Which one should you use?
In English, 'come' is often used for movement toward the speaker, but Spanish requires a distinction between movement toward the speaker and movement toward a different location. Use venir for movement toward the speaker and ir (to go) for movement toward a different location or away from the speaker.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Both Ven aquí and Ven acá are used to mean 'come here' in informal contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb changes depending on the tense and subject. The first-person singular present indicative is vengo (I come) and the second-person singular present indicative is vienes (you come). For the past tense, the third-person singular preterite is vino (he/she/it came) and for the future tense, the third-person singular is vendrá (he/she/it will come).
How do you pronounce it?
/beˈniɾ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use venir when they should use ir. If the movement is directed toward a destination that is not the speaker's current location, use ir instead.
Did you know?
- The word vino is a homonym in Spanish, meaning both 'he came' and 'wine'.
- The expression venirse as a reflexive verb can be used colloquially in some regions to mean 'to lose one's temper' or 'to break down'.
- The Latin ancestor of venir, the word veniō, is the direct source for the English word 'venue', referring to the place where one comes or arrives.
Examples in context
- No la vio venir.I didn't see her come.This sentence demonstrates the use of venir to describe seeing someone arrive.Tatoeba #8326787 by arh, translation #8391497 by helloroto
- Yo lo haré venir.I will have him come.This sentence shows how to express the intention of having someone come.Tatoeba #1253633 by marcelostockle, translation #285192 by CK
- Deja venir a Tom.Let Tom come.This sentence illustrates using venir to allow someone to approach.Tatoeba #2625312 by Shishir, translation #2235850 by CK
- 414 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and Sofía are waiting for a friend at a cafe.
- Javier¿A qué hora va a venir nuestro amigo?What time is our friend coming?
- SofíaDijo que iba a venir a las seis.He said he was coming at six.
- JavierCreo que ya lo veo venir por la calle.I think I see him coming down the street now.
- Sofía¡Sí, es él!Yes, it's him!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry venir, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries venir, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
