If you want to sound confident when travelling around Spain 🇪🇸, asking for directions 🧭, describing where cities and countries are 🌍 or simply understanding maps 🗺️, learning how to say ‘east in Spanish’ and the other Spanish cardinal points is essential.
In this colourful and dynamic guide, you will discover:
🌅 How to say east and west in Spanish
🧭 All the Spanish cardinal points (and how to pronounce them)
➡️ How to say northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest
📍 How to describe locations in Spanish like a native
🌦️ A fun cultural look at how Spaniards use cardinal points
🎉 A final multiple-choice quiz to practise everything
This lesson is perfect for travellers, beginners, intermediate learners and anyone who wants to build clear, practical directions in Spanish vocabulary.
The Spanish word for east is este 🌅.
👉 El sol sale por el este.
The sun rises in the east.
👉 Valencia está en el este de España.
Valencia is in the east of Spain.
📣 Pronunciation: EH-steh
Quick tip: it sounds almost like the English word ‘estate’ but without the final -ate.
To talk about these two directions, remember:
🌅 este – east
🌇 oeste – west
👉 Portugal está al oeste de España.
Portugal is west of Spain.
👉 Italia está al este de España.
Italy is east of Spain.
These two words are extremely common in Spanish travel conversations ✈️, maps 🗺️ and weather reports 🌦️.
Here are the essential Spanish cardinal points:
❄️ norte – north
🔥 sur – south
🌅 este – east
🌇 oeste – west
Examples:
👉 ❄️ Francia está al norte de España.
France is north of Spain.
👉 🔥 Marruecos está al sur de España.
Morocco is south of Spain.
👉 Italia está al este de España.
Italy is east of Spain.
👉 🌇 Galicia está en el oeste del país.
Galicia is in the west of the country.
These are a must if you want to talk about geography vocabulary in Spanish.
Spanish also has combined directions, just like English.
👉 ❄️➡️🌅 noreste (or nordeste) – northeast
👉 ❄️⬅️🌇 noroeste – northwest
👉 🔥➡️🌅 sureste – southeast
👉 🔥⬅️🌇 suroeste – southwest
Examples:
👉 Barcelona está en el noreste de España.
Barcelona is in the northeast of Spain.
👉 Las Islas Canarias están en el suroeste del mapa.
The Canary Islands are in the southwest of the map.
👉 Galicia está en el noroeste de España.
Galicia is in the northwest of Spain.
Great for Spanish geographical words and travel descriptions.
Use this simple and very natural structure:
👉 [Lugar] + está + al / en el + [punto cardinal] + de + [otro lugar]
Spanish normally uses está for these sentences.
Examples:
👉 📍 Madrid está en el centro de España.
Madrid is in the centre of Spain.
👉 📍 Bilbao está al norte de Madrid.
Bilbao is north of Madrid.
👉 📍 México está al sur de Estados Unidos.
Mexico is south of the United States.
👉 📍 Japón está al este de China.
Japan is east of China.
Ideal for mastering directions in Spanish vocabulary.
In Spain, the cardinal points aren’t just geographical… they also describe culture, personality, climate and lifestyle ⚡.
🌬️ El norte
Cooler, rainy, green landscapes (Galicia, Asturias, País Vasco).
People are sometimes described as más reservados (more reserved).
☀️ El sur
Sunny, warm, lively (Andalucía).
People are often described as más alegres y abiertos (more cheerful and open).
🌊 El este
The Mediterranean area (Valencia, Cataluña).
Known for beaches, tourism and paella 🍤.
🌄 El oeste
More rural and mountainous areas (Extremadura).
Famous for nature, traditions and peaceful villages.
This helps learners understand Spain geographically and culturally 🌍✨.
👉 España está en el suroeste de Europa.
Spain is in the southwest of Europe.
👉 Argentina está en el sur de América del Sur.
Argentina is in the south of South America.
👉 Noruega está en el norte de Europa.
Norway is in the north of Europe.
👉 Alemania está al este de Francia.
Germany is east of France.
Test your knowledge with this short multiple-choice quiz 👇