Mandare vs. inviare
Both mandare and inviare translate to "to send" in English, but they differ primarily in their register and context. While mandare is the go-to word for everyday conversations and idioms, inviare is used in more formal, technical, or official contexts.
Mandare
A1The word mandare is the most common and versatile way to say "to send" in conversational Italian. It is used for everyday objects, text messages, sending people to specific places, and features heavily in common colloquial idioms.
Ti mando un messaggio appena arrivo a casa.
(I will send you a message as soon as I arrive home.)
Mia nonna mi manda sempre dei soldi per il mio compleanno.
(My grandmother always sends me money for my birthday.)
Hanno mandato i bambini a letto presto stasera.
(They sent the children to bed early tonight.)
Se continua a comportarsi così, lo mando a quel paese.
(If he keeps behaving like this, I will tell him to get lost.)
Non riesco a mandare giù questa medicina amara.
(I cannot swallow this bitter medicine.)
Abbiamo mandato via gli ospiti a mezzanotte.
(We sent the guests away at midnight.)
Domani mattina vado alla posta a mandare una cartolina.
(Tomorrow morning I am going to the post office to send a postcard.)
Inviare
B1The word inviare is a more formal and professional verb for "to send". It is typically used in business environments, official correspondence, digital technology like emails, and when referring to the organized shipping of official documents or goods.
La preghiamo di inviare il suo curriculum in formato PDF.
(Please send your resume in PDF format.)
Ho appena inviato un'email al dipartimento delle risorse umane.
(I just sent an email to the human resources department.)
Premere il tasto verde per inviare il modulo online.
(Press the green button to send the online form.)
Il suo ordine sarà inviato tramite corriere espresso entro domani.
(Your order will be sent via express courier by tomorrow.)
Le truppe sono state inviate in una missione di pace all'estero.
(The troops were sent on a peacekeeping mission abroad.)
Invieremo una notifica sul suo telefono non appena il volo sarà pronto.
(We will send a notification to your phone as soon as the flight is ready.)
Il tribunale ha inviato una documentazione urgente all'avvocato difensore.
(The court sent urgent documentation to the defense attorney.)
Summary
In short, choose mandare for everyday spoken Italian, dealing with informal messages, moving people, or native idioms. Switch to inviare when you need a formal and professional tone, such as for business emails, official documents, shipping logistics, or computer interfaces.