🇷🇺 RussianA1–A2

How to Ask for Directions in Russian

This page focuses on the Russian you actually need on the street: getting someone’s attention, asking where a place is, understanding short directions, and checking a detail you missed. With strangers, the polite вы forms are the safest default. You will also see a useful contrast between asking how to walk somewhere and how to get there more generally, which matters when the route may involve transport.

Useful in real conversations

Essential Russian phrases

Getting someone's attention

Polite ways to start a question before you ask for directions.

Извините.
Transliteration: Izvinite.
Excuse me.
Простите, пожалуйста.
Transliteration: Prostite, pozhaluysta.
Excuse me, please.
Не подскажете, где [place]?
Transliteration: Ne podskazhete, gde [place]?
Could you tell me where [place] is?
Не могли бы вы помочь?
Transliteration: Ne mogli by vy pomoch'?
Could you help me?

Asking where it is and how to get there

The main questions for finding a place and checking the route.

Где находится [place]?
Transliteration: Gde nakhoditsya [place]?
Where is [place] located?
Как пройти к [place]?
Transliteration: Kak proyti k [place]?
How do I get to [place] on foot?
Как добраться до [place]?
Transliteration: Kak dobrat'sya do [place]?
How do I get to [place]?
Это далеко?
Transliteration: Eto daleko?
Is it far?

Understanding directions

Common short answers and route instructions you may hear.

Прямо.
Transliteration: Pryamo.
Straight ahead.
Налево.
Transliteration: Nalevo.
Left.
Направо.
Transliteration: Napravo.
Right.
Рядом.
Transliteration: Ryadom.
Nearby.
На углу.
Transliteration: Na uglu.
On the corner.
Идите прямо.
Transliteration: Idite pryamo.
Go straight ahead.
Поверните налево.
Transliteration: Povernite nalevo.
Turn left.

Clarifying and thanking

Useful phrases for when you missed part of the route and when you want to thank the person.

Повторите, пожалуйста.
Transliteration: Povtorite, pozhaluysta.
Please repeat that.
Медленнее, пожалуйста.
Transliteration: Medlennee, pozhaluysta.
More slowly, please.
Еще раз, пожалуйста.
Transliteration: Yeshche raz, pozhaluysta.
Once more, please.
Спасибо большое.
Transliteration: Spasibo bol'shoye.
Thanks a lot.
Спасибо, вы очень помогли.
Transliteration: Spasibo, vy ochen' pomogli.
Thank you, you were very helpful.

Example conversations

Finding the library on foot

You are on a street near a station and want to find a library by walking.

You
Извините.
Izvinite.
Excuse me.
Other person
Да?
Da?
Yes?
You
Не подскажете, где находится библиотека?
Ne podskazhete, gde nakhoditsya biblioteka?
Could you tell me where the library is?
Other person
Да, конечно. Идите прямо, потом поверните налево. Библиотека рядом.
Da, konechno. Idite pryamo, potom povernite nalevo. Biblioteka ryadom.
Yes, of course. Go straight ahead, then turn left. The library is nearby.
You
Еще раз, пожалуйста. Налево после светофора?
Yeshche raz, pozhaluysta. Nalevo posle svetofora?
Once more, please. Left after the traffic light?
Other person
Да, после светофора налево.
Da, posle svetofora nalevo.
Yes, left after the traffic light.
You
Спасибо большое.
Spasibo bol'shoye.
Thanks a lot.

Getting to the museum by bus

You are asking for the simplest way to reach a museum using public transport.

You
Простите, пожалуйста.
Prostite, pozhaluysta.
Excuse me, please.
Other person
Да, слушаю.
Da, slushayu.
Yes, I'm listening.
You
Как добраться до музея?
Kak dobrat'sya do muzeya?
How do I get to the museum?
Other person
Садитесь на автобус 12 и выходите на третьей остановке. Потом идите прямо.
Take bus 12 and get off at the third stop. Then go straight ahead.
You
Это далеко?
Eto daleko?
Is it far?
Other person
Нет, недалеко. Музей на углу.
Net, nederako. Muzey na uglu.
No, not far. The museum is on the corner.
You
Спасибо, вы очень помогли.
Spasibo, vy ochen' pomogli.
Thank you, you were very helpful.

A few things to know

polite by default

Use polite вы with strangers and people helping you in public. Openers like "Извините" and "Простите, пожалуйста" are safe and common. In directions, Russian often uses short replies such as "Прямо" or "Налево", and the helper may switch to brief instructions rather than full sentences.

grammar

к takes the dative in route questions

In "Как пройти к [place]?" the noun after к changes to the dative case: к метро, к музею, к остановке. This is the form you need when you replace the placeholder with a real destination.

usage

"Как пройти" and "Как добраться" are not exactly the same

"Как пройти к [place]?" usually suggests walking there. "Как добраться до [place]?" is broader and can include bus, metro, or walking. Use the second one when you do not know or do not care which transport method is best.

usage

Street directions are often very short

Russian speakers often answer with fragments like "Прямо.", "Налево.", or "Рядом." The full verb is understood from context, so these short answers are normal and not rude.

Try it yourself

Choose the right phrase

Pick what you would say in each situation.

Question 1 of 3

Question 1
Question 2
Question 3

You stop a passerby and want to ask where the pharmacy is.

Не подскажете, где [place]?Поверните налево.Спасибо большое.

Keep building your everyday vocabulary

Russian Introductions: Essential PhrasesLearn the Russian phrases you need for a first meeting: greeting someone, introducing yourself, asking basic personal questions, and ending the conversation naturally.Russian Restaurant and Café PhrasesPractical Russian phrases for a restaurant or café in Russia: getting a table, ordering naturally, handling dietary needs, paying, and leaving politely.Russian Hotel and Accommodation PhrasesEveryday Russian for checking in, asking about hotel services, reporting room problems, and checking out.Essential Russian Shopping PhrasesEveryday Russian for asking where something is, checking price, size, and colour, trying items on, paying, and handling a simple return or exchange.Russian Public Transport PhrasesRussian phrases for finding the right bus, train, platform, or stop, buying a ticket, checking times and transfers, and dealing with delays or a missed stop.

Put the phrases in context