How to ask for directions in Chinese

可以在地图上给我看吗？ — kěyǐ zài dìtú shàng gěi wǒ kàn ma? — Can you show it on the map?
不好意思，这个地方在哪里？ — bù hǎoyìsi, zhège dìfang zài nǎlǐ? — Excuse me, where is this place?
怎么走？ — zěnme zǒu? — How to get there?
离这里远吗？ — lí zhèlǐ yuǎn ma? — Is it far from here?
走路要几分钟？ — zǒulù yào jǐ fēnzhōng? — How many minutes on foot?
要一直走吗？ — yào yìzhí zǒu ma? — Do I keep going straight?
左转还是右转？ — zuǒ zhuǎn háishi yòu zhuǎn? — Turn left or right?
在地铁站附近吗？ — zài dìtiě zhàn fùjìn ma? — Is it near the metro?
我迷路了。 — wǒ mílù le — I'm lost
我在找这个地址。 — wǒ zài zhǎo zhège dìzhǐ — I'm looking for this address
可以再说一遍吗？ — kěyǐ zài shuō yí biàn ma? — Could you say that again?
我明白了，谢谢。 — wǒ míngbai le, xièxie — I got it, thanks
一直走。 — yìzhí zǒu — Go straight
到红绿灯左转。 — dào hónglǜdēng zuǒ zhuǎn — Turn left at the traffic light
到路口右转。 — dào lùkǒu yòu zhuǎn — Turn right at the intersection
很近。 — hěn jìn — It's nearby
有点远。 — yǒudiǎn yuǎn — It's far away
走路大概十分钟。 — zǒulù dàgài shí fēnzhōng — Approximately 10 minutes walk
在对面。 — zài duìmiàn — It's opposite
在地铁站旁边。 — zài dìtiě zhàn pángbiān — It's next to the metro
你走反了。 — nǐ zǒu fǎn le — You're going the wrong way

Mini dialogue

不好意思，可以在地图上给我看吗？我在找这个地址。 — bù hǎoyìsi, kěyǐ zài dìtú shàng gěi wǒ kàn ma? wǒ zài zhǎo zhège dìzhǐ. — Sorry, can you show me on the map? I'm looking for this address.
可以。在前面，不远。 — kěyǐ. zài qiánmiàn, bù yuǎn. — Can. Ahead, not far.
怎么走？ — zěnme zǒu? — How to get there?
一直走，到红绿灯左转。 — yìzhí zǒu, dào hónglǜdēng zuǒ zhuǎn. — Go straight and turn left at the traffic light.
走路要几分钟？ — zǒulù yào jǐ fēnzhōng? — How many minutes on foot?
大概十分钟。 — dàgài shí fēnzhōng. — About 10 minutes.

Key words

哪里 — nǎlǐ — Where
这里 — zhèlǐ — Here
那里 — nàlǐ — there
附近 — fùjìn — near/nearby
走 — zǒu — go
找 — zhǎo — search
前面 — qiánmiàn — ahead
旁边 — pángbiān — next to
对面 — duìmiàn — opposite
远 — yuǎn — far
近 — jìn — close
路 — lù — road
地图 — dìtú — map
地方 — dìfang — place
后面 — hòumiàn — behind
分钟 — fēnzhōng — minutes

Cultural hint

The best way in China is not to pronounce a long address, but to show the point on your phone map. A polite opening is 不好意思 (bù hǎoyìsi - “excuse me / sorry”). The most common words you may hear in the answer are 直走 (zhí zǒu - “go straight”), 左转 (zuǒ zhuǎn - “turn left”), 右转 (yòu zhuǎn - “turn right”), and 红绿灯 (hónglǜdēng - “traffic light”). If the answer is too fast, ask 可以再说一遍吗 (kěyǐ zài shuō yí biàn ma - “can you say it again?”).