Italian Phrase
È la prima a destra?
Meaning
A polite way to ask whether a particular place, shop or house is the first one you encounter on the right side of the street. The speaker is confirming the exact location before turning.
When to use
Use this question when you are walking down a street and need to verify that the building you see is the first one on the right, for example when looking for a restaurant, a friend's apartment, or a landmark.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Èlaprimaadestra?
È (essere)
Third‑person singular present of the verb ‘to be’; used here to form a yes/no question.
la prima
Feminine ordinal adjective ‘first’; it agrees with an implied feminine noun such as ‘strada’, ‘porta’ or ‘casa’.
a destra
Prepositional phrase meaning ‘on the right’; ‘a’ is the preposition used for location.
🗨In Conversation
Scusi, è la prima a destra?
Excuse me, is it the first one on the right?
Sì, è proprio quella.
Yes, that's the one.
✕Common Mistakes
È il prima a destra?
‘Prima’ is feminine; use ‘il primo’ only when the noun it modifies is masculine.
È la prima destra?
Do not omit the preposition; ‘destra’ alone does not indicate location.
È prima a destra?
When speaking informally you may drop the article, but in polite requests keep ‘la’ to sound natural.
↔Alternatives
È la prima sulla destra?
Is it the first on the right?
È la prima a destra di qui?
Is it the first one on the right from here?
È la prima a destra, vero?
It's the first on the right, right?
Cultural Tip
In Italy people often start a direction request with “Scusi” or “Mi scusi” to sound courteous. When you hear “a destra” remember that Italians count from the speaker’s point of view, not the listener’s. Also, the adjective must match the gender of the implied noun – use “il primo a destra” only if you’re referring to a masculine noun such as “il negozio”.