sigue derecho
/siɡe deɾet͡ʃo/from spelling rules
To say 'keep going straight' in Spanish, use sigue derecho.
A direction given to someone to continue moving forward without turning.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the imperative sigue (continue/follow) and the adverb derecho (straight/rightly).
Which one should you use?
Be careful not to confuse derecho (straight) with derecha (right/the direction), as they are distinct words in this context.
How does it change in a sentence?
Use siga derecho instead of sigue derecho when speaking to a stranger or someone to whom you want to show respect. Use sigan derecho if you are giving directions to a group of people.
How do you pronounce it?
/siɡe deɾetʃo/
Did you know?
- The word derecho also means 'law' or 'legal right' in Spanish. In a courtroom, a lawyer's profession is called derecho.
- In many Latin American countries, you might hear people say sigue de frente instead of sigue derecho to mean the same thing. 'De frente' literally translates to 'from the front'.
- The word derecho is a doublet of the English word 'direct'. Both descended from the Latin dīrēctus, meaning 'stretched' or 'straight'.
Examples in context
- Sigue derecho dos cuadras y luego gira a la izquierda.Keep going straight for two blocks and then turn left.
- Sigue derecho después del semáforo.Keep going straight after the traffic light.
- No dobles, solo sigue derecho.Don't turn, just keep going straight.
Example conversation
Sofía is giving Daniel directions to a nearby museum.
- SofíaDaniel, camina por esta calle.Daniel, walk down this street.
- Daniel¿Tengo que girar en la esquina?Do I have to turn at the corner?
- SofíaNo, solo sigue derecho.No, just keep going straight.
- DanielMuy bien, gracias por la ayuda.Very well, thanks for the help.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries derecho, CC BY-SA 4.0.
