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. |
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: “They’re coming to the party.”
Vienen a la fiesta.
'Vienen' is present indicative of venir, meaning "They come." 'Van' is ir (to go), 'Vieron' is past tense, 'Venían' is imperfect.
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. |
Translate: “He ended up staying.”
Vino a quedarse.
'Vino a quedarse' uses venir + a + infinitive to mean 'ended up doing.' Other verbs suggest movement but don’t convey the same nuance.
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
