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This lesson explains Italian prepositions of place for expressing movement, focusing on 'andare in' (to a country or closed place), 'andare a' (to a city or event), 'verso' (toward), 'da' (from), and 'per' (for, through), with examples like "Vado in macchina" and "Andiamo a Roma."
Preposizione (Preposition)Uso (Use)Esempio (Example)
Andare + inPaesi, regioni, trasporti, luoghi chiusi (Countries, regions, transport, enclosed spaces)

Vado in macchina (I go in a car)

Andiamo in stazione (Let's go to the station)

Andare + aCittà, luoghi precisi, eventi o casa (Cities, precise places, events or home)

Vai a Roma (Go to Rome)

Andiamo a cena (Let's go to dinner)

Andare + versoDirezione approssimativa, generale (Approximate, general direction)

Andiamo verso la stazione (Let's go towards the station)

Va verso la piazza (He goes towards the square)

DaProvenienza (Origin)Vengo da Torino (I come from Turin)
PerDestinazione, attraverso un luogo (Destination, through a place)

Questo biglietto è per Roma (This ticket is for Rome)

Passo per il parco (I pass through the park)

Exceptions!

  1. With means of transport we use "in", but we say "andare a piedi".

Exercise 1: Le preposizioni di luogo: andare in, andare a, per, da, ecc.

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

in, da, verso, per

1.
Siamo già ... macchina, possiamo partire.
(We are already in the car, we can leave.)
2.
Camminiamo ... la stazione prima che faccia buio.
(Let's walk to the station before it gets dark.)
3.
Sono tornato ... Venezia ieri sera tardi.
(I came back from Venice late last night.)
4.
Questo autobus va ... Milano centrale.
(This bus goes to Milan Central.)
5.
Partiamo ... Firenze alle otto in punto.
(We leave Florence at eight o'clock sharp.)
6.
Passiamo ... il centro per prendere un caffè.
(Let's go through the town centre to have a coffee.)
7.
Vado ... treno ogni mattina per andare al lavoro.
(I take the train every morning to go to work.)
8.
Vengo ... scuola, sono molto stanco.
(I come from school, I am very tired.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Domani vado ___ stazione per prendere il treno.

(Tomorrow I go ___ the station to take the train.)

2. Andiamo ___ Roma per lavoro questa settimana.

(We are going ___ Rome for work this week.)

3. Vengo ___ Milano, sono appena arrivato.

(I come ___ Milan, I just arrived.)

4. Prendo il bus ___ città per andare al lavoro.

(I take the bus ___ the city to go to work.)

5. Camminiamo ___ il parco vicino a casa.

(We walk ___ the park near home.)

6. Vado ___ piedi al supermercato stasera.

(I go ___ foot to the supermarket tonight.)

Prepositions of Place in Italian: Using andare in, andare a, per, da, and More

This lesson introduces fundamental Italian prepositions used to express movement and direction, focusing on how to correctly use different prepositions with the verb andare (to go) and related expressions. It's designed for A1 learners and helps build a clear understanding of where and how to apply these common prepositions in everyday contexts.

Key Prepositions and Their Uses

  • Andare + in: Used with countries, regions, modes of transport, and enclosed places. Examples include Vado in macchina and Andiamo in stazione.
  • Andare + a: Used with cities, precise places, events, or to indicate going home. Examples: Vai a Roma, Andiamo a cena.
  • Andare + verso: Indicates an approximate or general direction. For instance, Andiamo verso la stazione.
  • Da: Expresses origin or provenance. Example: Vengo da Torino.
  • Per: Indicates a destination or movement through a place. For example, Questo biglietto è per Roma, Passo per il parco.

Additional Important Points

When describing how you travel by vehicle, use the preposition in (e.g., in macchina). However, when describing going on foot, use andare a piedi, not in piedi.

Differences and Useful Expressions

Italian prepositions of place and movement differ from English in that they often combine with verbs like andare to specify direction more clearly. For example, andare a is usually translated simply as "go to," but it's specific to cities, events, or precise places, while andare in refers to countries or modes of transport, which English doesn't differentiate as strictly. Also, "da" is used to indicate "from" or origin, which English expresses similarly but sometimes with more flexibility.

Some useful phrases to remember include:

  • Vado in stazione — I go to the station (enclosed place).
  • Andiamo a Roma — We go to Rome (city).
  • Vengo da Milano — I come from Milan.
  • Passo per il parco — I pass through the park.
  • Vado a piedi — I go on foot.

By focusing on these distinctions, learners can accurately describe movement and directions in Italian, enhancing conversational clarity.

Note: The detailed exercises to practice these structures are available after login and payment.

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Fabio Pirioni

Bachelor in Humanities

University of Udine

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Last Updated:

Thursday, 17/07/2025 12:54