Dao honglvdeng zuo zhuan (到红绿灯左转): Turn left at the traffic light

到 (dào) means "to arrive at," 红绿灯 (hónglǜdēng) is "traffic light," 左 (zuǒ) is "left," and 转 (zhuǎn) is "turn." The structure is "at [location], turn [direction]."

Variations and politeness

在红绿灯左转

zài hónglǜdēng zuǒ zhuǎn

Turn left at the traffic light. — Adds '在' to explicitly mark the location, slightly more formal.

左转就到了

zuǒ zhuǎn jiù dào le

Turn left and you'll be there. — More colloquial, implies the destination is close after turning.

Mini dialogue

请问，红绿灯在哪里？

qǐngwèn, hónglǜdēng zài nǎlǐ?

Excuse me, where is the traffic light?

到红绿灯左转。

dào hónglǜdēng zuǒ zhuǎn.

Turn left at the traffic light.

When to use it

Appropriate

When giving directions to someone who is driving or walking.
When you want to specify the exact point to turn, using a landmark like a traffic light.
When speaking in a neutral, instructional tone, such as to a stranger or in a formal context.

Avoid when

When you are asking for directions, not giving them.
When you want to be more polite or indirect; this phrase is a direct command, so adding '请' (please) would be more polite.

Frequently asked questions

How do you say 'turn left at the traffic light' in Chinese?

You say '到红绿灯左转' (dào hónglǜdēng zuǒ zhuǎn). The structure is 'at [location] turn [direction]'.

How do you pronounce 'dào hónglǜdēng zuǒ zhuǎn'?

It's pronounced with falling tone on 'dào', rising tone on 'hóng', falling-rising on 'lǜ', high level on 'dēng', falling-rising on 'zuǒ', and falling-rising on 'zhuǎn'.

When do you use '到红绿灯左转'?

Use it when giving directions to someone, telling them to turn left at the traffic light. It's a direct instruction, suitable for neutral or slightly formal situations.