.
No, maybe five minutes.
You
Super, danke.
Great, thanks.
Passerby
Du siehst rechts einen großen Eingang. Das ist der Bahnhof.
You'll see a big entrance on the right. That's the train station.
You
Ah, rechts. Perfekt.
Ah, on the right. Perfect.
Passerby
Gern. Brauchst du noch was?
You're welcome. Do you need anything else?
You
Ja, wo ist die nächste U-Bahn?
Yes, where is the nearest U-Bahn?
Passerby
Die U-Bahn ist an der Ecke da drüben.
The U-Bahn is at the corner over there.
You
Ah, an welcher Ecke?
Ah, which corner?
Passerby
Bei der Haltestelle. Da ist ein großes U.
By the stop. There's a big U.
You
Okay, bei der Haltestelle.
Okay, by the stop.
Passerby
Dann gehst du die Treppe runter.
Then you go down the stairs.
You
Warte, nicht so schnell.
Wait, not so fast.
You
Kannst du das bitte langsam sagen?
Can you say that slowly, please?
Passerby
Klar, langsam: zur Haltestelle an der Ecke, dann die Treppe runter.
Sure, slowly: to the stop at the corner, then down the stairs.
You
Jetzt verstehe ich. Danke dir!
Now I understand. Thanks!
Passerby
Kein Problem. Schönen Tag noch!
No problem. Have a nice day!
You
Dir auch. Tschüss!
You too. Bye!
Key Vocabulary
Cultural Notes
Getting someone’s attention
In Germany it’s normal to start with “Entschuldigung” when stopping a stranger. A short, friendly opener usually gets a helpful response, especially in busy areas. With strangers, many people start formally with “Sie”, but among younger people “du” is also common.
Landmarks are common
Directions are often given with simple landmarks like “Ecke” (corner) or “Haltestelle” (stop). People may not mention street names, so listen for these reference points.
U-Bahn entrances
U-Bahn entrances are often marked with a big “U”. To reach the platform you usually go “die Treppe runter”. In some cities you may also see escalators or elevators.
Asking to repeat
If you don’t understand, asking “Kannst du das bitte langsam sagen?” is completely normal. Many people will repeat more slowly or shorten the directions.
Practice the Asking for Directions scenario
Reading is just the start. Go beyond the text and build real confidence for this situation.
Native Audio
Listen to every phrase spoken by a native speaker
Comprehension Drills
Test your listening with multiple-choice audio exercises
Conversation Simulations
Practice branching dialogues and choose your responses
Spaced Repetition
Master vocabulary with a scientifically-proven review system
Free to get started · No credit card required