Learn Italian: Purtroppo, questa stanchezza non va diminuendo. - Unfortunately, this fatigue is not gradually decreasing.

Purtroppo, questa stanchezza non va diminuendo.

Unfortunately, this fatigue is not gradually decreasing.

Breakdown of Purtroppo, questa stanchezza non va diminuendo.

Questions & Answers about Purtroppo, questa stanchezza non va diminuendo.

What is the exact difference between saying non va diminuendo and non sta diminuendo?

Both translate roughly to "is not decreasing", but they have a different focus. Using stare + gerund (sta diminuendo) simply states what is happening right now. Using andare + gerund (va diminuendo) emphasizes a gradual process unfolding over time. The speaker is stressing that the fatigue isn't fading "little by little" as they had hoped.

Does va literally mean "goes" in this sentence?

Not here. While va comes from andare (to go), in this specific structure it acts purely as a helper verb. When combined with a present gerund like diminuendo, andare loses its meaning of physical movement and instead adds the aspect of a continuous, step-by-step progression to the main verb.

Where does the negative non go when using the andare + gerund structure?

Just like with other multi-word verb structures (such as stare + gerund or the passato prossimo), the non goes immediately before the conjugated helper verb. In this sentence, it sits directly in front of va, negating the entire gradual process.

Could I use the verb passare instead of diminuire here?