Portuguese Phrase
Como se chega daqui?
Meaning
Literally, “How is it reached from here?” In everyday speech it means “How do I get there from here?” or “What’s the way from here?”. It’s a polite way to ask for directions.
When to use
Use this phrase when you’re standing somewhere and need to know the route to another place – a bus stop, a museum, a restaurant, etc. It works in both formal and informal contexts, but adding ‘por favor’ makes it extra courteous.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Comosechegadaqui?
Como (question word)
Used to ask 'how' or 'in what way'. It starts most questions about manner or method.
se (impersonal pronoun)
In this construction 'se chega' works like the English passive: 'one gets', 'you get', or 'how do you get'.
chega (3rd‑person singular of chegar)
Present‑tense form of the verb ‘to arrive / to get to’. With the impersonal se it means ‘is reached’.
daqui (de + aqui)
A fused adverb meaning ‘from here’. It is the standard way to refer to the speaker’s current location.
🗨In Conversation
Com licença, como se chega daqui ao Museu de Arte?
Excuse me, how do I get from here to the Art Museum?
Vire à esquerda na próxima rua, depois siga em frente dois quarteirões e a entrada está à direita.
Turn left on the next street, then go straight for two blocks and the entrance is on the right.
✕Common Mistakes
Como chega daqui?
Missing the impersonal ‘se’ makes the sentence sound incomplete; you need ‘se chega’ to convey the passive sense.
Como se chega de aqui?
‘De aqui’ is non‑standard; the correct fused form is ‘daqui’.
Como eu chego daqui?
While understandable, it changes the nuance to a personal ‘I’; the impersonal form is more neutral and common when asking strangers.
↔Alternatives
Como chego daqui?
How do I get there from here?
Qual é o caminho daqui até o museu?
What’s the way from here to the museum?
Pode me dizer como chegar ao museu a partir daqui?
Can you tell me how to get to the museum from here?
Cultural Tip
Brazilian locals love to give landmarks rather than exact street numbers. Expect directions like ‘virar à esquerda na padaria’ (turn left at the bakery) or ‘passar a estátua do Cristo Redentor’ (pass the Christ the Redeemer statue). Using ‘por favor’ and a smile goes a long way, and saying ‘Obrigado/a’ after receiving the answer is considered very polite.