Després gira a l'esquerra i continua recte fins al semàfor.

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.

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

Catalan normally says turn to the left with the preposition a:

• girar a l'esquerra = to turn left
• girar a la dreta = to turn right

So a is required here.

L' is there because esquerra begins with a vowel sound.
It is a contraction of the feminine article la:

• a + la esquerra → a l'esquerra

This is similar to:

• a l'escola
• a l'estació

Because esquerra is a feminine noun and begins with a vowel, la becomes l' before it:

• la esquerra → l'esquerra

After the preposition a, you get:

• a + l'esquerra = a l'esquerra

So the full phrase literally looks like to the left.

Continua is the informal singular imperative of continuar (to continue).

So:

• (tu) continua = continue

This matches gira, so both verbs are giving instructions to one person:

• gira
• continua

That makes the sentence sound natural as a set of directions.

In directions, recte commonly means straight ahead / straight on.

So:

• continua recte = continue straight

Although recte is originally an adjective, in this kind of expression it works adverbially, much like English straight in go straight.

A very common pair is:

• anar recte
• continuar recte

You may also hear tot recte in some contexts, meaning straight ahead / directly straight on.

Fins a means until / up to / as far as.

When followed by the masculine singular article el, Catalan contracts them:

• fins a + el → fins al

So:

• fins al semàfor = up to the traffic light

This kind of contraction is very common in Catalan:

• a + el → al
• de + el → del
• per + el → pel

Yes. Semàfor (traffic light) is a masculine singular noun, so it takes el:

• el semàfor

After fins a, that becomes:

• fins al semàfor

If the noun were feminine, you would not get al:

• fins a la plaça = up to the square

Catalan often omits subject pronouns when they are understood from the verb form.

So instead of saying:

• Tu gira...
• Tu continua...

Catalan normally just says:

• Gira...
• Continua...

This is especially common in instructions and commands. Including tu would usually add emphasis and often sounds unnecessary here.

The basic structure is:

• Després = then
• gira a l'esquerra = turn left
• i = and
• continua recte = continue straight
• fins al semàfor = until/up to the traffic light

So it is basically:

Then + command 1 + and + command 2 + destination/end point

This is a very common pattern in Catalan directions.

A rough pronunciation guide for an English speaker:

• esquerra ≈ es-KE-rra
• semàfor ≈ seh-MA-for

A few useful notes:

• The accent mark in semàfor shows the stress: mà
• The double rr in esquerra is a rolled or trilled r in many accents
• The qu in esquerra sounds like k

You do not need perfect pronunciation at first, but it helps to notice where the stress falls:

• esQUErra
• seMÀfor

Yes, cap a l'esquerra can also be understood as towards the left, and in some contexts it sounds natural. But for simple route directions, gira a l'esquerra is the most standard and direct expression for turn left.

So for basic navigation, it is safest to learn:

• gira a l'esquerra
• gira a la dreta

It is informal singular, because of gira and continua.

It is used when speaking to:

• one person
• in an informal context

A more formal version would be:

• Després giri a l'esquerra i continuï recte fins al semàfor.

So the difference is mainly in the imperative verb forms:

• informal: gira, continua
• formal: giri, continuï