问路 Asking for Directions in Chinese

今天jīntiān下午xiàwǔ我wǒ去qù朋友péngyou的de新xīn家jiā玩wán。

This afternoon I went to visit my friend's new home.

但是dànshì走zǒu了le十shí分钟fēnzhōng，我wǒ找不到zhǎo bu dào路lù了le。

But after walking for ten minutes, I couldn't find the way anymore.

我wǒ问wèn旁边pángbiān的de一个yí gè先生xiānsheng：“请问qǐngwèn，北京路Běijīng Lù怎么zěnme走zǒu？”

I asked a man nearby, "Excuse me, how do I get to Beijing Road?"

他tā说shuō：“你nǐ往wǎng前qián走zǒu，到dào红绿灯hónglǜdēng往wǎng左zuǒ走zǒu，就jiù到dào了le。”

He said, "Go straight ahead, turn left at the traffic light, and you're there."

我wǒ问wèn他tā：“离lí这儿zhèr远yuǎn吗ma？”

I asked him, "Is it far from here?"

他tā笑xiào着zhe说shuō：“不bù远yuǎn，走zǒu五wǔ分钟fēnzhōng就jiù到dào了le。”

He said with a smile, "Not far — a five-minute walk and you're there."

很hěn快kuài我wǒ就jiù到dào了le朋友péngyou的de家jiā，他tā看见kànjiàn我wǒ，非常fēicháng高兴gāoxìng。

Soon I arrived at my friend's home, and he was very happy to see me.

🔊 Audio uses your device's Chinese voice for now — teacher recordings are coming. Tap any word to see its meaning.

Key words 生词

请问qǐngwènexcuse me, may I ask

往wǎngtoward

红绿灯hónglǜdēngtraffic light

离lí(distance) from

远yuǎnfar

找不到zhǎo bu dàocannot find

往 + direction + verb

往 points a movement in a direction: 往前走 (walk ahead), 往左走 (go left).

到红绿灯往左走。— Turn left at the traffic light.

A 离 B + 远/近

离 measures the distance between two places: 我家离公司很近.

北京路离这儿远吗？— Is Beijing Road far from here?

1. Where was the writer going this afternoon?

2. What directions did the man give?

3. How far away was Beijing Road?