doblar a la izquierda
/doblaɾ a la iθkjeɾda/from spelling rules
To turn left in Spanish is to say doblar a la izquierda.
The phrase is used to describe changing direction by moving toward the left side.
Which one should you use?
While doblar a la izquierda is very common, you may encounter girar a la izquierda, which serves as a more formal or standard alternative in many Spanish-speaking regions.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form you use depends on the level of familiarity. To give a command to a friend or someone you address as tú, use the informal imperative dobla a la izquierda. To give a command to a stranger or someone you address as usted, use the polite imperative doble a la izquierda.
How do you pronounce it?
/doblaɾ a la iθkjeɾda/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers sometimes mistakenly say doblar la izquierda. In Spanish, you must include the preposition a so that the correct phrase is doblar a la izquierda.
Did you know?
- While 'left' is izquierda, the older Spanish word for the same direction was siniestra, which in modern English is often associated with being 'sinister' or evil.
- The word for 'left', izquierda, actually comes from the Basque word ezkerra, rather than from Latin.
- Because doblar means 'to fold', a person telling you to 'doblar' a map is asking you to fold it, not to turn it.
Examples in context
- No sé si doblar a la izquierda o a la derecha.I don't know whether to turn left or right.This sentence is useful for expressing indecision between turning left or right using doblar a la izquierda.Tatoeba #6629989 by UsuarioX, translation #243551 by Swift
- Primero gire a la izquierda y luego siga recto.First, turn left, and then go straight.
- Debes doblar a la izquierda en el semáforo.You must turn left at the traffic light.
- Tienes que doblar a la izquierda después del banco.You have to turn left after the bank.
Example conversation
Alejandro is driving and asks María for directions.
- Alejandro¿Debo doblar a la izquierda aquí, María?Should I turn left here, María?
- MaríaSí, dobla a la izquierda en la esquina.Yes, turn left at the corner.
- AlejandroGracias, ya veo la calle.Thanks, I see the street now.
- MaríaPerfecto, sigue recto ahora.Perfect, go straight now.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, doblar, izquierda, la, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
