caminar
/kah-mee-NAR/
to walk
The primary meaning of caminar is 'to walk', referring to physical movement on foot.
caminar(verb)
to walk
?physical movement on foot
to stroll
?leisurely walking
,to hike
?walking a long distance, especially in nature
📝 In Action
Ella camina al trabajo todos los días.
A1She walks to work every day.
Caminamos por la playa al atardecer.
A2We walked along the beach at sunset.
Si caminas más rápido, llegaremos a tiempo.
B1If you walk faster, we will arrive on time.
💡 Grammar Points
Regular -AR Verb
Caminar is one of the easiest verbs to learn because it follows the perfectly predictable pattern of all verbs ending in -ar.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing Caminar and Andar
Mistake: "Using 'Ando al parque' to mean 'I walk to the park'."
Correction: Use 'Camino al parque.' While 'andar' also means 'to walk,' 'caminar' is the most standard choice for focused movement from A to B.
⭐ Usage Tips
Use with Por
To say 'walk through or along a place,' use the preposition 'por': 'caminar por el bosque' (to walk through the forest).
Figuratively, caminar can mean 'to proceed' or make progress along a conceptual path or project.
caminar(verb)
to proceed
?project/path
,to progress
?development or recovery
to go/to run
?how something is functioning, e.g., an investigation
📝 In Action
La investigación camina lentamente, pero hay avances.
B2The investigation is progressing slowly, but there is progress.
Este es el camino que debemos caminar juntos.
B2This is the path we must walk together (fig., meaning pursue together).
Tras la cirugía, el paciente ha caminado hacia una recuperación total.
C1After the surgery, the patient has progressed toward a total recovery.
💡 Grammar Points
Metaphorical Movement
Think of this meaning as literally 'walking' down a road in life or business. It describes ongoing action or progress, which is why the continuous tense (está caminando) is often used.
⭐ Usage Tips
Formal Contexts
This figurative use often appears in newspaper articles, political speech, or academic discussions where 'progress' or 'development' is key.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: caminar
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'caminar' in its figurative sense of 'progressing'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
¿Caminar vs. Andar: Is there a difference?
Yes, but it’s subtle! 'Caminar' almost always means 'to walk' specifically. 'Andar' is more general, meaning 'to go,' 'to be moving,' or 'to be operating.' While they can often be swapped, 'caminar' is the clearer, more common choice for saying 'I walk to the store.'