Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| ¡vamos! | |
| ¡ándale! | |
| ¡venga! | |
| vamos | /ˈbamos/ |
| dale | /ˈdale/ |
The phrase is used as an expression of encouragement or cheer. ¡Vamos! can suggest physical movement, such as suggesting a group leave a location or it can be used as a celebratory cheer, like after a goal is scored in a sports match. Additionally, ¡dale! can be used as an informal way to say 'go ahead' or 'do it', serving as a synonym for 'let's go' when the meaning is 'let's do this'.
What does it mean word for word?
The word vamos is the first-person plural present indicative form of the verb ir (to go), which literally means 'we go'.
Which one should you use?
While vamos can be a simple statement meaning 'we go', adding exclamation marks to create ¡vamos! turns it into an interjection of encouragement or a command to move. ¡Dale! differs by focusing more on the instruction to 'go for it' or 'do it'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form ¡dale! is an informal way to say 'go ahead' or 'do it'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, ¡ándale! is a common way to express encouragement or 'let's go'. In Spain, ¡venga! is frequently used as an expression of encouragement or to say 'come on'. In certain Caribbean regions, particularly Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, the colloquial expression pa'lante is used.
How does it change in a sentence?
If you want to say 'let's get out of here' informally, you can use Vámonos de aquí.
Did you know?
- In Spain, ¡venga! is often used to end a phone call, acting as a way to say 'let's wrap this up' or 'goodbye'.
- If you are in Mexico, you might hear ¡ándale! used as an encouraging 'let's go', but be careful as it can also mean 'exactly!' or 'that's it!' depending on the tone.
- The common cheer ¡dale! is technically a command to the listener, essentially telling them to 'give it' or 'hit it' to show momentum.
Examples in context
- ¡Vamos a la cama!Let's go to bed!This sentence shows how to use vamos to suggest going to a place.Tatoeba #13646441 by Seael, translation #13646437 by doemaar14
- Vamos me dijo él."Let's go," he said to me.This sentence shows a person using vamos to suggest a departure.Tatoeba #180324 by Shishir, translation #404116 by CK
- Vamos en taxi, ¿vale?Let's go by taxi, OK?This sentence shows using vamos to suggest a mode of transport.Tatoeba #1441721 by Shishir, translation #1290698 by CK
- Vamos al teatro esta noche.Let's go to the theater tonight.
- Vayamos juntos a la conferencia.Let's go together to the conference.
- ¡Vámonos de fiesta!Let's go partying!
- ¡Vámonos de aquí antes de que llueva!Let's get out of here before it starts raining!
- ¡Pa'lante, que no hay tiempo que perder!Let's keep going, there's no time to waste!
- 67 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and Elena are watching a football match.
- Elena¡Vamos, Daniel!Let's go, Daniel!
- Daniel¡Eso es! ¡Vamos!That's it! Let's go!
- Elena¡Tú puedes, equipo!You can do it, team!
- Daniel¡Vamos, que ya casi ganamos!Let's go, we're almost winning!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “let's go” translations and entries vamos, dale, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
