Italian Phrase
Segui i cartelli dei treni per Londra.
Meaning
The sentence is a direct instruction: ‘Follow the train signs to London.’ It uses the imperative form to give a clear, concise direction, typical of what you’d hear in a railway station or from a fellow traveler.
When to use
Use this phrase when you need to point someone toward the correct platform or route inside a train station, especially when the destination is a foreign city like London. It works both in spoken conversation and on written signage.
✦Grammar Breakdown
SeguiicartellideitreniperLondra
Segui (imperative)
‘Segui’ is the second‑person singular imperative of the verb ‘seguire’ (to follow). It is used for giving direct commands or instructions.
i (definite article)
‘i’ is the masculine plural definite article, used before plural nouns that start with a consonant.
dei (partitive article)
‘dei’ = di + i, meaning ‘of the’. It links the noun ‘cartelli’ with the noun ‘treni’, indicating the signs that belong to the trains.
per (preposition of direction)
When talking about a destination, ‘per’ means ‘to’ or ‘towards’. It is the usual preposition with city names in travel directions.
Londra (proper noun)
City names do not take an article in Italian, so you say ‘per Londra’ not ‘per la Londra’.
🗨In Conversation
Scusa, come posso arrivare a Londra?
Excuse me, how can I get to London?
Segui i cartelli dei treni per Londra.
Follow the train signs to London.
✕Common Mistakes
Segui il cartelli dei treni per Londra.
‘Cartelli’ is plural, so the article must be ‘i’, not the singular ‘il’.
Segui i cartelli di treni per Londra.
The partitive article is ‘dei’, not just ‘di’, because it links two nouns.
Segui i cartelli dei treni a Londra.
When indicating a destination, use ‘per’ rather than ‘a’ with city names.
↔Alternatives
Segui le indicazioni dei treni per Londra.
Follow the train directions to London.
Segui i segnali dei treni verso Londra.
Follow the train signals towards London.
Segui le bacheche dei treni per Londra.
Follow the train bulletin boards for London.
Cultural Tip
Italian railway stations use clear, colour‑coded ‘cartelli’ (signs) and electronic ‘segnali’ to guide passengers. When you ask for directions, locals often reply with the imperative form, as in this phrase. Remember that ‘per’ is preferred over ‘a’ when you talk about a city as a travel destination.