passeggiare
/pas.sedˈd͡ʒa.re/
The English phrase 'walk about' translates to the Italian verb passeggiare.
passeggiare is used when you are walking for pleasure or leisure. For an informal way to say 'to take a little walk', you can use passeggiare un po'.
Which one should you use?
While passeggiare implies walking for leisure, the verb camminare is used for the neutral, functional act of walking from one place to another.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun form of passeggiare is passeggiata, which refers to the act of a walk or a stroll.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /pas.sedˈdʒa.re/. It has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable.
Did you know?
- In many Italian towns, the passeggiata is not just a walk but a vital social ritual. It is the specific time of day, usually before dinner, when everyone goes out to see and be seen.
- If you are walking the dog, you do not passeggiare the dog, but instead use the phrase portare a spasso il cane.
- The verb passeggiare is built from the word passo, which means 'step'. Essentially, you are performing an action that consists of many 'stepping' motions.
Examples in context
- Vorrei girare un po' per il centro storico.I would like to walk about the historical center.
- Potremmo girare un po' per il parco dopo la riunione.We could walk about the park after the meeting.
- Sto passeggiando per il quartiere per scoprire nuovi posti.I am walking about the neighborhood to discover new places.
- Passeggiamo nel parco durante la pausa pranzo.We walk about in the park during lunch break.
- Andiamo a fare un giro nel centro.Let's go for a walk around the city center.
- Domani faccio un giro per vedere le nuove vetrine.Tomorrow I'll walk about to see the new shop windows.
- Vorrei passeggiare un po' sul lungomare.I would like to walk about a bit on the promenade.
- Andiamo a fare una passeggiata.Let's go for a walk.
- Mi piace passeggiare in centro.I like to walk about downtown.
- Possiamo passeggiare nel parco dopo cena.We can walk about in the park after dinner.
- Preferisco passeggiare da solo la sera.I prefer to walk about alone in the evening.
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Sofia are deciding what to do after lunch.
- LorenzoSofia, vuoi passeggiare un po'?Sofia, do you want to walk about for a bit?
- SofiaSì, è una bellissima giornata.Yes, it is a beautiful day.
- LorenzoAndiamo verso il lungomare.Let's go towards the promenade.
- SofiaPerfetto, andiamo insieme!Perfect, let's go together!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry passeggiare, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries passeggiare, CC BY-SA 4.0.
