How do you say left in Spanish?

Left in Spanish is izquierda when you mean the direction (turn left, a la izquierda) and izquierdo for the masculine adjective form (el lado izquierdo). For the verb left as past tense of to leave, use se fue or salió. For left as in remaining, use queda.

What's the difference between izquierda and izquierdo?

Izquierda is feminine (la mano izquierda, a la izquierda); izquierdo is masculine (el lado izquierdo, el pie izquierdo). The direction phrase a la izquierda uses the feminine form because mano izquierda is implied. Match the gender of the noun you're describing.

How do you say turn left in Spanish?

Turn left in Spanish is dobla a la izquierda (informal) or doble a la izquierda (formal, with usted). Gira a la izquierda also works. The direction phrase a la izquierda is universal across Spanish-speaking countries.

How do you say I left (departed) in Spanish?

I left in Spanish, in the sense of departing, is me fui (from irse, the most natural choice) or salí (from salir, more for went out / exited). Salí de la oficina, I left the office. Me fui a casa, I left for home / I went home.

Spanish vocabulary · Beginner

Left in Spanish: Izquierda for Direction, and Three Other Translations You Need

Written by Sofia Ramirez, Lead Spanish Curriculum Editor · Reviewed May 2026

Izquierda · noun (feminine), adjective, and verb form · ees-kee-EHR-dah

Left in Spanish is izquierda when you mean the direction (turn left, on the left). Spanish has no single word that covers all the English meanings of left, so the verb senses get different translations: se fue (he left, departed), queda (there's some left, remaining), salió de (left a place).

Izquierda is ees-kee-EHR-dah, four syllables, stress on EHR. The z is pronounced as a soft s in Latin America (and a soft th in most of Spain). The qu is just a k sound, the u is silent.

Gira a la izquierda en la esquina.

Turn left at the corner.

Left in Spanish: Quick Reference

Below are the most common Spanish words for left, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.

Spanish	English	Pronunciation	Region / Register
izquierda	left	ees-kee-EHR-dah	Default, widely understood
izquierdo	left		masculine adjective: el lado izquierdo (the left side)
se fue / salió	left		left as past tense of to leave
queda / sobró	left		left as remaining (there's some left)
a la izquierda	left		to the left (direction)

How Native Speakers Use Izquierda

Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.

Direction: turn left

Dobla a la izquierda en el semáforo.

Turn left at the traffic light.

A la izquierda is the standard direction phrase. Use dobla / gira a la izquierda for turn left.

Departed (verb)

María ya se fue al trabajo.

Maria already left for work.

For left as past tense of leave (depart), Spanish uses se fue (irse: to leave) or salió (salir: to go out / leave). Izquierda has nothing to do with this meaning.

Remaining (verb)

Solo queda un poco de pan.

There's only a little bread left.

For left as remaining, use quedar (literally to remain). Quedan dos días (there are two days left). Sobrar means similar but emphasizes excess.

Avoid These Mistakes When Using Izquierda

Using izquierda for I left (the verb)

Incorrect: Yo izquierda la casa.

Correct: Yo me fui de la casa. / Salí de la casa.

Izquierda only means the direction left. The verb left (departed) is irse (me fui) or salir (salí). English has one word; Spanish splits direction and motion entirely.

Mismatching gender: el izquierda

Incorrect: El lado izquierda.

Correct: El lado izquierdo. / La mano izquierda.

Izquierda is feminine; izquierdo is masculine. Match the noun: el lado izquierdo (the left side), la mano izquierda (the left hand). The direction phrase a la izquierda is feminine because it's short for a la mano izquierda.

Lock in Left Vocabulary with the Parrot Method

Why word lists alone don't stick

Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.

See Izquierda used by native speakers

Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using izquierda in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Gira a la izquierda en la esquina. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.

Save, review, repeat, stay consistent

Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.

Common Questions About Left in Spanish

How do you say left in Spanish?: Left in Spanish is izquierda when you mean the direction (turn left, a la izquierda) and izquierdo for the masculine adjective form (el lado izquierdo). For the verb left as past tense of to leave, use se fue or salió. For left as in remaining, use queda.
What's the difference between izquierda and izquierdo?: Izquierda is feminine (la mano izquierda, a la izquierda); izquierdo is masculine (el lado izquierdo, el pie izquierdo). The direction phrase a la izquierda uses the feminine form because mano izquierda is implied. Match the gender of the noun you're describing.
How do you say turn left in Spanish?: Turn left in Spanish is dobla a la izquierda (informal) or doble a la izquierda (formal, with usted). Gira a la izquierda also works. The direction phrase a la izquierda is universal across Spanish-speaking countries.
How do you say I left (departed) in Spanish?: I left in Spanish, in the sense of departing, is me fui (from irse, the most natural choice) or salí (from salir, more for went out / exited). Salí de la oficina, I left the office. Me fui a casa, I left for home / I went home.