Breakdown of Després gira a l'esquerra i continua recte fins al semàfor.
i
and
després
then
girar
to turn
a l'esquerra
left
Questions & Answers about Després gira a l'esquerra i continua recte fins al semàfor.
Why does the sentence start with després?
Després means afterwards / then / next. It is often used in directions to show the next step in a sequence.
In this sentence, it tells you that this action happens after a previous one:
- Després gira... = Then turn...
You will also see:
- Després, continua recte. = Then continue straight.
The comma after després is optional in many short instruction sentences.
What form is gira?
Gira is the informal singular imperative of girar (to turn).
So it is the form used when speaking to one person in an informal way:
- girar = to turn
- (tu) gira = turn
In directions, Catalan often uses the imperative:
- Gira a la dreta. = Turn right.
- Continua recte. = Continue straight.
If you were addressing someone formally, you would use:
- giri instead of gira
Why is it a l'esquerra and not just esquerra?