Introduction

Andar means “to walk”, and this page covers exactly one thing: andar in the present tense. The present is the tense Portuguese speakers reach for when they talk about what happens regularly, what is true in general, and what is happening right now. On this page you will find the full present table for andar, how the tense is formed for this verb, the situations where it is used, how it differs from the pretérito perfeito, worked examples, the mistakes learners make most often, an eight-question quiz with explained answers, and answers to the questions students ask about andar in the present. It means to walk and to go on foot, and it also appears in expressions for how things are going. It is completely regular: ando, andas, anda, andamos, andais, andam. Do not confuse it with ir, which means to go in general, or with correr, which means to run. For example: “Ele anda a pé todos os dias.” — “He walks on foot.” Everything on this page uses the forms of andar exactly as they are conjugated in the present, so you can trust every form you see here.

Andar in the Present — full table

Person Form
eu ando
tu andas
ele/ela anda
nós andamos
vós andais
eles/elas andam
Gerund: andando · Past participle: andado
The gerund is andando, which you use with estar to say what is happening at the same time as the main action: “Andando a pé, aprendo muito.” — “While walking on foot, I learn a lot.” The past participle is andado, which you use with ter in the perfect tenses: tenho andado is the pretérito perfeito composto, used for a completed action. Keep both forms in mind as you read the examples below, because the present is only one part of how andar is used.
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for andar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one.

How the present of andar is formed

The present tense of andar has six forms: eu ando, tu andas, ele anda, nós andamos, vós andais, eles andam. Say them in order — eu, tu, ele, nós, vós, eles — and notice which forms share a stem and which do not. andar is regular: every form follows the standard -ar endings — -o, -as, -a, -amos, -ais, -am for -ar verbs; -o, -es, -e, -emos, -eis, -em for -er verbs; and -o, -es, -e, -imos, -is, -em for -ir verbs — so once you know the pattern you can build every tense from the stem. There are no surprises in any tense — the tables below are exactly what the endings predict. The present is the tense you will use most, so learn these six forms before you learn any other tense of this verb.

Two things about the present of andar are worth noticing. First, the nós and vós forms are the anchor of the verb: the imperfect is built from the same stem, and the present subjunctive takes its nós and vós forms from the same stem, so learning andamos and andais pays off in three tenses at once. Second, the present is the tense Portuguese uses where English would often use the continuous form, so ando can mean both “I walk” and “I am walking” — context tells the listener which one you mean.

Because andar is regular in the present, the six forms follow the standard -ar endings exactly. Once you know the pattern for one regular -ar verb, you know it for all of them — only the stem changes. That is why the present of a regular verb is the cheapest tense to learn in the whole language.

When to use the present of andar

The present is not a single-purpose tense. Below are the five situations where you will use andar in the present most often. Each one comes with a real example, so read the rule, then say the example out loud.

1. Habits and routines

The present tense is the tense of routine. When something happens every day, every week or every morning, the present is the natural choice, and andar is no exception. Use time expressions such as todos os dias, sempre or todas as semanas to make the routine explicit. Example: “Eu ando a pé todos os dias.” — “I walk on foot.”

2. General truths

Use the present for things that are true in general, not just today. A fact about andar does not need a time expression, because it is true whenever you say it. Example: “Ele anda a pé todos os dias.” — “He walks on foot.”

3. What is happening right now

The present also describes an action in progress at this very moment. Portuguese often prefers the simple present where English would use the continuous form, so a sentence with andar in the present can mean both “I do this” and “I am doing this now”. Context tells the listener which one you mean. Example: “Nós andamos a pé todos os dias.” — “We walk on foot.”

4. Scheduled future events

Portuguese uses the present for something already fixed in the near future, especially with a time expression. It sounds more certain than the future tense, because the plan is already made. Example: “Tu andas a pé todos os dias.” — “You walk on foot.”

5. Narration and commentary

In stories, instructions and live commentary, the present brings the action into the room. A recipe, a game or a story told in the present feels immediate, and andar in the present is the tense that carries it. Example: “Eles andam a pé todos os dias.” — “They walk on foot.”

Present Tense vs Pretérito Perfeito: how to choose

The closest tense to the present is the pretérito perfeito, and learners mix them up constantly. The rule is simple: the present describes habits, general truths and what is happening now, while the pretérito perfeito describes one finished action in the past. The three pairs below use the same verb, so the only thing that changes is the time frame — and with it, the tense. Notice how the present sentences use words such as todos os dias or sempre, while the pretérito perfeito sentences use ontem or na semana passada. Those time words are your best clue when you are choosing a tense.

  • Present Tense: “Ele anda a pé todos os dias.” — “He walks on foot”
  • Pretérito Perfeito: “Ele andou a pé ontem.” — “He walked on foot”
  • The present sentence is a routine or a general truth; the pretérito perfeito sentence is one finished event. Todos os dias points to the present, ontem points to the pretérito perfeito.
  • Present Tense: “Eu ando a pé todos os dias.” — “I walk on foot”
  • Pretérito Perfeito: “Eu andei a pé ontem.” — “I walked on foot”
  • The present sentence is a routine or a general truth; the pretérito perfeito sentence is one finished event. Todos os dias points to the present, ontem points to the pretérito perfeito.
  • Present Tense: “Tu andas a pé todos os dias.” — “You walk on foot”
  • Pretérito Perfeito: “Tu andaste a pé ontem.” — “You walked on foot”
  • The present sentence is a routine or a general truth; the pretérito perfeito sentence is one finished event. Todos os dias points to the present, ontem points to the pretérito perfeito.

Example sentences: andar in the present

Read these eight sentences out loud. They cover all six persons, so by the end you will have seen every form in the table used in a real sentence. Pay attention to the words around the verb — the time expressions and the objects — because those are what make each sentence sound natural.

  1. “Eu ando a pé todos os dias.” — “I walk on foot”
  2. “Tu andas a pé todos os dias.” — “You walk on foot”
  3. “Ele anda a pé todos os dias.” — “He walks on foot”
  4. “Nós andamos a pé todos os dias.” — “We walk on foot”
  5. “Vós andais a pé todos os dias.” — “You walk on foot”
  6. “Eles andam a pé todos os dias.” — “They walk on foot”
  7. “Eu ando a pé todos os dias.” — “I walk on foot”
  8. “Ele anda a pé todos os dias.” — “He walks on foot”

Common mistakes

These are the errors learners actually make with this verb in this tense. Each one shows the wrong version, the right version, and why the correction matters.

  • Wrong: “Eu andas a pé.” Right: “Eu ando a pé todos os dias.” Why: The eu form is ando, not andas. andas is the tu form. Mixing the two persons is the most common error with this verb.
  • Wrong: “Nós ando a pé.” Right: “Nós andamos a pé todos os dias.” Why: Nós needs the nós form andamos. ando belongs with eu only. Learn the six forms as two groups — singular and plural — and the pattern becomes automatic.
  • Wrong: “Eu ando a pé todos os dias ontem.” Right: “Eu andei a pé ontem.” Why: Ontem points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the pretérito perfeito andei for a finished action yesterday.
  • Wrong: “Eu andar a pé.” Right: “Eu ando a pé todos os dias.” Why: The infinitive andar never takes a subject. After eu you need the conjugated form ando.

Quiz: test yourself

Choose the correct answer for each question, then check the answer key. Every answer is explained, so a wrong answer still teaches you something.

  1. What is the eu form of andar in the Present indicative (presente)?

    • A) andas
    • B) ando
    • C) anda
    • D) andamos

  2. What is the tu form of andar in the Present indicative (presente)?

    • A) ando
    • B) anda
    • C) andas
    • D) andamos

  3. What is the ele/ela form of andar in the Present indicative (presente)?

    • A) ando
    • B) andas
    • C) andamos
    • D) anda

  4. What is the nós form of andar in the Present indicative (presente)?

    • A) andamos
    • B) ando
    • C) andas
    • D) anda

  5. What is the vós form of andar in the Present indicative (presente)?

    • A) ando
    • B) andais
    • C) andas
    • D) anda

  6. What is the eles/elas form of andar in the Present indicative (presente)?

    • A) ando
    • B) andas
    • C) andam
    • D) anda

  7. What is the eu form of andar in the Present indicative (presente)?

    • A) andas
    • B) anda
    • C) andamos
    • D) ando

  8. What is the tu form of andar in the Present indicative (presente)?

    • A) andas
    • B) ando
    • C) anda
    • D) andamos

Answer key

  1. B) ando — the correct form is ando. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
  2. C) andas — the correct form is andas. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
  3. D) anda — the correct form is anda. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
  4. A) andamos — the correct form is andamos. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
  5. B) andais — the correct form is andais. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
  6. C) andam — the correct form is andam. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
  7. D) ando — the correct form is ando. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
  8. A) andas — the correct form is andas. The other options are other forms of the same verb.

Frequently asked questions

What does andar mean in English?

andar means “to walk”. It is a regular -ar verb.

How is the present tense of andar formed?

The six present forms are: eu ando, tu andas, ele anda, nós andamos, vós andais, eles andam. andar is regular: every form follows the standard -ar endings, so once you know the pattern you can build every tense from the stem.

When do I use the present instead of the pretérito perfeito?

Use the present for habits, general truths and what is happening now. Use the pretérito perfeito for one finished action in the past. The time words are your best clue: todos os dias points to the present, ontem points to the pretérito perfeito.

What are the gerund and past participle of andar?

The gerund is andando and the past participle is andado.

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