"The city of Barcelona faces east"

Question

I'm not sure how to ask about "facing in a certain direction"

• The city of Barcelona faces east

• La ciudad Barcelona mira al este

• The other balcony faces toward the garden

• El otro balcón buscas hacia el jardín

Answer 1

to face north/south -> estar orientado(a) hacia el norte/sur (building, window)

I don't know about other variations, but using an example from the dictionary, I would just say:

La ciudad de Barcelona está orientada hacia el este

El otro balcón está orientado hacia el jardín

• Thanks, I didn't see that one there. - sacabrillo Feb 18, 2012
• Great answer, Goldie! - Martha-SD Feb 18, 2012
• Thanks. - Goldie_Miel Feb 18, 2012

Answer 2

You can use hacia or dar or mirar or ponerse de frente

El edificio se orienta hacia el este. The building is oriented toward the east.

La casa da al este. The house faces east.

El dial mira al norte. The dial faces (looks to the) north.

La persona en el centro se pone de frente al norte. The person in the center (puts their front) faces north.

• I agree with most of these - except "ponerse de frente" & "orientarse". I couldn't really find any examples of "ponerse de frente" used in this manner. Orientarse seemed more commonly used for polar- (North/South pole) and geography-related subjects. - Goldie_Miel Feb 18, 2012
• Those two examples were derived from examining some bilingual government documents that I had regarding housing. It is possible that such translations were "loose." The example of "dar" was verified in both my Spanish textbooks. - xocoyote Feb 18, 2012
• Oh, no sweat. I'm wasn't trying to disqualify them as possibilities. I'm no native lol. I just couldn't find them used like that, so I could say "Yes, yes!" to them. lol - Goldie_Miel Feb 18, 2012

Answer 3

I would say: La ciudad de Barcelona da al este = The city of Barcelona faces East

El otro balcón se orienta hacia al jardín = The other balcony faces towards the garden

I hope this helps