Definition
To move through the air, like a bird or a plane. Also used to mean time passes very quickly.
Example
Gli uccelli volano liberi nel cielo blu.
Show translation
The birds fly freely in the blue sky.
Etymology
From Latin *volāre* ("to fly"), from Proto-Indo-European *wel- ("to turn, roll, move"). The same root gave French *voler* and Spanish *volar*. The -āre ending is a standard Latin first-conjugation infinitive suffix, preserved almost unchanged in Italian.
Cultural note
*Volare* is one of the most famous Italian words internationally, thanks to Domenico Modugno's 1958 hit song whose full title is "Nel blu dipinto di blu" but universally nicknamed *Volare*. It won the Sanremo Music Festival and became a global pop classic — so native speakers will often smile when they hear a foreigner use the word. Beyond music, Italians also use the expression **il tempo vola** ("time flies") constantly in everyday speech, making this verb doubly useful.