andare
/anˈda.re/
The Italian word for going is andare.
The verb andare describes the act of moving from one place to another. It is also used idiomatically in the phrase andare d'accordo, which means to get along with someone. If you specifically mean 'to head to' a certain direction, the synonym dirigersi may be used.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the present indicative, andare changes based on the subject: vado for I go/I'm going, vai for you go/you're going, va for he/she goes/he's/she's going, andiamo for we go/we're going, andate for you go/you're going and vanno for they go/they're going. To express movement toward a specific destination, andare is often followed by the preposition a. The past participle of the verb is andato.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of andare is /anˈda.re/. It has three syllables, with the stress on the second syllable.
Did you know?
- If an Italian says andare a gonfie vele, they are not talking about sailing, but describing a situation that is going very well.
- When talking about clothes, andare can be used to mean 'to suit' or 'to match', such as in questo ti va meaning 'this suits you'.
- When an Italian says andiamo, they are not always suggesting a group move. It is frequently used as a filler word or an exclamation meaning 'come on' or 'no way' depending on the tone.
Examples in context
- È ora di andare.It's time to be going.This sentence is useful for saying it is time to leave.Tatoeba #3807747 by Guybrush88, translation #64746 by CK
- Dice di non andare.He says he's not going.This sentence is useful for reporting what someone else says about not going.Tatoeba #9802422 by Guybrush88, translation #7405030 by CH
- Io stavo per andare.I was going to go.This sentence is useful for expressing an intention to go in the past.Tatoeba #2564407 by Guybrush88, translation #2549143 by CK
- Sto andando a teatro stasera.I am going to the theater tonight.
- Lei è andata in banca questa mattina.She went to the bank this morning.
- Il treno partirà alle 15:00, sarò già andato al supermercato.The train will leave at 3 p.m., I will have already gone to the supermarket.
- Andrea è appena andato a prendere il caffè.Andrea just went to get some coffee.
- Maria andrà in vacanza la prossima settimana.Maria will go on vacation next week.
- Vai a prenderci del gelato?Are you going to get us some ice cream?
- 594 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Matteo and Sofia are at the train station.
- MatteoDobbiamo andare al binario quattro.We have to go to platform four.
- SofiaHai ragione, stiamo per fare tardi.You are right, we are about to be late.
- MatteoAndiamo subito, la mia borsa è pronta.Let's go right now, my bag is ready.
- SofiaAspetta, prendo il mio cappotto e andiamo.Wait, I'll grab my coat and we'll go.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry andare, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
