ven a comer
/ben a komeɾ/from spelling rules
The English phrase "come eat" is translated into Spanish as ven a comer.
This phrase is an invitation used to tell someone to join others for a meal.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, the phrase means "come to eat", where a functions as the preposition "to" connecting the movement to its purpose.
Which one should you use?
Unlike English, which often omits the preposition between "come" and "eat", Spanish requires the preposition a to link the verb of motion to the infinitive.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form ven a comer uses the informal imperative (tú), which is used with friends, family or children.
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, rather than saying ven a comer, a host might simply call out ¡A comer! to announce that the meal is ready for everyone.
- While ven a comer is a general invitation, in many Spanish-speaking cultures, the meal is the central social event of the day, often starting as late as 2:00 PM or 3:00 PM.
- While ven a comer focuses on the act of eating, the word comer shares a root with the English word 'consume', both descending from Latin roots describing the processing of food.
Examples in context
- ¡Ven a comer!Come eat!This sentence is useful for practicing the command ven a comer.Tatoeba #4713255 by cueyayotl, translation #4713256 by melisszr
- Venga a comer con nosotros, por favor.Come eat with us, please.
- Le invitamos a comer en nuestro restaurante favorito.We invite you to eat at our favorite restaurant.
- Ven a comer a casa esta noche.Come eat at our house tonight.
- Te invitamos a comer pizza con nosotros.We invite you to eat pizza with us.
- Ven a comer ahora.Come eat now.
- ¡María, ven a comer!Maria, come eat!
Example conversation
Javier is calling Maria from the kitchen to the living room.
- JavierMaría, la cena está lista.Maria, dinner is ready.
- MaríaYa voy, Javier.I'm coming, Javier.
- JavierVen a comer antes de que se enfríe.Come eat before it gets cold.
- María¡Voy en un segundo!I'll be there in a second!
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, comer, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
