Document 832983

Andare o Venire?
• Andare and venire are two of the most important
verbs in Italian, and they creep up in conversation
and in reading quite a bit. However, it wasn’t until
recently when I used them incorrectly during an
Italian conversation class, that I thought that it
was a good topic to discuss. In English, we’re
pretty loose with how we use coming and going,
but in Italian, you have to be careful which you
chose because it can affect the meaning of your
sentences. Let’s look at what these two verbs
mean:
• Andare means “to go“, but more specifically it
is movement towards a place. It’s important to
note that the person to whom you are
speaking is not included of your movement.
Vado al cinema con Alessio. Vorresti venire
con noi?
• I’m going to the cinema with Alessio. Would
you like to come with us?
• When followed by an infinitive, the
preposition, a, must be used: andare a +
infinitive.
• Venire means “to come“, but more specifically, it
means moving and going towards a place where the
person to whom you are speaking is located.
• Vengo a Londra, Vittoria. Hai organizzato qualcosa?
I’m coming to London, Victoria. Have you organized
anything?
(where the person to whom you are speaking is already
located)
• When followed by an infinitive, the preposition, a,
must be used: venire a + infinitive.
• Sometimes, seeing the verbs used in their context
can help to explain better the grammar — let’s
look at this conversation below between two
friends, Marta and Enrico:
• Marta: Enrico, vai al cinema stasera?
• Marta: Enrico, are you going to the cinema
tonight?
Enrico: Sì, certo. Devo vedere il nuovo film di
Tarantino. Volete venire?
• Enrico: Yes, of course. I have to see the new Tarantino
film. Do you want come?
Marta: Beato te! Purtroppo non possiamo venire. Mia
suocera viene da Milano stasera, e mio marito e
io andiamo a cenare fuori con lei.
• Marta: Lucky you! Unfortunately, we can’t come. My
mother-in-law is coming from Milan this evening, and
my husband and I are going to dine out with her.
Enrico: Peccato che non veniate al cinema.
• Enrico: It’s a pity you are not coming.
Marta: Forse mio marito e io
ci andremo questo fine settimana. Buon film e
divertiti!
• Marta: Perhaps my husband and I will go this
weekend. Enjoy the film and enjoy yourself!
• In the first sentence, if Marta had said vieni
instead of vai, she would have been implying
that she, too, would have been at the cinema.
Using andare, signals that she and Enrico will
not be at the same location.
• In the second sentence, Enrico asks “Volete
venire?“, which means “Do you want to come
with me to the theater?” If Enrico had asked
“Volete andare?“, what he is really asking is
“Do you also want to go to the movies, but
not with me?” You might ask “Vuoi andare?” if
you are asking if the person really want to go
to see the film, not with the speaker.