Spanish Phrase
Te pueden decir cómo llegar.
Meaning
Literally, ‘They can tell you how to get there.’ It’s used when you want to let someone know that others are able to give you directions or instructions on reaching a place.
When to use
Use this sentence when you’re talking about the possibility of receiving directions from a group, a service desk, a guide, or any third‑party that can help you find a location.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Tepuedendecircómollegar
Indirect object pronoun (te)
‘Te’ replaces the person who receives the information; it’s the second‑person singular indirect object pronoun.
Modal verb poder + infinitive
‘Pueden’ (they can) is the present third‑person plural of poder, followed by the infinitive ‘decir’ to express ability or permission.
Interrogative conjunction ‘cómo’
‘Cómo’ introduces an indirect question meaning ‘how’; it always carries an accent.
Infinitive ‘llegar’
The verb ‘llegar’ (to arrive) stays in infinitive after ‘decir’ because it’s the content of what can be told.
🗨In Conversation
¿Sabes cómo llegar al museo?
Do you know how to get to the museum?
Te pueden decir cómo llegar en la oficina de turismo.
They can tell you how to get there at the tourist office.
✕Common Mistakes
Te pueden decir como llegar.
Missing accent; ‘cómo’ with an accent is required for the interrogative meaning ‘how’.
Te pueden decir donde llegar.
‘Dónde’ asks for location, not the method of getting there. Use ‘cómo’ for ‘how’.
Puedes decirte cómo llegar.
The order is wrong; the correct structure is ‘Te pueden decir…’, not ‘puedes decirte…’.
↔Alternatives
Te pueden indicar el camino.
They can point out the way to you.
Te pueden explicar cómo llegar.
They can explain to you how to get there.
Te pueden decir la ruta.
They can tell you the route.
Cultural Tip
In many Spanish‑speaking countries, asking for directions is often done with ‘¿Cómo llego a…?’ or ‘¿Dónde está…?’ People usually give step‑by‑step instructions, sometimes using landmarks. Using the impersonal ‘Te pueden decir…’ sounds polite and acknowledges that the information may come from a third party, such as a hotel concierge or a tourist information desk.