Table Of Contents
Asking For Directions
Question Где (where?) asks for location or direction.
Where is the bus station?
Russians use different verb for walking and travelling by vehicle. The variants of идти
ask about walking somewhere, while ехать means riding a vehicle.
For more details, see verbs of motion.
How can I travel to the airport?
How can I walk to the closest bank?
When approaching strangers, the inquiry can be made more polite with...
Excuse me, do you know...
...
Please tell me...
Relative Positions
On the left:слева от + genitive
There you see the clock tower of the station. Your hotel is to the left from the station.
On the right: справа от + genitive
The nearest bank is on the right side of the supermarket.
Next to: рядом с + instrumental
The university buildings are next to the church.
The railway station and the museum of modern art are next to each others.
Between: между + instrumental и instrumental
The concert stage is in the narrow park between the Southern and Northern streets.
Атенеум?
Ateneum? That building between a bank and a shopping center.
On the oppositve:напротив + genitive
Subway
After the training, let's meet at the Subway to the opposite of the gym.
Through, across: через + accusative
Go across the bridge and after that...
In front of: перед + instrumental
The senate square is in front of Helsinki Cathedral (The Cathedral of Saint Nicholas)
Behind: за + instrumental
The bus station is in the ground floor of the shopping center behind that building.
The Relative And Absolute Directions
To the left: направо
To the right: налево
When you arrive at the station, you should turn left.
Walk to the end of this street and turn right.
| | North | East | South | West |
| Noun ("North") | север | восток | юг | запад |
| Adjective ("Northern") | северный | восточный | южный | западный |
| Adverb ("To the North") | севернее | восточнее | южнее | западнее |
In the North from Helsinki - Vantaa. In the East - Sipoo. In the South - Gulf of Finland. In the west - Kirkkonummi.
On
The
Rocks.
To the North you see the National Theatre. To the East - night club "On The Rocks". To the South - gallery Ateneum. To the West - railway station.
Distance
Far from: далеко от + genetive
That hotel is far from this place. Unfortunately you stepped on the wrong train.
Not far from:недалеко от + genitive
Farther (away): дальше
That hotel is nearby. Walk along this street and you will find your hotel.
The nearest: ближайший
The closest ATM is behind that building.