Learn Portuguese (Portugal): O diretor está a mandar o grupo abrandar o andamento. - The director is telling the group to slow down the tempo.

In English, we say "telling the group TO slow down." However, in Portuguese, causative verbs like mandar (to order/tell) connect directly to the next verb in its infinitive form (abrandar). You do not need to add a preposition between them.

I previously learned that mandar means "to send". Why does the translation say "telling"?

It is true that mandar often means "to send" (like a letter or a package). However, when followed by an infinitive verb, it acts as a causative verb meaning "to order", "to command", or "to have someone do something". The director isn't sending the group anywhere; he is instructing them to slow down.

Could I say está mandando instead of está a mandar?

You will hear está mandando in Brazilian Portuguese and some regional dialects in Portugal, but the standard way to express an ongoing action (present continuous) in European Portuguese is estar a followed by the infinitive. So, está a mandar is the most natural choice here.

Is the word andamento only used for music?

No, it is quite versatile! While it means "tempo" in a musical context, it comes from the verb andar (to walk/go) and generally translates to "pace", "progress", or "speed" in everyday situations.