French Phrase
Compris, tourne à gauche au monument.
Meaning
The speaker confirms they understand the instruction and then tells the listener to turn left when they reach the monument. It combines acknowledgment and a directional command in one sentence.
When to use
Use this phrase when you are giving someone directions and want to confirm you’ve understood the previous instruction before adding your own. It’s common in informal spoken French, especially while navigating a city or giving a tour.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Compris,tourneàgaucheaumonument.
Compris (understood)
Used as a short acknowledgment meaning 'Got it' or 'Understood', often placed at the start of a response.
Imperative mood
‘tourne’ is the second‑person singular imperative of the verb ‘tourner’, giving a direct command.
Preposition à + article le → au
‘au’ is the contraction of ‘à le’, used before masculine singular nouns like ‘monument’.
Direction phrase ‘à gauche’
Literally ‘to the left’; placed after the verb to indicate the direction of the turn.
🗨In Conversation
Prenez la rue principale, puis continuez tout droit jusqu’au monument.
Take the main street, then go straight until the monument.
Compris, tourne à gauche au monument.
Got it, turn left at the monument.
✕Common Mistakes
Compris, tourne à gauche à le monument.
‘au’ is correct only because ‘monument’ is masculine; avoid using ‘à le’ separately.
tourne à gauche le monument.
Do not add an extra article; ‘au’ already includes the article.
Compris, tourner à gauche au monument.
Use the imperative ‘tourne’, not the infinitive ‘tourner’.
↔Alternatives
D'accord, tourne à gauche au monument.
Okay, turn left at the monument.
Entendu, prends à gauche au monument.
Heard you, take a left at the monument.
C’est noté, tourne à gauche quand tu arrives au monument.
Noted, turn left when you reach the monument.
Cultural Tip
In French, using short acknowledgments like ‘Compris’ or ‘D'accord’ is typical in casual conversation. When giving directions, it’s polite to keep the command concise and use landmarks (e.g., le monument) that are well‑known to the listener. In some regions, you might hear ‘tourne à gauche au niveau du monument’ for extra clarity.