Directions

1. איפה אני נמצא?

   eifo ani nimtsa?

   Where am I?

   Usage

   Used when lost or needing to confirm your current location

   Grammar Note

   "Nimtsa" is the Nif'al (passive) form of root "m-ts-a" (to find): "I am found/located." Female speaker: "nimtset." Useful when showing your phone map to locals

2. לך ישר

   lekh yashar

   Go straight

   Usage

   Used to direct someone to go straight

   Grammar Note

   "Lekh" is masculine imperative; "lekhi" (feminine), "lekhu" (plural). "Yashar" as adverb = straight; as adjective = honest/upright. Hebrew root "y-sh-r" means rightness

3. פנה ימינה

   pene yamina

   Turn right

   Usage

   Used to direct someone to turn right

   Grammar Note

   "Yamina" = "yamin" (right) + directional suffix "-a." Similarly "smola" = leftward. The "-a" suffix creates directional adverbs in Hebrew

4. כמה רחוק מכאן?

   kama rakhok mikan?

   How far from here?

   Usage

   Used to ask how far the destination is from the current location

   Grammar Note

   "Mi-" = "from" (preposition). "Mikan" = "from here." "Karov" (near) is the antonym. Answers in "kilometrim" (km) or "dakot halika" (walking minutes)

5. איפה תחנת הרכבת?

   eifo takhanat harakevet?

   Where is the train station?

   Usage

   Used to ask for directions to a train or subway station

   Grammar Note

   "Tahana" (station) comes from "to stand/stop." Also: "tahana't otoboos" (bus stop), "tahana't dalek" (gas station). Israel Railways (Rakevet Yisra'el) covers major cities

6. סליחה, איך מגיעים ל...?

   slikha, eikh magiim le...?

   Excuse me, how do we get to...?

   Usage

   The standard phrase for asking how to get somewhere

   Grammar Note

   "Sliha" from "forgiveness" = excuse me. "Magi'im" (plural present) is impersonal "how does one get there." "Le-" is the directional preposition "to"

7. המפה שלי כאן

   hamapa sheli kan

   My map is here

   Usage

   Used when showing a map on your phone or paper to get help with directions

   Grammar Note

   "Sheli" = "my/mine" (independent possessive). Changes by person: "shelkha" (your, masc.), "shela" (her), "shelo" (his). Common in spoken Hebrew for showing things

8. זה ליד הים

   ze leyad hayam

   It is near the sea

   Usage

   Used to describe a location in relation to a landmark like the sea

   Grammar Note

   "Leyad" = near/next to. Other location words: "mul" (opposite), "me-ahorei" (behind), "le-fa-nei" (in front of). The sea is a key landmark in coastal Israeli cities

9. כמה דקות הליכה?

   kama dakot halikha?

   How many minutes on foot?

   Usage

   Used to ask how long the walk takes

   Grammar Note

   "Daka" (minute) → "dakot" (plural). "Halikha" is the gerund of "lekhet" (to walk). Opposite: "nesi'a" (a ride/drive). Israeli cities are often walkable

10. האם יש GPS כאן?

    haim yesh GPS kan?

    Is there GPS here?

    Usage

    Used to ask whether GPS navigation works in the area

    Grammar Note

    "Ha-im" formally introduces yes/no questions (often dropped in speech). "Yesh" = "there is." Waze, the popular navigation app, was founded in Israel

11. ימינה

    yamina

    Right (turn right)

    Usage

    A one-word direction for a driver; if you mean the right-hand side rather than the turn, say "mi-yamin"

    Grammar Note

    "Yamin" (right) plus the directional ending -a, giving "to the right" as a movement

12. שמאלה

    smola

    Left (turn left)

    Usage

    A one-word direction for a driver; the left-hand side as a position is "mi-smol"

13. ישר

    yashar

    Straight ahead

    Usage

    Tells a driver not to turn. Said of a person the same word means "honest", but in a navigation context it is always "straight on"

14. חזרה

    khazara

    Back (go back)

    Usage

    Ask to turn around and go back the way you came; the same word marks the return leg of a round-trip ticket

15. עצור

    atsor

    Stop

    Usage

    Ask the driver to stop here; this is also the word printed on Israeli stop signs

    Grammar Note

    Masculine imperative; to a woman it is "itsri". Israelis commonly say "atsor kan" (stop here) in a taxi

16. צפון

    tsafon

    North

    Usage

    A compass direction, also used on road signs and for the region ("ha-tsafon", the north of the country)

17. דרום

    darom

    South

    Usage

    A compass direction; "ha-darom" also names the southern region, including the Negev

18. מזרח

    mizrakh

    East

    Usage

    A compass direction; it is also the wall a synagogue faces, toward Jerusalem

19. מערב

    ma'arav

    West

    Usage

    A compass direction; in Israel west is the direction of the Mediterranean

Browse all TravelPhrases languages