German · Travel & Getting Around
"Left" in German: links
links
Left as a direction in German is links. Say links abbiegen to turn left, and auf der linken Seite for on the left side. Die Linke is also a political label.
Giving directions
An der Ampel links abbiegen.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce links
Say it
LINKS
/lɪŋks/
LINKS. Short i as in "sit". Final ks cluster is crisp.
"Left" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| links | left / to the left Direction adverb. | Direction adverb. |
| links abbiegen | turn left Driving and walking directions. | Driving and walking directions. |
| auf der linken Seite | on the left side Locations and seating. | Locations and seating. |
| nach links | to the left Another common direction phrase. | Another common direction phrase. |
How to use links in real life
- 1Giving directions
An der Ampel links abbiegen.
Turn left at the traffic light.
Classic navigation line.
- 2In a cafe
Dein Mantel hängt links.
Your coat is hanging on the left.
Links without a noun can mean on the left.
- 3Looking at a street
Das Museum liegt links vom Park.
The museum is to the left of the park.
links von + dative.
Mistakes English speakers make with links
Incorrect: Dreh left an der Ecke.
Correct: Dreh links an der Ecke. / Bieg links ab.
Use links, not English left.
Incorrect: Geh zur Link. (direction)
Correct: Geh nach links.
Direction is nach links or links. Die Linke is usually politics or 'left hand' in some phrases.
Good to know
In spoken directions Germans stack short cues: geradeaus, dann links, zweite Straße rechts. They rarely say please between each step. Listen for links and rechts as the main turns.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Finding a bakery on foot
ChatPal
Geh die Straße runter und dann links.
Go down the street and then left.
You
Also an der Kirche links?
So left at the church?
ChatPal
Genau. Direkt links siehst du die Bäckerei.
Exactly. Directly on the left you'll see the bakery.
You
Super, danke!
Great, thanks!
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Left" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Left" in German
How do you say turn left?
Links abbiegen or bieg links ab.
What is the opposite of links?
Rechts.
How do you say on the left?
Links or auf der linken Seite.
Is linkisch related?
Yes, it means clumsy, from an old sense of left-handed awkwardness.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
