doblar a la derecha
/doblaɾ a la deɾet͡ʃa/from spelling rules
To make a right in Spanish is to say doblar a la derecha.
The phrase is used to indicate that you or a vehicle should turn toward the right side.
Which one should you use?
While doblar a la derecha is common in many regions, girar a la derecha is often used in more formal contexts or in Spain. To express the command 'make a right', you might also use the formal Gire a la derecha.
How does it change in a sentence?
When giving a direct command to a driver, you use the imperative. For an informal command, use dobla a la derecha and for a formal command, use doble a la derecha.
How do you pronounce it?
/doblaɾ a la deɾetʃa/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using the phrase hacer un derecho to mean 'make a right', as it is not commonly used in this way.
Did you know?
- If you are navigating and someone says siga derecho, they are not telling you to 'go right', but rather to 'go straight'. This is a common trap for English speakers.
- The verb doblar shares its DNA with the English word 'double'. This is because both words trace back to the Latin 'duplare', which originally meant 'to fold' or 'to double'.
- While 'derecha' means 'right', it is also the root for the word 'derecho', which means 'law' or 'a right' in a legal sense. The connection lies in the concept of something being 'straight' or 'direct'.
Examples in context
- Después de la señal de stop, gire a la derecha para llegar al supermercado.After the stop sign, turn to the right to reach the supermarket.
- El restaurante que buscas está a dos cuadras. Dobla a la derecha en el semáforo y lo verás a la izquierda.The restaurant you're looking for is two blocks away. Make a right at the traffic light, and you'll see it on the left.
- Dobla a la derecha en la próxima calle.Turn right at the next street.
- Tienes que doblar a la derecha en la próxima calle.You have to turn right at the next street.
- No olvides doblar a la derecha en la esquina.Don't forget to turn right at the corner.
Example conversation
Elena and Javier are driving to a restaurant.
- ElenaJavier, ¿sabes dónde queda el restaurante?Javier, do you know where the restaurant is?
- JavierSí, debes doblar a la derecha en la próxima calle.Yes, you must make a right on the next street.
- ElenaEstá bien, voy a doblar ahora.Okay, I'm going to turn now.
- JavierPerfecto, ya casi llegamos.Perfect, we are almost there.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, derecha, doblar, la, CC BY-SA 4.0.
