The verb venir means “to come.” It describes movement toward a place or person, often the speaker’s location. It can also express certain states or actions like “coming to mind” or arriving at a situation.
Conjugation
Here are the conjugations for venir in key tenses using first-person singular (yo) and third-person plural (ellos/ellas).
| Tense | Spanish (yo) | English (yo) | Spanish (ellos) | English (ellos) | Example (Spanish) | Example (English) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Present Indicative | vengo | I come | vienen | they come | Vengo a las ocho. | I come at eight. |
| Preterite Indicative | vine | I came | vinieron | they came | Vinieron tarde. | They came late. |
| Imperfect Indicative | venía | I used to come | venían | they used to come | Venía todos los días. | They used to come every day. |
| Future Indicative | vendré | I will come | vendrán | they will come | Vendré mañana. | I will come tomorrow. |
| Present Subjunctive | venga | that I come | vengan | that they come | Espero que vengas. | I hope you come. |
| Imperative | — | — | venid (vosotros) | come (tú) | Ven aquí. | Come here. |
Complete the Spanish sentence: “Ellos ______ tarde.” (ellos venir)
Vinieron tarde.
'Vinieron' is third person plural preterite, suitable for completed past actions. Others are imperfect, present, and future.
Usage
Venir expresses coming toward the speaker’s location, or sometimes movement in a general sense. It can also appear in certain idiomatic phrases.
| Pronoun | Usage Description | Example (Spanish) | Example (English) |
|---|---|---|---|
| yo / tú / él | Movement toward speaker | Ven aquí, por favor. | Come here, please. |
| nosotros | Movement toward a shared location | Venimos al parque. | We’re coming to the park. |
| ustedes / ellos | Movement toward listener or group | Vienen a la fiesta. | They’re coming to the party. |
Translate: “Come here, please.”
Ven aquí, por favor.
'Ven aquí' uses the imperative for "tú" to mean "Come here." 'Ve' means "Go," 'Venid' is plural imperative, 'Vete' means "Leave."
Common Idioms
Venir appears in several common expressions.
| Spanish Idiom | English Meaning | Example (Spanish) | Example (English) |
|---|---|---|---|
| venir bien/mal | to be convenient/inconvenient | ¿Te viene bien hoy? | Is today good for you? |
| venir a + infinitive | to end up doing something | Vino a quedarse. | He ended up staying. |
| venir ... años | to be ... years old (informal) | Viene con 10 años de experiencia. | He comes with 10 years of experience. |
Summary
- Venir means “to come.”
- It is irregular in many forms (e.g., yo vengo, tú vienes, yo vine).
- Use it when someone moves toward the speaker’s location.
- It also appears in fixed expressions and idioms.
Flashcards (1 of 12)
- Tense: Present Indicative
- English (yo): I come
- English (ellos): they come
- Example (English): I come at eight.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
