Directions

1. এখান থেকে [জায়গা] কোথায়?

   E-khan the-ke [ja-ga] ko-thay?

   Where is [place] from here?

   Usage

   Basic phrase for asking directions in Dhaka or any Bangladeshi city. Replace [place] with your destination

   Grammar Note

   "Theke" means "from" and is a postposition (comes after the noun). Bengali uses postpositions, unlike English prepositions.

2. সোজা যান

   So-ja jan

   Go straight

   Usage

   Most common direction phrase. Also used to instruct rickshaw or car drivers

   Grammar Note

   "Jan" is the polite imperative of "to go." Use "jao" (informal) with friends or people younger than you.

3. বাম দিকে মোড় নিন

   Bam di-ke mor nin

   Turn left

   Usage

   Instruction for turning left. Pair with "dan dike" (right) for right turns

   Grammar Note

   "Dike" means "in the direction of." "Nin" is the polite imperative of "to take," used idiomatically for turning.

4. ডান দিকে মোড় নিন

   Dan di-ke mor nin

   Turn right

   Usage

   Instruction for turning right. Useful when directing rickshaw or auto-rickshaw drivers

   Grammar Note

   "Bam" (left) and "dan" (right) are essential direction words. Clear instructions to drivers are key in Dhaka's traffic.

5. এটা কি কাছে নাকি দূরে?

   E-ta ki ka-che na-ki du-re?

   Is it nearby or far?

   Usage

   Used to gauge the distance to a destination before deciding how to travel

   Grammar Note

   "Naki" creates alternative questions (A or B). "Kache naki dure" = "near or far?" — a binary choice question.

6. হেঁটে যাওয়া যাবে?

   Hen-te ja-o-ya ja-be?

   Can I walk there?

   Usage

   Used to check if a destination is walkable. Handy when exploring Dhaka's historic areas

   Grammar Note

   "Jaoya jabe" is a passive potential construction. "Hente" is the gerund of "to walk." Very common construction in Bengali.

7. পরের সিগন্যালে থামুন

   Po-rer sig-na-le tha-mun

   Stop at the next traffic light

   Usage

   Used to instruct taxi or rickshaw drivers to stop. Common in Dhaka's busy roads

   Grammar Note

   "Thamun" is the polite imperative of "to stop." "Ekhane thamun" (stop here) is another frequently used phrase.

8. আমি হারিয়ে গেছি

   A-mi ha-ri-ye ge-chi

   I am lost

   Usage

   Used when lost to ask for help. Especially useful in Old Dhaka's winding lanes

   Grammar Note

   "Hariye jaoya" is the idiomatic expression for "to get lost." Bangladeshis are generally very helpful with directions.

9. মানচিত্রে দেখাতে পারবেন?

   Man-chi-tre de-kha-te par-ben?

   Can you show me on the map?

   Usage

   Polite way to ask someone to point out a location on a map. Works well with a smartphone map

   Grammar Note

   "Mancitra" is the Bengali word for map. The English borrowing "map" (myap) is also widely understood.

10. এটা কোন রাস্তায়?

    E-ta kon ras-tay?

    Which street is this?

    Usage

    Used to confirm a street name. Helpful in Old Dhaka where streets can be confusing

    Grammar Note

    "Rasta" means road/street. The "-y" suffix marks the locative case. Dhaka is divided into old city (Puran Dhaka) and new areas.

11. ডানে

    Dane

    Right

    Usage

    One word a rickshaw or taxi driver can read while moving - faster than a sentence

12. বামে

    Bame

    Left

    Usage

    Shown to a driver as a single word; also said as বাঁয়ে (bane)

13. সোজা

    Shoja

    Straight ahead

    Usage

    Tells a driver to keep going straight at a junction

14. ফিরে যান

    Fire jan

    Go back

    Usage

    Tells the driver to turn round when you have gone too far

15. থামুন

    Thamun

    Stop here

    Usage

    Tells the driver to stop right there, shown at the point you want to get off

16. উত্তর

    Uttor

    North

    Usage

    Used when checking a direction against a map

17. দক্ষিণ

    Dokkhin

    South

    Usage

    Used when checking a direction against a map

18. পূর্ব

    Purbo

    East

    Usage

    Used when checking a direction against a map

19. পশ্চিম

    Poshchim

    West

    Usage

    Used when checking a direction against a map; it is also the West in West Bengal (পশ্চিমবঙ্গ)

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