German Phrase
Geh bitte nach rechts.
Meaning
A polite instruction telling someone to go to the right. The informal singular imperative makes it suitable for friends, children, or casual encounters, while ‘bitte’ keeps the request courteous.
When to use
Use this phrase when you are giving directions on a street, inside a building, or guiding someone in a relaxed setting. In formal contexts you would switch to the Sie‑form: ‘Gehen Sie bitte nach rechts.’
✦Grammar Breakdown
Gehbittenachrechts
Imperativ (2. Pers. Sg.)
‘Geh’ is the informal singular imperative of the verb ‘gehen’ (to go). It is used when speaking to one person you know well.
Bitte as politeness particle
‘Bitte’ softens a command. It can be placed before or after the verb, but the most natural order here is verb + ‘bitte’.
Richtung mit ‘nach’
German uses the preposition ‘nach’ with cardinal directions (nach rechts, nach links, nach oben). ‘Zu’ is used for destinations, not for directions.
🗨In Conversation
Wie komme ich zum Supermarkt?
How do I get to the supermarket?
Geh bitte nach rechts.
Please go to the right.
✕Common Mistakes
Geh bitte zu rechts.
‘Zu’ is not used with cardinal directions; the correct preposition is ‘nach’.
Geh nach rechts bitte.
While understandable, the natural word order places ‘bitte’ directly after the verb.
Geh bitte Sie nach rechts.
If you keep the informal ‘Geh’, you must not switch to the formal ‘Sie’ form. Use either ‘Geh …’ (informal) or ‘Gehen Sie …’ (formal).
↔Alternatives
Bitte gehen Sie nach rechts.
Please go to the right. (formal)
Gehe nach rechts, bitte.
Go to the right, please.
Du solltest nach rechts gehen.
You should go to the right.
Cultural Tip
In German, adding ‘bitte’ to an imperative is the default way to keep a command polite. When giving directions, native speakers often add the verb ‘abbiegen’ (to turn) – e.g., ‘Biegen Sie bitte nach rechts ab.’ In southern Germany you’ll also hear ‘nach rechts gehen’ used interchangeably with ‘nach rechts abbiegen.’