guardare avanti
/ɡwarˈdaː.re aˈvan.ti/To focus on the future rather than dwelling on the past.
Dopo la sconfitta, il coach ha detto ai giocatori di guardare avanti.
After the defeat, the coach told the players to look ahead.
Non piangere per ciò che è andato perso, guarda avanti e costruisci qualcosa di nuovo.
Don’t cry over what’s been lost; look ahead and build something new.
Often used in motivational or inspirational contexts to encourage resilience and progress.
Collocations
Related Phrases
💡Pro Tip
Avoid literal translation pitfalls
Do not confuse 'guardare avanti' with 'guardare avanti nel tempo' (to look ahead in time), which is more literal. The phrase is almost always used figuratively to mean 'focus on the future.'
⚡Gold Rule
Context matters
Use 'guardare avanti' when encouraging someone to move past difficulties or focus on future opportunities. It’s not used for physical looking ahead (e.g., 'look ahead on the road' would be 'guardare avanti sulla strada').
📖Word Origin
The phrase combines 'guardare' (to look/watch) and 'avanti' (forward/ahead), both derived from Latin 'guardare' (to guard/watch) and 'ante' (before/in front of). The expression emerged in Italian as a metaphor for focusing on future possibilities rather than past events.
📝Usage Notes
Commonly used in personal, professional, and motivational contexts. It implies a proactive attitude toward change and growth. Often paired with verbs like 'dobbiamo' (we must) or 'imparare a' (to learn to).