A guide to saying it like a local
How to Say "Next to the bank" in French
Use 'À côté de la banque' to ask for directions to a place next to a bank in France.
À côté de la banque
ah koh-TAY duh lah BAHNKneutral
French TTS · 0:01
When you're looking for a specific shop, restaurant, or landmark and know it's located right beside a bank. For example, you could ask 'Où est la poste ? C'est à côté de la banque.'
Alternatives
- Près de la banqueThis means 'near the bank' and is less precise than 'next to'.
- Juste à côté de la banqueUse this for extra emphasis that it's immediately adjacent.
Ways to get it wrong
Pronouncing 'côté'
The 'é' sounds like the 'ay' in 'say', and the final 'é' is not silent.
Forgetting 'de'
You need 'de' to connect 'à côté' with what it's next to.
Pronouncing 'banque'
The 'an' is a nasal vowel, like saying 'on' but through your nose, and the 'que' sounds like 'k'.
A small cultural note
Banks are common landmarks in French towns and cities, so using them as reference points is very natural.
The same phrase in other languages
Frequently asked
How to say 'next to' in French?
The most common way is 'à côté de'. You can add 'la' or 'le' after 'de' to specify what it's next to.
What if I don't know if it's 'la banque' or 'le banque'?
The word 'banque' is feminine in French, so you always use 'la banque'.
Is 'à côté de la banque' formal?
It's a neutral phrase suitable for most situations when asking for directions from strangers or acquaintances.
