Which one should you use?
You can use ella está viniendo to place specific emphasis on the fact that the action is happening right at this very moment. If you want to convey that she is about to arrive, you can use the informal phrase Ella está por llegar. For a colloquial way to say she is approaching or getting closer, use Ella se acerca por acá. Additionally, because the subject pronoun is often omitted in Spanish when the context is clear, you can simply say viene to mean "she comes" or "she is coming."
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase ella viene can be translated as both "she comes" and "she is coming" because the present indicative in Spanish covers both the habitual and the continuous aspects in many contexts. To emphasize the continuous aspect, that the movement is occurring at this exact instant, you can use the present progressive form ella está viniendo.
Did you know?
- The verb venir is often used in Spanish to describe the origin of a person's heritage. Saying ella viene de… can mean she is physically coming from a place or that her family lineage originates there.
- In Spanish, the verb venir is strictly directional. Unlike English, where 'come' can be used more flexibly, in Spanish, you must use venir only if the person is moving toward the speaker's current location.
- Using the full phrase ella viene instead of just viene can sometimes signal that the speaker is contrasting her with someone else. For example, it might imply 'she is coming, but he is not'.
Examples in context
- La jefa está llegando.The boss is coming.
- La invitada se acerca al escenario.The guest is coming closer to the stage.
- Mi amiga viene a casa esta tarde.My friend is coming to the house this afternoon.
- Juanita se acerca por acá con sus amigos.Juanita is coming over here with her friends.
- El próximo martes, la cantante va a venir a nuestra ciudad.Next Tuesday, the singer will come to our city.
- Teresa se viene a vivir a Madrid.Teresa is coming to live in Madrid.
- Ella viene hacia aquí.She is coming towards here.
- Ella viene de la tienda.She is coming from the store.
- Mira, ella viene hacia nosotros.Look, she is coming toward us.
Example conversation
Elena and Javier are waiting at a park for their friend.
- Elena¿Ves a María?Do you see María?
- JavierSí, ella viene por el sendero.Yes, she is coming along the path.
- Elena¡Qué bueno! Ella viene rápido.Great! She is coming fast.
- JavierSí, ya casi llega.Yes, she is almost here.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
