anda
/an-da/
he/she walks; you walk
The most common usage of anda is the verb form of 'andar', meaning 'he/she walks' or 'walk!' (command).
anda(Verb)
he/she walks; you walk
?As a statement about someone walking (él/ella/usted form).
,walk!
?As a command given to one person you know well (tú form).
he/she is; you are
?Informal way to talk about a temporary state, similar to 'estar'. E.g., 'Anda preocupado' (He's worried).
,it works; it runs
?Referring to a machine or device. E.g., 'El reloj no anda' (The watch doesn't work).
📝 In Action
Mi padre anda por el parque todas las mañanas.
A1My father walks through the park every morning.
El coche no anda, creo que no tiene gasolina.
A2The car doesn't run, I think it's out of gas.
¡Anda más rápido, que vamos a llegar tarde!
A2Walk faster, we're going to be late!
Mi hermano anda un poco triste últimamente.
B1My brother is a little sad lately.
💡 Grammar Points
Two Jobs, One Word
'Anda' can be a statement ('él anda' - he walks) or a command ('¡anda!' - walk!). You can tell which is which from the situation and whether it has exclamation marks.
Irregular Past Tense Alert!
The verb 'andar' is tricky in the past. It doesn't follow the normal '-ar' pattern. Instead of 'andó', it becomes 'anduvo'. This is a common one to memorize!
❌ Common Pitfalls
'Andar' vs. 'Ir'
Mistake: "Voy andando al supermercado."
Correction: Voy al supermercado. 'Andar' focuses on the action of walking or moving around, while 'ir' is about going to a specific destination. You can say 'Voy andando' to mean 'I'm going on foot', but if the destination is the main point, 'ir' is better.
⭐ Usage Tips
A Casual 'To Be'
In conversations, people often use 'andar' like 'estar' to ask how someone is or to say how they're feeling. '¿Cómo andas?' is a friendly way to say 'How are you doing?'
As an interjection, ¡Anda! is used to express sudden surprise ('Wow!'), disbelief ('No way!'), or to hurry someone up ('Come on!').
anda(Interjection)
Come on!
?To express disbelief, annoyance, or to hurry someone up.
,Wow!
?To express surprise or admiration.
Geez!
?To express mild frustration.
,No way!
?To express disbelief.
📝 In Action
¡Anda, qué sorpresa verte aquí!
A2Wow, what a surprise to see you here!
¡Anda, no te creo! ¿De verdad ganaste la lotería?
B1No way, I don't believe you! Did you really win the lottery?
Anda, vamos, que se nos hace tarde.
A2Come on, let's go, we're running late.
¡Anda ya! Eso no puede ser verdad.
B1Come off it! That can't be true.
⭐ Usage Tips
It's All in the Tone
The meaning of '¡Anda!' completely changes with your tone of voice. A happy, high-pitched '¡Anda!' means 'Wow!'. A flat, annoyed 'Anda...' means 'Oh, come on...'. Listen to how native speakers use it!
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
preterite
imperfect
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: anda
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'anda' to express surprise?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'anda' and 'camina'?
They both mean 'he/she walks', but they have slightly different feelings. 'Camina' (from 'caminar') is the most direct, neutral word for walking. 'Anda' (from 'andar') is more general and can mean 'to go about' or 'to move around', not just putting one foot in front of the other. For example, you'd say 'El coche no anda' (The car doesn't run), not 'no camina'.
Is '¡Anda!' only used in Spain?
While it's most famous for being used all the time in Spain, you will hear it in some parts of Latin America too, though often less frequently. In many Latin American countries, expressions like '¡Órale!' (Mexico) or '¡Che!' (Argentina) might be used in similar situations.