Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| caminar | /kamiˈnaɾ/ |
| andar | /anˈdaɾ/ |
Both verbs describe moving on one's feet, but they differ in scope. caminar refers strictly to the physical act of walking. andar is more versatile and can mean to walk, to move around or even to describe how a machine or person is functioning. In many dialects, andar is also used colloquially to mean "to be" or "to go around" in a certain state, such as andar preocupado (to be or acting worried). If you want to refer to a stroll or a walk as a noun, use paseo.
Which one should you use?
caminar is more precise and often implies a deliberate, purposeful movement or the covering of a specific distance. In contrast, andar is more general and colloquial. It can describe general movement or even the state of an object's functioning.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/kamiˈnaɾ/
Did you know?
- The verb andar has an irregular past tense that likely evolved from the verb haber, meaning 'to have'. This is a rare case of one verb borrowing its conjugation patterns from another.
- Spanish uses andar to describe the movement of clocks. If a watch is not working, a speaker would say it does not anda.
- Using andar to describe being in a certain mood or state is a colloquialism that makes the speaker sound more native than using the standard verb estar.
Examples in context
- Tom no puede andar.Tom can't walk.This sentence shows how to use andar to describe an inability to walk.Tatoeba #2351568 by Shishir, translation #1868425 by CK
- Le gusta andar sola.She likes to walk alone.This sentence demonstrates using andar to describe walking alone.Tatoeba #691104 by Shishir, translation #453905 by saasmath
- No me gusta caminar.I don't like to walk.This sentence illustrates the use of caminar to express a preference regarding the physical act of walking.Tatoeba #1003249 by hayastan, translation #2655198 by Dejo
- Me gusta caminar en el parque.I like to walk in the park.
- Por favor, caminen despacio dentro del museo.Please walk slowly inside the museum.
- Caminar es bueno para la salud.Walking is good for your health.
- Solemos pasear por el centro los sábados.We usually walk around downtown on Saturdays.
- En mi tiempo libre, me gusta pasear por el campo.In my free time, I like to walk in the countryside.
- ¿Vamos a pasear por la playa esta tarde?Shall we go for a walk on the beach this afternoon?
- Mis amigos andan por el parque.My friends walk around the park.
- 206 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and Sofía are deciding how to spend their afternoon.
- Javier¿Quieres caminar por la playa?Do you want to walk along the beach?
- SofíaSí, me encanta caminar bajo el sol.Yes, I love walking under the sun.
- JavierPodemos caminar hasta el muelle.We can walk to the pier.
- SofíaEs una idea excelente, Javier.That is an excellent idea, Javier.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “walk” translations and entries caminar, andar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries andar, caminar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
