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So, you have already easily checked into a hotel using our phrase book “English in a Hotel”, you have rested after the trip and are ready to show yourself, watch people - go on an excursion to the city. Of course, having a Russian-speaking guide makes life easier for our tourists abroad, but traveling as a “savage” is much more interesting and cheaper. And if you also learn the phrases we suggested for orientation in the city, then your trip will be easy and pleasant. In addition, thanks to your knowledge of English, you will be able to make new friends from another country.

We have written a simple phrasebook for travelers, in which you will find dialogues, phrases and vocabulary on 25 essential topics. Go on a journey with the main character and improve your English. You can download the book for free at.

Names of main institutions in English

To begin with, we will give you the names of various places in the city in English. We recommend learning them first, you don't want to end up in a cave instead of a toilet.

As you noticed, there are several words for the name of the toilet. Typically, WC is used in almost every country, and in the UK the words toilet and lavatory are often used. The word loo is also used there; it has an informal connotation. In the US, the most popular words are restroom and bathroom, although the latter also refers to a bathroom with a toilet in someone's home. In Canada, the word bathroom is widely used. However, even in different regions of the same country, different words may be used, so do not be afraid to use any of them: you will be understood in any case.

How to ask for directions in English

So, let's imagine that you decide to take a walk around the city, sightseeing and enjoy the beautiful views. If you decide to do without a tour guide, then to navigate the city you will need a map and a guide book, as well as knowledge of some phrases in English that will help you reach your destination, because it is not always easy to find your way around map, and some attractions or institutions may not be marked on it at all.

Where can I get a card? Firstly, almost every hotel will offer you a map of the city. Secondly, you can buy it at a newsagent's. Choose the most detailed one, with a large scale and a guide for tourists: good maps will indicate all institutions, monuments, museums, etc. To purchase a map, ask the following question: Do you have a map of the city? (Do you have a map of the city?).

By the way, at the hotel you can ask the staff what places are worth visiting in the city. Ask a simple question: Could you tell me, please, what is worth visiting? (Can you tell me what is worth visiting?). This way you will get first-hand information about the most interesting attractions.

Let's imagine a very real situation: you are confused in the streets of an unfamiliar city and cannot find the attraction you are looking for. In this case, contact a passerby: apologize and ask for help. If you see a policeman next to you, ask him for help, it’s safer: in this case, you definitely won’t run into scammers.

You chose a “victim” for questioning, stopped him and attracted his attention. Now you should find out from a passer-by how you can get to the desired institution or chosen attraction. This is where you will need knowledge of the words from our first tablet. The following phrases are synonymous, that is, interchangeable. Choose those that are easier for you to remember, and simply substitute the name of the establishment you need in them.

It would also be a good idea to check with a passerby whether the attraction you need is far away: this way you can decide whether to use public transport or walk.

In this article we presented phrases for local orientation, and in the article “” we talked in detail about how to rent a car and communicate in public transport in English.

How to give directions in English

So, you overcame the language barrier in one fell swoop and easily asked where you should go. Now you need to understand what your interlocutor is answering. To do this, study the following phrases in English. In addition, you can use these same sentences when meeting a foreigner in your own city: now you can easily explain to the person how to find the nearest bank or metro station - +10 to communication skills in English.

First, learn basic phrases that will help you indicate the direction of movement.

Here are simple answers that you can get in response to a question about the direction of movement:

And now a small life hack for those who are afraid of getting confused in the long explanations of a passerby: show your interlocutor a map and ask the question: Could you show me on the map? (Could you show me on the map?). Then they will simply show you where to go. This way you definitely won’t get confused or get lost.

Read the following dialogues to help you understand how to give directions in English:

Dialogue #1

- Excuse me, where is the theater located?
- Go left here and then take the second right. The theater will be around the corner.

Excuse me, where is the theater?
- Go left and then turn right at the second corner. The theater will be right around the corner.

Dialogue #2

- Excuse me, could you tell me how to get to the nearest bank?
- Go straight on for about 2 miles. You will see the bank directly opposite to the post office.

Excuse me, can you tell me how to get to the nearest bank?
- Go straight along this street for about 2 miles. You will see a bank directly opposite the post office.

Dialogue #3

- Excuse me, could you tell me the way to the museum?
- It's pretty far from here. Turn left and then right, go along for a mile or so and the museum is on your left.

Excuse me, can you tell me the way to the museum?
- It's quite far from here. Turn left and then right, go straight for about a mile and the museum will be on your left.

Dialogue #4

- Excuse me, I am looking for a cafe. Do you know how to get there?
- Go left here and turn right after you go past the bank. The cafe is in front of the market.

Excuse me, I'm looking for a cafe. Do you know how to get there?
- Go left and turn right after you pass the bank. The cafe will be right in front of the market.

We also recommend listening to an audio recording of a lesson for English learners from the BBC, where they talk about how to give directions. The text of the recording can be downloaded on the website, so you can easily understand this lesson.

In the institution

You have safely reached your chosen attraction or entertainment venue. Now you will need a few more phrases so that you can find out the price of the ticket, as well as some rules for visiting this place.

Inscriptions and signs in English

Useful sites to learn how to navigate the city in English

• Travel English Lessons- educational 2-3 minute videos in English for travelers. Native speakers speak clearly and use simple phrases, so watch, listen, get used to the sound of English speech and repeat the sentences after the speakers - at the same time learn everything you need.
• LearnEnglishFeelGood.com - site with exercises. Pay attention to the Sightseeing section, where you will find useful tasks for practicing the vocabulary you have learned. Practical exercises will help you memorize all the phrases.

In addition, do not forget about our school: it will allow you to improve your knowledge in the shortest possible time, and you will feel confident abroad.

Complete list of words and phrases for download

Don't forget to download the list of useful vocabulary. If he is with you on a trip, then you can always find the place you want to visit.

(*.pdf, 282 Kb)

Ready to test your knowledge? Then try to score the maximum number of points in our test.

Vocabulary test on the topic “How to navigate the city in English: a simple phrasebook”

We think that now you definitely won’t get lost in the city, and if this happens, you can easily cope with this trouble, using the help of local residents and phrases from our phrasebook. We wish you not to get lost in any situation, have a pleasant journey!

In the process of getting to know each other, one way or another, a moment comes when the interlocutors, having finished with pleasantries, talk about what worries them.

The British are then concerned about a person’s origins, namely, where he is from, what country he is from, and even from what city. Therefore, before traveling abroad, it would be a good idea to remember the basic phrases that will help you write a description of the city in English at the right time. If this topic is necessary only for writing an essay, it doesn’t matter. The logic for constructing the description remains the same in both cases.

• A beautiful introduction is half the success

In the case of a school essay, the more beautiful and flowery the introduction, the higher the chances of success. To do this, you can use both and quotes from famous writers about the house. The most famous - “An Englishman’s home is his castle”. You can use others, for example: “There’s no place like home”, “East or West – home is best”. In live communication this is all unnecessary. You can and should start with the most banal introductory words “Well”, “And so...” and so on. Considering that beautiful turns of phrase are highly valued by the British, one can say something sublime, for example, “Ever since I was a child I’ve thought that my town is the best place on Earth. It is the birthplace of many famous people and is a true cultural center of our region”“Since childhood, I thought that my city was the best place on earth. Many famous people were born here, and our city is a real cultural center.”

• Description: simple and tasteful

As with any storytelling, we start by voicing our own opinions. It's obvious that you love your city, but it's worth saying. The more personal assessment in the story, the better. A personal assessment will give your judgment more weight in the eyes of your interlocutor. A description of a city in English is a kind of presentation, so be sure to mention famous people who lived or worked in your city. Don't remember any? It’s okay, limit yourself to a general phrase about the many poets who created and continue to create in the city. For example:

“I like my town and I think it’s quite natural. In my opinion, everyone loves his place just because it gave him the best hours in life – hours with his family. I am not an exception as you see. My town is not very big, but a lot of famous people lived and worked there. Among them there are local poets and actors” – “I love my city and I think it’s natural. It seems to me that everyone loves their home primarily because the best hours were spent there - hours with family. As you can see, I am no exception. My city is small, but many famous people lived and worked in it. Among them are many local actors and poets.”

• Don't go overboard with details!

When describing the city, do not overdo it with embellishment. It will be enough to say about the size of the city, its characteristic features and attractions. In some cases, it is possible and necessary to point out that the city is quite old, with its own history and traditions.

“My town is not very special but it has its own traditions and a long history. It was built 200 years ago and is named after ……. We have many flowers and fountains in the center of the town. The streets are wide and clean. You can see a lot of shops there. There’s also an old house where……lived and worked” – “My city is the most ordinary, but has its own long history and traditions. It was built 200 years ago and named after...... The city center has many trees and fountains, its streets are wide and clean. There are also many shops in the city. Among the attractions we can highlight the old house, where... lived and worked."

Thus, by connecting all the parts together, you will receive a coherent description of the city in English, into which you only need to substitute your data.

We all love to travel. We like to visit new countries and cities, we try to see as many sights as possible, we are attracted by architectural monuments. But sometimes a person can get lost while in an unfamiliar city. It’s good if you have a map of the city you’re visiting with you. But sometimes you can only get your bearings by asking the residents of this city where you need to go. In this situation, you need to know a description of the city in English, or, to be more precise, the names of establishments and buildings, transport and pretexts for finding your way around. Another situation is also possible. You are hosting a foreigner (or working as a tour guide), and you need to show the person the city, telling them about significant places. You can’t do without a description of the city in English!

The city and its parts

The word "city" can be translated as a town And a city, but the latter is more common. A town is a small town, while a city– big and lively. Each city is divided into districts ( districts), and every city has a suburb ( a suburb) and surroundings ( neighborhoods). A person may also find himself in a village(village).

As a rule, every city has streets ( streets), area ( squares), parks ( parks) and squares ( public gardens). And in the suburbs or surrounding areas you can see a field ( a field), river ( a river) or channel ( a channel).

• Want to know how cities in America get their nicknames? Then the article “” will suit your taste.

Adjectives to describe the city

The most important thing in describing a city is what impression it makes on people who visit it. And here the following adjectives that you can use in English will come to your aid:

• ancient- ancient;
• historic– historical;
• attractive- attractive;
• lovely- Cute;
• bustling– noisy, fussy;
• contemporary- modern;
• lively– lively;
• picturesque– picturesque;
• charming– charming;
• touristic– tourist;
• dull– dim;
• boring- boring.

Transport in the city

When traveling around the city, you will use public transport ( public transport). It's worth learning what the train is called ( a train), railway station ( a railway station), tram ( a tram), trolleybus ( a trolley bus), bus ( a bus), metro ( a tube/subway) and steamer ( a steamer).

• A convenient phrasebook on this topic is presented in the article “Urban transport"
• A detailed description of public transport can be found in the article “”

Places to visit

Attractions ( sights) in every city there is a mass. If you're in another city, you'll probably want to visit the theater ( a theater), museum ( a museum), cinema ( a cinema) or gallery ( an art gallery). You can enjoy music in the concert hall ( a concert hall) or in the opera ( an opera house). Architecture lovers can be advised to visit the church ( a church), Cathedral ( a cathedral) or castle ( a castle).

• Choose entertainment to your liking with our article “”.

Children and students study at school ( a school), college ( a college), university ( a university), and books are borrowed from the library ( a library). The names of all these institutions will help you find any attraction or place you choose to visit.

You can refresh yourself in the cafe ( a café) or restaurant ( a restaurant). Shopping lovers will be attracted by huge shopping centers ( shopping malls). Ordinary shops and supermarkets are named accordingly shops And supermarkets (department stores). And also every tourist should know what a bank is called in English ( a bank), pharmacy ( a drugstore), hospital ( a hospital), police station ( a police station), post office ( a post office).

• In case of an emergency, you may need phrases from our article "". We hope that the words from the article will not be useful to you, but absolutely everyone should know them.

How to give directions in English

Now let’s imagine that we need to tell or understand how to get to a museum. You can politely ask a passerby using the following sentence:

Could you please tell me where the (place) is? – Could you please tell me where (something) is?

We will, of course, use the names of objects in English in our speech, as well as prepositions of place, which will help us create a competent route. So be sure to take the time to memorize them.

And be sure to watch the video. There is a teacher in it Jon explains how to give directions correctly in English.

I welcome all readers to the next audio lesson of the course “Conversational English for Beginners”. The fifth lesson covers the topic “City”, that is, we will look at various situations, questions and phrases that a foreigner asks when arriving in an unfamiliar city. You will have the opportunity to learn various expressions with which you will be able to navigate even the largest city.

This audio course lesson " Conversational English for Beginners"will teach you the vocabulary that will help you travel around English-speaking cities and countries without difficulty. You can easily find a common language with the local population if you ask questions correctly, correctly and politely. And for this you, first of all, need to learn the correct pronunciation of phrases on the topic “City”.

And our audio lesson, in which all phrases were voiced by a qualified speaker, will help you with this. And for complete mutual understanding with residents of populated areas, learn all the previous audio lessons of conversational English course, which discuss words of greeting, gratitude, politeness, etc. And right now you can listen to an exemplary pronunciation of vocabulary on the topic “City” in English: /wp-content/uploads/2014/08/les-05.mp3 But the main thing This is not just listening to a recording, but the most accurate reproduction of everything said by the speaker. So practice your pronunciation!

Text of the lesson “Vocabulary on the topic “City”

To make information easier to remember, it needs to be seen concretely and not presented abstractly. Therefore, rely on the graphic expression of all voiced phrases, that is, on tables with text with an expression in Russian and a translation in English. I suggest you familiarize yourself with the key conversational English questions and phrases from the lesson on the topic “City”.

By tradition, we’ll start with a list of the most common questions that foreigners ask when they find themselves in an unfamiliar area in another country:

With these questions you will quickly know which direction you need to go to go to another town or area.

Now let’s remember a few popular English phrases that you will need to pronounce very often in an unfamiliar city:

Don't forget about politeness and gratitude. It would also be a good idea to remember how to pronounce numerals in English, so you can’t do without the names of house numbers and hotel rooms.

I wish you a pleasant journey with the audio course “Conversational English for Beginners”. Good luck!