Italian grammar · Beginner · Lesson 8
Andare Conjugation: Vado, Vai, Va and the Italian Present
Learn the present forms of andare and use a, in, and a casa to talk about where you are going.
Updated October 10, 2026 · Free lesson and exercises
Memorize the irregular present forms
Andare means to go and mixes different stems in the present. Vado, vai, va, and vanno differ from the infinitive, while andiamo and andate retain and-. Learn the table as a set instead of adding regular -are endings.
Choose a destination phrase
Use a with city names: vado a Roma. Use in with many country names: vado in Italia. A casa means home; do not translate English go home as andare casa. Other places have established combinations, such as al cinema and in ufficio.
Plan the next step
The present can describe a planned near-future action when time is clear: domani vado a Roma. In the passato prossimo, andare takes essere: sono andato or sono andata. The participle agrees with the subject in that construction.
Andare: present indicative
| Subject | Form | Example destination |
|---|---|---|
| io | vado | vado a casa |
| tu | vai | vai a Roma |
| lui / lei | va | va in Italia |
| noi | andiamo | andiamo al cinema |
| voi | andate | andate in ufficio |
| loro | vanno | vanno a scuola |
Destination prepositions are learned with the place expression. This table shows examples, not a universal a/in rule.
See the pattern in a sentence
Vado a casa.
I am going home.
A casa is a fixed destination phrase.
Domani andiamo a Roma.
Tomorrow we are going to Rome.
Domani makes the future plan clear.
Vai in Italia questa estate?
Are you going to Italy this summer?
Italia takes in in this ordinary destination phrase.
Common mistakes to notice
To fix: Io ando a Roma.
Use: Io vado a Roma.
The io present form is the irregular vado.
To fix: Vado casa.
Use: Vado a casa.
Include a in the phrase a casa.
Try it yourself
Say or write an answer before opening the explanation.
1. Complete: loro ___ a scuola.
Show answer and explanation
Loro vanno a scuola.
The loro form is vanno.
2. Say we are going home.
Show answer and explanation
Andiamo a casa.
Use andiamo and keep a casa together.
3. Complete: tu ___ in Italia?
Show answer and explanation
Tu vai in Italia?
Tu takes vai.
Use it in a conversation
Plan a day out: say where you go in the morning, where a friend goes, and where you go together tomorrow.
Read the examples aloud, then try your own sentences. In ChatPal, practice a real scenario and get personalized feedback on what you say.
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Questions about this pattern
Is andare regular?
No. Its present indicative is vado, vai, va, andiamo, andate, vanno.
Does andare use essere in the past?
Yes in the ordinary intransitive construction: sono andato or sono andata. The participle matches the subject.
Does Italian say go to home?
It uses andare a casa, with a. The English absence of to before home does not carry over.
Keep building your sentences
- Italian Present Tense: Regular -Are, -Ere and -Ire Verbs
- Italian Passato Prossimo: Avere or Essere + Past Participle
Words to practice with
References and corrections
Original explanations and practice examples for beginners. References help check the grammar; this page covers the patterns shown rather than every exception.