Portuguese · Travel & Getting Around
"Turn left" in Portuguese: vire à esquerda
vire à esquerda
Turn left in Portuguese is vire à esquerda. GPS and pedestrians use the same phrase; casual speech may say vira à esquerda.
Walking directions
Na esquina, vire à esquerda e siga reto.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce vire à esquerda
Say it
VEE-ree ah es-KER-dah
/ˈvi.ɾi ˈa esq.ˈueʁ.da/
VEE-ree ah es-KER-dah
"Turn left" in Portuguese: quick reference
| Portuguese | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| vire à esquerda | turn left Default polite/GPS imperative. | Default polite/GPS imperative. |
| vira à esquerda | turn left (casual) Spoken você form. | Spoken você form. |
| depois vire à esquerda | then turn left Multi-step directions. | Multi-step directions. |
| à esquerda | to the left Short fragment after a verb. | Short fragment after a verb. |
How to use vire à esquerda in real life
- 1Walking directions
Na esquina, vire à esquerda e siga reto.
At the corner, turn left and go straight.
Full phrase.
- 2Car GPS voice
Em cem metros, vire à esquerda.
In one hundred meters, turn left.
Navigation.
- 3Mall map
Depois da escada, vire à esquerda para a loja.
After the stairs, turn left for the store.
Indoor wayfinding.
Mistakes English speakers make with vire à esquerda
Incorrect: Vire a esquerda (missing accent mark on à).
Correct: Vire à esquerda.
Use à (a + a) before esquerda.
Incorrect: Turn left na esquina.
Correct: Vire à esquerda na esquina.
Keep the Portuguese phrase intact.
Good to know
Brazilian directions stack landmarks with vire à esquerda: depois do semáforo, na padaria. GPS voices keep the formal vire even when locals say vira.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Guiding a friend to a bakery
ChatPal
Sobe essa rua e vire à esquerda no semáforo.
Go up this street and turn left at the light.
You
Vire à esquerda no semáforo. Entendi.
Turn left at the light. Got it.
ChatPal
Se passar da praça, você não virou—vire à esquerda ali.
If you pass the plaza, you didn't turn—turn left there.
You
Não vou passar.
I won't pass it.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Turn left" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Turn left" in Portuguese
Vire or vira?
Vire is the headword; vira is casual speech.
Why à?
À = a + a before feminine esquerda.
Turn right?
Vire à direita.
Must the whole phrase appear?
Yes—vire à esquerda.
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
