Signs tell you where to go in a store, a station or an office. Learn the ones you see every day, and how to ask when you can't find something.
You see these three signs in a store. What do they mean?
Entrada / Salida / Caja
Show answer
Check the capital letters.
Check the accents.
Entrance, exit, and the checkout: la caja is where you pay.
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The main idea
Most signs are one or two words: read them as you see them. To find something, ask ¿Dónde está…? for one thing and ¿Dónde están…? for several, and start with Disculpe when you ask a stranger.
Signs you see every day
Sign Meaning Entrada entrance Salida exit Salida de emergencia emergency exit Empuje push Jale pull Abierto open Cerrado closed Caja checkout, cashier Baños , Sanitarios restrooms Damas , Mujeres women Caballeros , Hombres men Prohibido fumar no smoking No funciona out of order
Jale (HA-leh ) is the Mexican sign for pull ; in other countries the door may say Tire or Hale . Empuje (em-POO-heh ) is push everywhere.
Which sign on a door tells you to pull?
Jale
Empuje
Cerrado
Check the capital letters.
Check the accents.
Jale : pull. Empuje : push.
Which sign tells you that an elevator is out of order?
Cerrado
No funciona
Prohibido fumar
Check the capital letters.
Check the accents.
No funciona : it doesn't work.
Ben is looking for the men's restroom. Which door is his?
Damas
Caballeros
Caja
Check the capital letters.
Check the accents.
Caballeros and Hombres are for men, Damas and Mujeres for women.
Ask where it is
Disculpe, ¿dónde están los baños?
Excuse me, where are the restrooms?
Al fondo, a la derecha.
At the back, on the right.
¿Dónde está la salida?
Where's the exit?
Allí, a la izquierda.
Over there, on the left.
¿En qué pasillo está el café?
Which aisle is the coffee in?
En el pasillo cinco.
In aisle five.
Word Meaning a la derecha on the right a la izquierda on the left al fondo at the back aquí here allí over there
izquierda sounds like ees-KYEHR-dah .
In the supermarket
Ben is shopping at a supermarket near his apartment.
Ben: Disculpe, ¿en qué pasillo está el café?
Excuse me, which aisle is the coffee in?
Empleada: En el pasillo siete, al lado del pan.
In aisle seven, next to the bread.
Ben: Gracias. ¿Y los baños?
Thanks. And the restrooms?
Empleada: Al fondo, a la derecha.
At the back, on the right.
English uses Excuse me for several things:
Excuse me, where's the exit? Excuse me, can I get past?
Spanish has a different phrase for each:
Disculpe, ¿dónde está la salida?
Excuse me, where's the exit?
Con permiso.
Excuse me, can I get past?
Disculpe asks a stranger something, Con permiso gets you past someone or out of a room, and Perdón is for a small accident, like bumping into someone.
Quick check
Ask where the restrooms are, with estar :
¿Dónde
Check
Check the capital letters.
Check the accents.
In a narrow aisle, someone is in your way. What do you say?
Con permiso.
Disculpe, ¿dónde está?
De nada.
Check the capital letters.
Check the accents.
Con permiso asks to get past.
Which answer sends you to the back, on the left?
Al fondo, a la derecha.
Al fondo, a la izquierda.
Allí, a la derecha.
Check the capital letters.
Check the accents.
al fondo : at the back; a la izquierda : on the left.
In a supermarket, ask an employee which aisle the rice is in.
Show answer
Check the capital letters.
Check the accents.
Disculpe, ¿en qué pasillo está el arroz?
Disculpe, ¿dónde está el arroz?
Disculpe , then ¿En qué pasillo está…? or ¿Dónde está…?
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Take with you
Disculpe, ¿dónde están los baños?
Excuse me, where are the restrooms?
¿Dónde está la salida?
Where's the exit?
¿En qué pasillo está el café?
Which aisle is the coffee in?
Al fondo, a la derecha.
At the back, on the right.
Allí, a la izquierda.
Over there, on the left.
Con permiso.
Excuse me, can I get past?
Read signs as you see them, and start your question to a stranger with Disculpe .
