An exhaustive guide to the differences between come, go, and return, including usage, examples, and grammar rules.

Understanding the difference between come, go, and return is crucial for mastering English verb usage. These three verbs all relate to movement but have distinct meanings and rules. Here’s a clear breakdown:

Come means moving toward the speaker or listener’s location.
Go means moving away from the speaker’s current location.
Return means going back to a place you were before.

Usage for Location

Come is used when the movement is toward the speaker or listener.

“Please come to my house.”
“Are you coming to the party?”

Go is used when the movement is away from the speaker’s current location.

“I’m going to the store.”
“She went to London last year.”

Return is used when someone goes back to a place they have been before.

“I returned home late.”
“He returns to work on Monday.”

When should you use 'return' instead of 'come' or 'go'?

Use 'return' when going to a new place for the first time.

Use 'return' when going back to a place you have been before.

Use 'return' only for talking about time, not physical movement.

Use 'return' as a synonym for 'come' when speaking formally.

Use 'return' when going back to a place you have been before.

'Return' specifically means going back to a previous location or situation, unlike 'come' or 'go,' which refer to general movement.

Usage for Time and Context

Come can also be used for events or time, indicating something is approaching.

“The weekend is coming.”
“Come Christmas, we’ll be busy.”

Go is used more literally for physical movement but can appear in set phrases about time.

“The days go by quickly.”
“Go to sleep early tonight.”

Return always implies going back, whether in time, context, or physical space.

“Let’s return to the topic.”
“She returned the book yesterday.”

Common Prepositions and Phrases

Here are the typical prepositions used with each verb:

Verb	Common Prepositions	Examples
Come	to, into, over	“come to my office”
Go	to, into, out of	“go to school”
Return	to, back to	“return to the hotel”

Pronoun Perspective

Use come when the movement is toward the speaker or the person being addressed.
Use go when the movement is away from the speaker.
Use return when going back to a previous place, regardless of the speaker’s location.

Pronoun	Example with Come	Example with Go	Example with Return
I	I’m coming home.	I’m going out.	I’m returning home.
You	Are you coming with me?	Are you going to the mall?	Are you returning to work?
He/She	She’s coming soon.	He’s going to Spain.	She’s returning from Spain.

Estoy _____ a casa después del trabajo. (volver)

I’m _____ home after work.

going

returning

coming

return

returning

'Returning' is correct because the speaker is going back to a place they have been before.

Summary

Come = movement toward the speaker/listener
Go = movement away from the speaker
Return = going back to a previous place or situation

Understanding these core differences will help you use English movement verbs like a native.

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Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025

English