Go Left! Turn left!

Guest   Sat Apr 12, 2008 9:53 pm GMT
Vaya a la izquierda
Tienes que dar una vuelta...
Vire a la izquierda
Tome a la izquierda
Doble a la izquierda
Voltee a la izquierda
Gire a la izquierda

These are ways I've heard or seen directions translated as "go" or "turn" left. Do all of them "feel" the same to native speakers of Spanish? If you feel that any of them are incorrect, please comment.
Guest   Sat Apr 12, 2008 11:00 pm GMT
Vaya a la izquierda OK
Tienes que dar una vuelta : this sound as if you had to spin on yourself.
Vire a la izquierda OK but virar is used mainly metaphorically rather than to express physic directions.
Tome a la izquiera OK
Doble a la izquierda OK
Voltee a la izquierda NO voltear is to twist something
Gire a la izquierda OK
Gabriel   Sun Apr 13, 2008 12:28 am GMT
<<Vire a la izquierda OK but virar is used mainly metaphorically rather than to express physic directions. >>

Really, guest? I have to wonder if you're a native speaker. I use and understand "virar" to express an actual turn. And the RAE supports me:

VIRAR 4. intr. Mudar de dirección en la marcha de un automóvil u otro vehículo semejante.

The only two phrases that I find awkward and non-native sounding are "Vaya a la izquierda" and "Voltee a la izquierda".
OP   Sun Apr 13, 2008 12:37 am GMT
Tienes que dar una vuelta a la izquierda.

Voltee sounds weird to me-like "turn over", but I'm not a native speaker.
OP   Sun Apr 13, 2008 2:28 am GMT
From Spain:

Gire a la derecha en (name ) hasta el puente. Gire a la izquierda en la calle (name). Después, tome la segunda a la derecha hacia la calle(name). Vaya a la izquierda en la calle G. y a la izquierda de nuevo en la calle N.

Are they all equivalent to "turn" or "go" here?
Guest   Sun Apr 13, 2008 2:57 pm GMT
i'm spaniard and i'd never say : Tienes que dar una vuelta a la izquierda.
because vuelta is go round something and dar media vuelta is to turn round. Vuelta is like a circle so this expression is wrong.
I wouldn't say also :voltear because is 'dar vuelta a una cosa' turn over as OP mentioned, but the rest is fine just only that virar is used mainly for ships .
OP   Sun Apr 13, 2008 7:25 pm GMT
A lady I know uses "Tienes que dar una vuelta a la derecha" when giving directions inside a car. I'm not criticizing her. I'd like to know which instuctions should be used only for giving directions to drivers, cyclists and which should be used with people going on foot or does it matter?
Guest   Sun Apr 13, 2008 7:28 pm GMT
Thanks again to all.
Guest   Sun Apr 13, 2008 8:09 pm GMT
OP , the only sense i can find to this sentence is that "Tienes que dar una vuelta " means You have to return.
a la derecha = turn right to do so;
So maybe the verb is omitted.
The sentence would be then: Tienes que dar la vuelta,(gire/vaya) a la derecha.

<<does it matter>>
No, it doesn't. For instance, on foot:
Tome la primera calle a la derecha.
Gire/Doble a la izquierda al salir de la Calle Mayor.
Vaya hasta el final de la calle = Go to the end of the street
Guest   Mon Apr 14, 2008 3:10 am GMT
Thank-you to all.