How to Say Let’s Go in Italian: Your Complete Guide
If there’s one word you’ll hear Italians say all day long — on the street, at the dinner table, at the train station — it’s andiamo.
It means “let’s go.” And once you learn it (plus a few variations), you’ll sound like you’ve been speaking Italian for years.
In this episode of The ItalianChat Experience, Sofia and I break down andiamo and its colorful companions — from the casual “dai” to the high-energy “forza” — with pronunciation tips and a live scenario so you can hear exactly how Italians use these phrases in real conversation.
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Plus: the full written guide with pronunciation table and every phrase from the episode.
How to Say Let’s Go in Italian: Andiamo
The standard Italian for “let’s go” is andiamo (ahn-dee-AH-moh). Four syllables. The key is putting the stress on the third syllable — AH. Not AHN-dee-ah-mo. It’s ahn-dee-AH-mo. Nice and open on that “ah” sound.
Italians use andiamo constantly. Leaving a restaurant? Andiamo. Heading to the train? Andiamo. Ready to move on from a conversation? Andiamo. It’s one of those words that just fits everywhere.
How to Say Come On in Italian: Dai
Dai (DAH-ee) is the casual version — the one you’ll hear friends say to each other a dozen times a day. It’s the Italian equivalent of “come on!” and it’s used in exactly the same way: to nudge, to encourage, to get someone moving.
But here’s what makes dai fascinating: it changes meaning entirely depending on your tone.
“Dai, andiamo!” — said with urgency — means “come on, let’s go!”
“Dai!” — said with surprise — means “no way!” or “really?!”
“Dai…” — said softly — means “please, come on…” like you’re gently trying to convince someone.
One word, three completely different meanings. That’s Italian for you — it’s not just what you say, it’s how you say it.
How to Say Let’s Go With Energy: Forza
Forza (FOHR-tsah) is andiamo’s high-energy cousin. You’ll hear it at soccer matches, during competitions, or whenever Italians need to inject serious momentum into a moment. Think of it like “come on, let’s GO!” with an exclamation point.
Forza literally means “strength” or “force,” which tells you everything about the energy behind it. You wouldn’t use forza to suggest a quiet stroll — you’d use it when it’s time to move and you mean it.
Suggested Read: The Meaning of Forza Azzurri in Italian
How to Say Let’s Get Out of Here: Andiamo Via
Want to say “let’s leave” or “let’s get out of here”? Just add via: andiamo via (ahn-dee-AH-moh VEE-ah). It literally means “let’s go away” — and it’s not rude at all. It’s just direct.
You’re done at the beach and ready to head back? Andiamo via. Finished dinner and want to go? Andiamo via. It’s one of those additions that gives your Italian precision without any extra complexity.
Suggested Read: 100 Most Common Italian Words with Audio
How It Sounds in Real Life
In the episode, Sofia and I act out a quick train station scenario to show how these phrases work together naturally:
Sofia: “Max, il treno parte alle dieci. Andiamo!” (Max, the train leaves at ten. Let’s go!)
Max: “Sì, andiamo! Un momento — ho dimenticato il passaporto!” (Yes, let’s go! One moment — I forgot my passport!)
Sofia: “Dai, Max, sbrigati!” (Come on, Max, hurry up!)
See how natural that flows? Andiamo to get moving, dai to push someone along. You’ll hear these together all the time in Italy.
Quick Reference: Italian Phrases for Let’s Go
| Italian | Pronunciation | Meaning | When to Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andiamo | ahn-dee-AH-moh | Let’s go | Everywhere — the standard, universal phrase |
| Dai | DAH-ee | Come on | Casual, among friends, everyday nudging |
| Forza | FOHR-tsah | Come on / Let’s go (high energy) | Sports, excitement, when you need real momentum |
| Andiamo via | ahn-dee-AH-moh VEE-ah | Let’s get out of here / Let’s leave | When it’s time to leave a place |
| Sbrigati | zbree-GAH-tee | Hurry up | When someone needs to move faster |
Practice These Phrases Out Loud
These are exactly the kind of phrases that get stuck in your head once you say them a few times — but reading them isn’t the same as speaking them. If you want guided speaking practice with phrases like andiamo and dai — where someone models the Italian first, gives you feedback in English, and helps you respond out loud — that’s exactly what Sofia Voice Coach does inside ItalianChat.
Sofia leads the conversation so you never freeze. She speaks first, you repeat, and she keeps you moving forward.
Full Episode Transcript
[00:00:05] Max: Ciao, Italian language learners. Welcome to another exciting episode of the Italian Chat Experience. I’m Max, your host, here with our Italian voice coach, Sofia. Are you ready for some Italian today, Sofia?
[00:00:21] Sofia: Ciao, Max. Always ready for some Italian. What’s on the agenda for today’s episode?
[00:00:27] Max: Today, we’re learning a word you will hear constantly in Italy. On the street, at the dinner table, at the train station. Italians say this one all day long. We’re talking about how to say let’s go in Italian. Sofia, how do you say let’s go in Italian?
[00:00:47] Sofia: It’s andiamo. Andiamo. It means let’s go. And Italians use it all the time. Whether you’re leaving a restaurant, heading to the train, or just ready to move. Andiamo.
[00:00:59] Max: I love how that sounds. Now, this one is not too hard to pronounce, but let’s make sure our listeners get it right. Can you break it down for us, Sofia?
[00:01:10] Sofia: Sure. It’s four syllables. Andiamo. The stress is on the third syllable — ah. Not andiamo. It’s andiamo. Nice and open on that ah sound. Andiamo.
[00:01:25] Max: Are there other ways to say it? Like a more casual version — the way you would say “come on” to a friend?
[00:01:32] Sofia: Dai is the casual one. Dai. It’s like “come on.” You’ll hear it everywhere. Friends say it to each other constantly. And then there’s forza, which is more like “come on, let’s go!” with extra energy. You hear forza a lot at soccer games.
[00:01:49] Max: So andiamo is the go-to. Dai is casual and forza is when you really need to get people moving. I love that. What if I want to say something like “let’s get out of here” — not in a rude way, but like, let’s leave this place and go somewhere else?
[00:02:12] Sofia: Andiamo via. Andiamo via. It literally means “let’s go away.” So it’s “let’s get out of here” or “let’s leave.” Not rude at all, just direct. You’re done at the beach? Ready to head back? Andiamo via.
[00:02:25] Max: Let’s put this in a real situation. I’m with a friend in Rome, we are at the hotel, and we need to catch a train. How would this sound in a quick exchange?
[00:02:36] Sofia: Okay, I’ll be your friend. Max, il treno parte alle dieci. Andiamo! That means, Max, the train leaves at ten. Let’s go.
[00:02:47] Max: Sì, andiamo! Un momento — ho dimenticato il passaporto!
[00:02:54] Sofia: Dai, Max, sbrigati! That means “come on, Max, hurry up!” See how natural that is? Andiamo to get moving. Dai to push someone along. You’ll hear these together all the time.
[00:03:05] Max: Here’s something I’ve always noticed. Italians use “dai” for way more than just “come on.” It’s almost like a filler word. Can you explain that, Sofia?
[00:03:17] Sofia: Yes! Dai is one of those amazing Italian words that changes meaning with your tone. “Dai, andiamo” means “come on, let’s go.” But “dai!” with surprise means “no way!” And “dai…” softly means “please, come on…” — like you’re gently convincing someone. One word, so many moods. That’s Italian for you.
[00:03:40] Max: I love it. Excellent. To wrap up, today we practiced andiamo for let’s go, dai for come on, forza for extra energy, and andiamo via for let’s get out of here. These are words you will hear and use every day in Italy. Grazie for listening! Visit LearnItalianPod.com for more resources and to explore ItalianChat, where you can practice real Italian conversations with Sofia. A presto!
[00:04:02] Sofia: A presto! Ciao a tutti!
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