Venire or Andare?
In Italian, the verb venire, which means to come, is much more common than in English. As a result, most English speakers use the verb vado or, more generally, the verb andare as a default. This will sound a little strange because the verb venire is required in many situations.
For most English speakers, the verbs “go” and “come” are interchangeable or synonyms. Instead, in Italian, the verbs venire and andare are not interchangeable and have distinct meanings.
Venire is not the same as andare.
Why?
- Andare refers to a physical movement from one location to another.
- Venire refers to the movement from one location to another, but only when the person with whom you’re speaking will be physically in the location where you’re going.
Let’s take a closer look at the differences.
| ANDARE (to go) | VENIRE (to come) |
|---|---|
| vado a Roma (I go to Rome) | vengo a Roma (I come to Rome) |
| vado in palestra (I go to the gym) | vengo in palestra (I come to the gym) |
| vado al mare (I go to the sea) | vengo al mare (I come to the sea) |
| vado in centro (I go downtown) | vengo in centro (I come downtown) |
| when the person you’re speaking to will NOT be at the place of arrival | when the person you’re speaking to WILL be at the place of arrival |
Andare vs. Venire in Italian: Common Mistakes and Corrections
Let’s look at a common mistake I hear in my classes.
One of my students says:
- Serena, sai, vado in Italia il mese prossimo – Serena, you know, I’m going to Italy next month!
This construction is wrong. Since I live in Italy, the student should use the verb venire. Why? Because she’s speaking to me and I live in Italy. When she comes, we’ll be in the same country.
- Serena, vengo in Italia il prossimo mese – Serena, you know, I’m coming to Italy next month!
This is a perfectly correct sentence.
Similarly, if I had to tell one of the many American students living in the United States that I’m going to visit their country, I’d say:
- Vengo negli Stati Uniti a Natale – I’m coming to the US
and NOT
- Vado negli Stati Uniti (this would imply that the person I’m speaking to doesn’t reside in the US)
Test Your Italian
Not sure what your Italian level is? I’ve created a free online Italian test to help you determine it.Other Uses of Venire
Vieni a Cena? Another use of “venire”
Venire is also used when you want to invite someone to join you.
In Italian it’s best to say:
- Vieni al cinema?
- Vieni al bar?
- Vieni al mare?
- Vieni a cena?
In Italian, the simple use of the verb venire implies “with me” or “with us.” Unless you want to emphasize something, don’t say “con me” or “con noi.”
For example:
- Vieni in centro con me o vai con Patrizia? – Are you coming downtown with me or with Patrizia?
Da dove vieni? Vengo da…
Venire is frequently used with the preposition “da” to denote provenance:
- Vengo da Parigi – I’m from Paris
- Queste olive vengono dall‘Italia – these olives are Italian
- Il treno viene da Napoli – the train comes from Naples
Common expressions with “venire”
Venire appears in many expressions you can use in your Italian conversations:
- Mi viene in mente or non mi viene in mente – it comes (or not) to my mind
- Mi ̬ venuta fame РI became hungry
- Mi ̬ venuto sonno РI became sleepy
- Mi è venuta un’idea – I had an idea
- Venire al dunque – to go straight to the point
- Venire incontro a qualcuno – to reach a compromise with someone
