Svolta a destra dopo il ponte.

Svolta here means turn, as in a direction or command.

It comes from the verb svoltare, which means to turn, especially in driving or walking directions.

In this sentence, svolta is the tu form of the imperative, so it is telling one person: turn.

Svoltare is the infinitive, meaning to turn.

In directions, Italian usually uses the imperative form, because it is giving an instruction. So:

• svoltare = to turn
• svolta = turn! (said to one person informally)

This is similar to English using turn rather than to turn in instructions.

Yes. Italian often leaves out the subject pronoun when it is understood from the verb form.

So svolta already implies you (informal singular).
The full version would be:

• Tu svolta a destra dopo il ponte.

But in normal Italian, especially in instructions, tu is usually omitted.

In Italian, the standard expression for direction is:

• a destra = to the right / right
• a sinistra = to the left / left

This is just the normal idiomatic pattern. You should learn a destra and a sinistra as fixed expressions commonly used in directions.

Examples:

• Gira a destra. = Turn right.
• La banca è a sinistra. = The bank is on the left.

Literally, it means after the bridge.

• dopo = after
• il = the
• ponte = bridge

So dopo il ponte tells you when or where to turn: after you pass the bridge.

Because ponte is a masculine singular noun, so it takes the definite article il.

• il ponte = the bridge

This is the normal article used before most masculine singular nouns beginning with a consonant.

They are very similar, and both can mean turn right.

However, there can be a slight nuance:

• girare is a very common general verb for to turn
• svoltare is often especially used for turning off onto another road or making a turn

In everyday directions, both are common, but svoltare can sound a bit more specifically like taking a turn at a junction.

It is informal singular, because svolta is the imperative for tu.

If you wanted the formal singular form, you would say:

• Svolti a destra dopo il ponte.

If you wanted the plural form for more than one person:

• Svoltate a destra dopo il ponte.

Yes. It can be used in either context.

Italian directional instructions like this are very flexible, so Svolta a destra dopo il ponte can mean:

• turn right when walking
• turn right when driving
• turn right when cycling, etc.

The context usually makes it clear.

It is pronounced approximately ZVOL-tah.

A few helpful points:

• sv at the beginning can be tricky for English speakers
• the o is a clear Italian vowel
• -ta is pronounced cleanly, without reducing the vowel

destra is roughly DES-trah, and ponte is roughly PON-teh.

Yes. That is perfectly natural.

Italian word order is fairly flexible, especially with short direction phrases. These both work:

• Svolta a destra dopo il ponte.
• Dopo il ponte, svolta a destra.

The second version puts a little more focus on after the bridge first.

Because it is not necessary. In directions, Italian often gives short, compact instructions.

So instead of saying something like After the bridge, then turn right, Italian naturally just says:

• Svolta a destra dopo il ponte.

The sequence is already clear from dopo.