Portuguese Phrase
Vira à esquerda no grande monumento.
Meaning
This sentence tells someone to turn left when they reach a large, noticeable monument. It’s a concise directional cue often used by locals guiding tourists or friends.
When to use
Use this phrase when giving step‑by‑step directions in a city, park, or campus, especially when the landmark is a prominent statue, tower, or historic monument that is easy to spot.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Viraàesquerdanograndemonumento
Virar (imperative)
Vira is the informal 2nd‑person singular imperative of virar (to turn). For a neutral or formal command use Vire.
à = a + a
The preposition a (to) contracts with the feminine article a, forming à, meaning “to the”.
no = em + o
The preposition em (at/in) contracts with the masculine article o, forming no, meaning “at the”.
Adjective placement
In Portuguese adjectives usually follow the noun, but descriptive adjectives like grande can precede the noun for emphasis.
Noun gender
Monumento is masculine, so the article o (contracted to no) is used.
🗨In Conversation
Vira à esquerda no grande monumento.
Turn left at the big monument.
Certo, já vi o monumento. Obrigado!
Got it, I see the monument. Thanks!
✕Common Mistakes
Vire à esquerda no grande monumento.
Vire is the formal imperative; using it in a casual setting can sound stiff. Choose Vira for informal speech.
Vira à esquerda na grande monumento.
Monumento is masculine, so the correct article is o → no. Using na (feminine) is grammatically wrong.
Vira à esquerdo no grande monumento.
The noun for direction is esquerda (feminine). Esquerdo is the adjective meaning "left‑handed".
↔Alternatives
Vire à esquerda perto do grande monumento.
Turn left near the big monument.
Vire à esquerda junto ao grande monumento.
Turn left next to the big monument.
Vire à esquerda ao lado do grande monumento.
Turn left beside the big monument.
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, the informal imperative Vira is common in casual conversation, while Vire sounds more polite or formal. Also, Brazilians often use landmarks like "o Cristo Redentor" or "a estátua da Liberdade" when giving directions, so swapping "grande monumento" with a specific name makes the instruction clearer.