Italian Phrase
Vai dritto oltre la fontana.
Meaning
A direct instruction to keep walking straight and pass the fountain. It’s the kind of sentence you’ll hear when someone is pointing you toward a destination in a town or city.
When to use
Use this phrase when you are giving or receiving directions on foot, especially in historic city centres where fountains are common landmarks. It works in casual conversation and can be adapted to more formal contexts with *Vada*.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Vaidrittooltrelafontana
Vai (imperative)
Second‑person singular imperative of *andare* (to go). Used for giving direct commands or directions.
dritto (adverb)
Adverb meaning ‘straight’. Placed after the verb of motion to describe the direction.
oltre (preposition)
Preposition meaning ‘beyond’ or ‘past’. It is followed by a definite article + noun.
la fontana (noun phrase)
Feminine singular noun *fontana* (fountain) with the definite article *la*.
🗨In Conversation
Scusi, come arrivo al museo?
Excuse me, how do I get to the museum?
Vai dritto oltre la fontana, poi gira a sinistra.
Go straight past the fountain, then turn left.
✕Common Mistakes
Vai dritto oltre il fontana.
The noun *fontana* is feminine, so the article must be *la*.
Vai dritto sopra la fontana.
Use *oltre* (past) for passing a landmark; *sopra* means ‘above’ and changes the meaning.
Andare dritto oltre la fontana.
In commands you use the imperative *vai*, not the infinitive *andare*.
↔Alternatives
Prosegui dritto oltre la fontana.
Proceed straight past the fountain.
Continua dritto oltre la fontana.
Continue straight past the fountain.
Vada dritto oltre la fontana.
Go straight past the fountain. (formal)
Cultural Tip
In many Italian towns, fountains (*fontane*) are historic meeting points and easy reference landmarks. When you hear *oltre la fontana*, locals mean you should walk past it, not turn at it. For a polite or formal request, replace *Vai* with *Vada* (imperative of *andare* in the formal *Lei* form).