irvsvenir
/EER/
/veh-NEER/
💡 Quick Rule
Ir is to 'go' there (away). Venir is to 'come' here (towards).
Think: Ir = Exit (away from me). Venir = Visit (towards me).
- When inviting someone to join you, you ask them to 'venir': ¿Vienes al cine conmigo? (Are you coming to the cinema with me?)
- When on the phone, you say 'Voy a tu casa' (I'm coming to your house) because the movement is away from your current spot.
📊 Comparison Table
| Context | ir | venir | Why? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Party conversation | Él va a la fiesta. | Él viene a la fiesta. | Use 'va' if you are NOT at the party. Use 'viene' if you ARE at the party. |
| Phone call | Voy para tu casa. | Vienes a mi oficina, ¿no? | Use 'ir' for your movement away from yourself. Use 'venir' for someone's movement towards you. |
| Invitation | ¿Quieres ir al cine? | ¿Quieres venir conmigo? | 'Ir' is a general question. 'Venir' specifically invites them to join YOU. |
| Origin vs. Destination | El tren va a Barcelona. | El tren viene de Barcelona. | 'Ir' focuses on the destination. 'Venir' focuses on the point of origin. |
✅ When to Use "ir" / venir
ir
To go (movement away from the speaker's location)
/EER/
Going to a destination
Voy al mercado.
I'm going to the market.
Future plans (ir + a + infinitive)
Vamos a comer pronto.
We are going to eat soon.
Leaving a place (irse)
Ya me voy.
I'm leaving now.
Talking about movement to a place where the speaker is not
Mi hermana va a la universidad en Madrid.
My sister goes to university in Madrid.
venir
To come (movement towards the speaker's location or joining the speaker)
/veh-NEER/
Coming to the speaker's location
¿Vienes a mi casa esta noche?
Are you coming to my house tonight?
Joining the speaker's group or activity
Estamos en el parque. ¿Quieres venir?
We're at the park. Do you want to come?
Originating from a place
El vuelo viene de Bogotá.
The flight comes from Bogotá.
Arriving at the speaker's location
¡Ahí viene el autobús!
Here comes the bus!
🔄 Contrast Examples
With "ir":
Lucía va a la reunión.
Lucía is going to the meeting. (The speaker is somewhere else.)
With "venir":
Lucía viene a la reunión.
Lucía is coming to the meeting. (The speaker is at the meeting.)
The Difference: The choice of verb tells you where the speaker is. 'Ir' means going 'there', while 'venir' means coming 'here'.
With "ir":
Voy al concierto el sábado. ¿Quieres ir?
I'm going to the concert on Saturday. Do you want to go?
With "venir":
Voy al concierto el sábado. ¿Quieres venir?
I'm going to the concert on Saturday. Do you want to come (with me)?
The Difference: Both are correct, but 'venir' is a more personal invitation to join the speaker or their group. 'Ir' is a more general suggestion.
🎨 Visual Comparison
Ir is movement AWAY from you. Venir is movement TOWARDS you.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
Estoy en el restaurante. ¿Cuándo vas?
Estoy en el restaurante. ¿Cuándo vienes?
Because you (the speaker) are already at the restaurant, the movement is towards you. Always use 'venir' for movement towards the speaker.
A friend invites you to their house, and you reply: 'Sí, vengo mañana.'
Sí, voy mañana.
When you talk about your own plan to move, the action is 'going' away from where you are now. Use 'ir'. You'd only say 'vengo' at the exact moment you are arriving.
📚 Related Grammar
Want to understand the grammar behind this pair? Explore these lessons for a deep dive:
🏷️ Key Words
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: Ir vs Venir
Question 1 of 3
You are at home. Your friend calls and you ask: '¿___ a mi casa más tarde?'
🏷️ Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
So it's just like 'go' vs 'come' in English?
Mostly, yes! The core idea is the same: 'ir' is like 'go' and 'venir' is like 'come'. The main tricky situation is when inviting someone to join you. In English, you might say 'Do you want to go with me?', but in Spanish, it's more natural to say '¿Quieres venir conmigo?' (Do you want to come with me?).
What about 'llevar' and 'traer'?
That's a great question! They follow the exact same logic but for objects. 'Llevar' is 'to take' something there (away from you), and 'traer' is 'to bring' something here (towards you). If you go ('ir') to a party, you take ('llevar') a gift. If someone comes ('venir') to your house, they bring ('traer') a bottle of wine.