Si vols arribar al riu, gira a l'esquerra a la cantonada i després creua el pont.

In this sentence, si means if.

Catalan also has sí with an accent, and that means yes. So:

• si vols = if you want
• sí = yes

The accent matters because it changes the meaning.

Vols is the 2nd person singular form of the verb voler (to want), so it means you want.

Catalan often leaves out subject pronouns when the verb ending already shows who the subject is. So:

• Si vols arribar al riu = If you want to get to the river
• Si tu vols arribar al riu = same meaning, but tu is added for emphasis

This is very common in Catalan.

Yes. Literally, si vols means if you want.

In a sentence like this, it introduces a condition:

• Si vols arribar al riu... = If you want to get to the river...

This is perfectly natural in Catalan. It can also sound a bit more conversational or gentle than just giving a bare command.

Because arribar often uses the preposition a when you say the place you reach.

So:

• arribar a Barcelona = to arrive in / get to Barcelona
• arribar al riu = to get to the river

In this sentence, arribar means to get to / reach, so the a is required.

Al is a contraction of a + el.

So:

• a + el riu → al riu

This is just like a fixed contraction in Catalan. You normally do not keep them separate here.

They are imperative forms, used for giving commands or instructions.

Here they are the informal singular commands, addressed to tu:

• gira = turn
• creua = cross

This matches the earlier vols, which is also a tu form. So the whole sentence is speaking to one person informally.

Yes. This sentence uses the informal singular forms, as if speaking to one person as tu.

For a more formal singular version (vostè), you would say:

• Si vol arribar al riu, giri a l'esquerra a la cantonada i després creui el pont.

For an informal plural version (vosaltres), you would say:

• Si voleu arribar al riu, gireu a l'esquerra a la cantonada i després creueu el pont.

So the verb forms change depending on who you are addressing.

Because the feminine article la becomes l' before a vowel.

So:

• la esquerra → l'esquerra

That is why the phrase is:

• a l'esquerra = to the left / on the left

This kind of apostrophe is very common in Catalan.

It means to the left or on the left, depending on context.

With a verb like girar (to turn), the natural translation is:

• gira a l'esquerra = turn left

So although the phrase contains the article l' (the), in English we usually just say turn left, not turn to the left, unless we want extra emphasis.

A la cantonada means at the corner.

In directions, cantonada usually refers to a street corner or the point where you reach the corner and make the turn. So:

• gira a l'esquerra a la cantonada = turn left at the corner

It is a very common phrase in giving directions.

Després means afterwards, then, or after that.

In this sentence, it helps show the order of actions:

1. gira a l'esquerra a la cantonada
2. després creua el pont

So here després is basically then / after that.

Because creuar takes a direct object. You cross something, not to something.

So:

• creua el pont = cross the bridge

If you said al pont, that would suggest movement to the bridge, not across it. Compare:

• ves al pont = go to the bridge
• creua el pont = cross the bridge

The comma separates the if-clause from the main instruction.

• Si vols arribar al riu = conditional part
• gira a l'esquerra... = main command

In English, we also often use a comma after an opening if clause: If you want to get to the river, turn left... So the punctuation works in a similar way here.