French Phrase
Depuis la fontaine, prends à gauche vers l'église.
Meaning
The sentence tells someone to start at the fountain and then turn left, heading in the direction of the church. It’s a concise way to give step‑by‑step directions in French.
When to use
Use this phrase when you are guiding a visitor or a friend through a town, a park, or a historic site, especially when the landmarks (the fountain and the church) are well‑known reference points.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Depuislafontaine,prendsàgaucheversl'église.
Depuis
Preposition meaning ‘from’ or ‘since’; here it indicates the starting point of the route.
prends (imperative)
Second‑person singular imperative of *prendre* used colloquially for ‘turn’ in directions.
à gauche
Literal ‘to the left’; placed after the verb to specify the direction.
vers
Preposition meaning ‘towards’; it signals the destination without implying you will reach it immediately.
l’église
Definite article *l’* contracts with a vowel‑starting noun; *église* means ‘church’.
🗨In Conversation
Depuis la fontaine, prends à gauche vers l'église.
From the fountain, turn left towards the church.
D'accord, merci !
Got it, thanks!
✕Common Mistakes
De la fontaine, prends à gauche vers l'église.
Use *Depuis* to indicate the starting point; *de la fontaine* would mean ‘of the fountain’ and sounds odd in directions.
Depuis la fontaine, prends à droite vers l'église.
The sentence says *à gauche* (left); swapping to *à droite* changes the direction entirely.
Depuis la fontaine, prends à gauche à l'église.
Do not use *à l'église* here; *vers* conveys ‘towards’, while *à* would imply the destination is the church itself.
↔Alternatives
Depuis la fontaine, tourne à gauche en direction de l'église.
From the fountain, turn left in the direction of the church.
En partant de la fontaine, va à gauche vers l'église.
Leaving the fountain, go left towards the church.
Depuis la fontaine, prends à gauche, puis continue vers l'église.
From the fountain, turn left, then continue towards the church.
Cultural Tip
In French, both *prendre à gauche* and *tourner à gauche* are common in spoken directions, but *tourner* is slightly more formal. Using a well‑known landmark like a fountain (*la fontaine*) helps listeners orient themselves quickly. Remember that *vers* indicates an approximate direction, not a precise endpoint.