Finding the Main Plaza

Every Latin American town has a central plaza — you ask a local how to walk there.

You
Hola, ¿cómo llego a la plaza principal?
OH-lah, KOH-moh YEH-goh ah lah PLAH-sah preen-see-PAHL?
Hi, how do I get to the main plaza?
The 'plaza principal' or 'zócalo' (in Mexico) is the heart of every Latin American town — a great landmark for orientation.
Local
Está a dos cuadras de aquí. Siga derecho.
ehs-TAH ah dohs KWAH-drahs deh ah-KEE. SEE-gah deh-REH-choh.
It's two blocks from here. Go straight.
You
¿Dos cuadras derecho y luego?
dohs KWAH-drahs deh-REH-choh ee LWEH-goh?
Two blocks straight and then?
Local
Luego a la derecha. La plaza está ahí. No tiene pierde.
LWEH-goh ah lah deh-REH-chah. lah PLAH-sah ehs-TAH ah-EE. noh tee-EH-neh pee-EHR-deh.
Then to the right. The plaza is right there. You can't miss it.
'No tiene pierde' literally means 'it has no way to be lost' — a reassuring phrase locals use to say you can't miss it.
You
Perfecto, muchas gracias.
pehr-FEHK-toh, MOO-chahs GRAH-see-ahs.
Perfect, thank you very much.