ven a comer
/ben a komeɾ/from spelling rules
The English phrase "come and eat" is translated into Spanish as ven a comer.
The phrase is used as an invitation for someone to join others for a meal.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, ven a comer translates to "come to eat" because the preposition a is used to indicate the purpose of the movement.
Which one should you use?
You may also see ven y come in informal contexts. For formal situations, the phrase venga y coma is used.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form ven a comer uses the informal singular imperative, which is used when speaking to one person you know well or a child. If you are inviting a group of people, use the plural form vengan a comer.
When do people say it?
The phrase ¡Buen provecho! is used to mean "Enjoy your meal!"
Did you know?
- In some Latin American cultures, failing to accept an invitation like ven a comer can be seen as a significant social slight, as refusing food is often viewed as refusing friendship.
- The word comer is often used in Spanish to refer specifically to the midday meal, the most important meal of the day, rather than the general act of eating.
- In Spain, the phrase ven a comer is most likely to be heard between 2 PM and 4 PM, which is significantly later than the lunch hour in English-speaking countries.
Examples in context
- Por favor, venga y coma. La comida está lista.Please come and eat. The food is ready.
- Están cordialmente invitados a venir y comer.You are cordially invited to come and eat.
- ¡Ven y come, la comida está deliciosa!Come and eat, the food is delicious!
- No esperes más, ven y come.Don't wait any longer, come and eat.
- ¡Ven a comer, la sopa está caliente!Come and eat, the soup is hot!
- Ven a comer con nosotros ahora.Come and eat with us now.
Example conversation
Mateo calls Sofía from the kitchen during lunchtime.
- MateoSofía, ven a comer.Sofía, come and eat.
- SofíaYa voy, Mateo.I'm coming, Mateo.
- MateoLa comida está lista.The food is ready.
- Sofía¡Qué rico huele!It smells delicious!
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
