French Phrase
C'est à quelques rues au nord d'ici.
Meaning
The sentence tells the listener that something is located a few streets north of the speaker’s current position. It conveys an approximate distance rather than an exact measurement.
When to use
Use this phrase when giving directions, describing the location of a shop, restaurant, or landmark, or answering a "where is..." question in everyday conversation.
✦Grammar Breakdown
C'estàquelquesruesaunordd'ici
C'est
Contraction of "ce est" used to identify or point out something; for locations, "c'est" is preferred over "il est".
à + location
The preposition "à" introduces a place or direction, similar to "at" or "to" in English.
quelques
An indefinite quantifier meaning "a few"; it agrees in number but not gender.
au nord
"au" = à + le; combined with a cardinal direction (nord, sud, est, ouest) to indicate "to the north".
d'ici
Literally "from here"; used after a direction to anchor the reference point.
🗨In Conversation
Où se trouve la boulangerie ?
Where is the bakery?
C'est à quelques rues au nord d'ici.
It's a few streets north of here.
✕Common Mistakes
C'est dans quelques rues au nord d'ici.
Use "dans" for inside a place, not for distance.
C'est à le nord d'ici.
The contraction "au" must be used before "nord".
Il est à quelques rues au nord d'ici.
For pointing out a location, "c'est" is idiomatic; "il est" sounds unnatural here.
↔Alternatives
C'est à deux rues au nord d'ici.
It's two streets north of here.
C'est un peu plus au nord.
It's a little further north.
C'est au nord, à quelques rues d'ici.
It's north, a few streets from here.
Cultural Tip
In French, directional expressions often pair a cardinal point with "au" (e.g., "au sud", "au nord"). When the reference point is the speaker’s current location, "d'ici" is the natural choice. In casual speech, French speakers may drop "quelques" and give a precise number of streets, or simply say "C'est au nord d'ici" if the exact distance isn’t important.