ven aquí, cariño
The English phrase 'come here, baby' can be translated into Spanish as ven aquí, cariño.
This phrase is an affectionate request for a loved one or a child to move closer to the speaker. You can vary the term of endearment to suit your relationship, such as using ven aquí, mi amor to say 'come here, my love'.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the imperative ven (come), the adverb aquí (here) and the term of endearment cariño (darling/dear/affection/love).
Which one should you use?
While ven aquí, cariño is a standard casual way to express this, you can also use Ven aquí, mi vida for a more affectionate tone or Acércate, cariño as a casual alternative.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In many Latin American dialects, it is common to use acá instead of aquí and you may use ven acá, bebé to say 'come here, baby' directly.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb ven is the informal singular imperative form of the verb venir (to come).
Did you know?
- The word aquí has deep roots in the Latin word ecce, which means 'look' or 'behold'. It is as if you are saying 'look at this place' while pointing to your location.
- While bebé literally means 'baby', using it as a term of endearment for a romantic partner is a more recent trend influenced by English and pop music. Traditional Spanish speakers would more likely use cariño or mi vida.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, the phrase ven aquí might be accompanied by a specific gesture of waving the hand toward the body with the palm facing up, which differs from the palm-down gesture used in some other cultures.
Examples in context
- Ven aquí, mi vida. Te extrañé mucho.Come here, baby. I missed you so much.
- Acércate, cariño. Quiero mostrarte algo.Come here, baby. I want to show you something.
- Ven aquí, cariño, tengo un regalo para ti.Come here, baby, I have a gift for you.
- Ven aquí, cariño, quiero darte un beso.Come here, baby, I want to give you a kiss.
- Ven aquí, cariño, que no te veo bien.Come here, baby, I can't see you well.
Example conversation
Lucía and Javier are relaxing on the sofa at home.
- LucíaVen aquí, cariño, siéntate conmigo.Come here, baby, sit with me.
- JavierYa voy, Lucía, voy hacia allá.I'm coming, Lucía, I'm going over there.
- LucíaTe extrañaba mucho hoy.I missed you a lot today.
- JavierYo también te extrañaba, amor.I missed you too, love.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries aquí, cariño, CC BY-SA 4.0.
