French Phrase
Tourne à gauche au feu.
Meaning
A direct command telling someone to turn left when they reach the traffic light. The sentence is informal and singular, perfect for a driver speaking to a passenger or a learner practicing navigation vocabulary.
When to use
Use this phrase while giving driving directions, in a navigation app, or when a native speaker points out a turn on the road. It’s also common in language‑learning drills that focus on imperatives and road‑sign vocabulary.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Tourneàgaucheaufeu
Imperative (2nd person singular)
‘Tourne’ is the imperative form of the verb ‘tourner’ used for informal singular commands.
Direction phrase ‘à gauche’
‘à gauche’ literally means ‘to the left’; it follows the verb to indicate the direction of the turn.
Contraction ‘au’
‘au’ = à + le; it introduces the location ‘le feu’ (the traffic light).
Noun ‘feu’ (traffic light)
In everyday French, ‘le feu’ is short for ‘le feu de signalisation’ and is used in spoken directions.
🗨In Conversation
Tourne à gauche au feu.
Turn left at the traffic light.
D’accord, je tourne à gauche.
Okay, I’ll turn left.
✕Common Mistakes
Tourner à gauche le feu.
Missing the preposition ‘au’; you need ‘au feu’ to indicate location.
Tourne à gauche le feu.
The article ‘le’ is incorrect; it must be the contracted ‘au’.
Tourne à gauche au feu rouge.
While grammatically possible, it changes the meaning to ‘turn left at the red light’, which is rarely what you want to say in a navigation context.
↔Alternatives
Prenez à gauche au feu.
Take a left at the traffic light.
Tournez à gauche au feu.
Turn left at the traffic light. (formal/plural)
Tourne à gauche au feu de signalisation.
Turn left at the traffic signal.
Cultural Tip
In France, drivers often refer to a traffic light simply as ‘le feu’. When giving directions, the informal imperative ‘tourne’ is common among friends or when a driver talks to a passenger. For a more polite or professional tone (e.g., a driving instructor), use the plural/formal imperative ‘tournez’. Also, remember that French traffic signs use the word ‘STOP’ in English, but the spoken instruction remains in French.