Andare vs. Venire: How to Use These Verbs

To go or to come? Knowing whether to use andare or venire should be simple, right? While in English using these two verbs comes quite naturally to us, in Italian it can sometimes be tricky to know which one to use. In this article, we’re breaking down the meanings and conjugations of the verbs andare and venire, along with providing tips on how to know when to use which one.

Andare: meaning and conjugation

Andare is an irregular verb meaning “to go.” Its present simple conjugation is as follows:

• Io vado
• Tu vai
• Lui/lei va
• Noi andiamo
• Voi andate
• Loro vanno

The past simple conjugation, instead, is the following. Note that it is an intransitive verb and so uses essere:

• Sono andato/a
• Sei andato/a
• È andato/a
• Siamo andati/e
• Siete andati/e
• Sono andati/e

Finally the *future conjugation is:

• Io andrò
• Tu andrai
• Lui/lei andrà
• Noi andremo
• Voi andrete
• Loro andranno

*Note that unless the event in question is very far in the future, present simple is commonly used for future events in spoken Italian.

Venire: meaning and conjugation

Venire is an irregular verb meaning “to come.” The present simple conjugation is the following:

• Io vengo
• Tu vieni
• Lui/lei viene
• Noi veniamo
• Voi venite
• Loro vengono

The past simple conjugation is as follows. Venire is also an intransitive verb using essere:

• Sono venuto/a
• Sei venuto/a
• È venuto/a
• Siamo venuti/e
• Siete venuti/e
• Sono venuti/e

And the future conjugation:

• Io verrò
• Tu verrai
• Lui/lei verrà
• Noi verremo
• Voi verrete
• Loro verranno

How to know when to use which one

The primary difference is that andare expresses a movement away from who you’re talking to, while venire describes movement toward the receiver of the message. English has the same distinction, though it’s probably so habitual that you hadn’t even thought of it.

For example, to say, “Vengo in Germania la prossima estate” (“I’m coming to Germany next summer”) implies that the person you are speaking to will be in Germany when you go next summer. If, instead, you say, “Vado in Germania la prossima estate” (“I’m going to Germany next summer”), the implication is that the receiver is not in Germany.

Another interesting example is, “Vengo dagli Stati Uniti.” (“I come from the United States). This phrase would be used to tell a person where you’re from and venire is used because it expresses a movement toward the receiving person; in other words, it is from the perspective of the receiving person.

As another good rule of thumb, if the sentence invites the person to join you for something, use venire instead of andare.

Then there’s also “Vai via” (“go away”), with the same meaning and tone with which is it used in English, highlighting quite literally the away movement of the verb andare.

Expressions that use venire

The following is a list of common expressions that use the verb venire:

• “Mi è venuto in mente…” (It came to me…/It came to mind…)
• “Vieni al dunque.” (Get to the point).
• “Com’è venuto?” (How did it go?)
• “Quanto vengono i fiori?” (How much are the flowers?)
• “Alla come viene, viene.” (Literally, “As it comes, it comes,” but idiomatically, “It is what it is.”)
• “Mi è venuta fame.” (I became hungry. You can substitute the verb for other feelings.)

Expressions that use andare

Some common expressions that use the verb andare:

• “Non mi va.” (I don’t feel like [it].)
• “Andare sul sicuro.” (To play it safe.)
• “Va da sé.” (It goes without saying.)
• “Andare a monte.” (To fail.)
• “Andare a letto con le galline.” (To go to bed early; literally, “with the chickens.”)
• “Andare in fretta.” (To hurry.)
• “Andare d’accordo con qualcuno.” (To have a good relationship with someone.)

Other example sentences

Below are some more example sentences, in random order, to show further use of the verbs andare and venire:

“Tua sorella verrà per il matrimonio il prossimo anno?” (Is your sister coming to the wedding next year?)

“Vorrei andare in Scozia ma non ho abbastanza soldi.” (I’d like to go to Scotland, but I don’t have enough money.)

“Dovresti venire a trovarci per la sagra.” (You should join us for the festival.)

“Andiamo subito da Elena.” (Let’s go right now to Elena’s place.)

Conclusion

When it comes to using andare and venire, these verbs will be indispensable to your everyday Italian use. Though they are irregular, the frequency with which you will use them means you will adapt rather quickly to their conjugations and various functions. As you can see, they are also used in many colloquial expressions and idioms. If you’re ready to start your Italian journey—or perhaps continue it—don’t hesitate to contact us today at info@italiancitizenshiplanguageschool.com.