Prenda la prima strada a sinistra.

Take the first street on the left.

Pronunciation

PREN-da — formal imperative of 'prendere'. si-NIS-tra — stress on second syllable.

When to use it

When following step-by-step directions in Italian.

What it means

'Prenda' (take, formal imperative of 'prendere') is used for streets and buses ('prenda il bus 40'). 'La prima strada' (the first street). 'A sinistra' (on the left). The ordinal numbers are key: prima (first), seconda (second), terza (third).

Variations

Prenda la seconda a destra.

Take the second on the right.

'Seconda' = second — ordinals are essential for directions

Al terzo semaforo giri a sinistra.

At the third traffic light turn left.

Using ordinal numbers with landmarks

Prenda la strada a destra dopo la farmacia.

Take the road on the right after the pharmacy.

Using a landmark as a reference point

Mini Dialogue

— Come vado al museo? — Vada dritto, prenda la prima a sinistra e poi la seconda a destra. Il museo è lì davanti a lei. — Grazie. C'è qualche indicazione? — Sì, ci sono i cartelli marroni del museo.

— How do I get to the museum? — Go straight, take the first on the left and then the second on the right. The museum is right there in front of you. — Thank you. Are there any signs? — Yes, there are brown museum signs.

Cultural Note

Brown signs (cartelli marroni) in Italy mark tourist attractions — museums, churches, archaeological sites. These are standardised across the country and very useful for navigation. Blue signs mark general directions (hospital, train station, airport). Green signs are for motorways.

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