It's often used to indicate a route, method, or means of travel or communication.
Here are some examples:
* "We're going to Paris via London." (meaning we will travel through London on our way to Paris)
* "I sent the message via email." (meaning the email was the method of sending the message)
* "The news reached us via a phone call." (meaning the phone call was the means by which we received the news)
In some cases, "via" can also be used to indicate "through" or "through the agency of".
For example:
* "He got the information via his friend." (meaning he received the information from his friend)
It's important to note that "via" is not interchangeable with "through" in all cases. "Through" can sometimes be used to indicate movement or passage, while "via" implies a specific route or method.