Does via mean way in Italian?

Not exactly. While "via" can be used in some contexts to mean "way" in Italian, it's more accurate to say it means "by way of", "through", or "by".

Here's why:

* "Via" as a preposition: It's used to indicate the means or route of something. For example, "Sono arrivato a Roma via Milano" means "I arrived in Rome by way of Milan."

* "Via" as a noun: It also means "street" or "road." For example, "Vado in via Roma" means "I'm going to Via Roma."

To say "way" in the sense of a path or direction, you would use words like "strada", "sentiero", "percorso", or "direzione".

Therefore, while "via" can sometimes be translated as "way," it's important to consider the context to understand its specific meaning.