Which one should you use?
The form of the verb changes depending on who you are addressing: ven is used for a single person you know well, while venga is used for a single person you address formally. For groups, venid is used for a group of people you know well, while vengan is used for a group you address formally or when speaking in Latin America.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, por favor venid aquí is the way to address a group of people you know well. In Latin America, or when using the formal ustedes in Spain, you should use por favor vengan aquí to address a group.
How does it change in a sentence?
The choice of verb form depends on the subject's number and level of formality: use ven for the informal singular, venga for the formal singular, venid for the informal plural and vengan for the formal or Latin American plural.
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking contexts, calling someone with ven aquí while using a 'come hither' hand gesture (palm up, curling fingers) is common, but doing so with the palm down is often reserved for animals.
- Depending on the local culture, using ven aquí to address a stranger in public can be perceived as a command rather than a polite request, even if you include por favor.
- The word aquí is a linguistic blend of two different Latin words, eccum meaning 'this' and hīc meaning 'here'.
Examples in context
- Ven aquí, por favor.Come here, please.
- Acércate, por favor.Approach (come closer), please.
- Pasa para acá, por favor.Come over here (pass by), please.
- Acérquese, por favor.Please approach (come closer)
- Por favor ven aquí un momento.Please come here for a moment.
- Mira esto, por favor ven aquí.Look at this, please come here.
- Mateo, por favor ven aquí ahora.Mateo, please come here now.
Example conversation
Lucía wants Mateo to see something in the kitchen.
- LucíaMateo, por favor ven aquí.Mateo, please come here.
- Mateo¿Qué pasa, Lucía?What's happening, Lucía?
- LucíaMira este libro que encontré.Look at this book I found.
- Mateo¡Es increíble!It is incredible!
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries aquí, favor, por, CC BY-SA 4.0.
