come
/KOH-meh/
eats
When "come" means 'eats', it describes the action of consuming food.
come(Verb (Conjugation))
eats
?He/she/you (formal) eats (Present Tense)
,Eat!
?Informal command (to tú)
is eating
?Present continuous equivalent
📝 In Action
Mi perro come muy rápido.
A1My dog eats very quickly.
Ella siempre come antes de ir a trabajar.
A1She always eats before going to work.
¡Come tu brócoli! Es bueno para ti.
A1Eat your broccoli! It's good for you.
💡 Grammar Points
Dual Role of 'Come'
'Come' is a form of the verb 'comer' (to eat) and has two main jobs: 1. Telling you what a single person (he, she, or a formal 'you') does right now, OR 2. Giving an informal command to a friend ('Eat!').
Using 'Se' Reflexively
When you add the particle 'se' (comerse), it often means eating everything up completely or finishing something: 'Se come todo el pastel' (He eats the whole cake).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing Imperative Forms
Mistake: "Using 'coma' when giving an informal command to a friend."
Correction: The informal command (tú) is '¡Come!'. 'Coma' is only for formal commands (usted) or for wishes and uncertainties (the special form used after 'que').
⭐ Usage Tips
Focus on the Meal
In many Spanish-speaking regions, the verb 'comer' is used specifically to mean 'to have lunch,' as lunch is often the biggest meal of the day.
"Come" can also mean 'consumes' or uses up resources, like wood in a fire.
come(Verb (Conjugation))
consumes
?uses up, expends
,takes up
?occupies space or time
uses
?expending resources
📝 In Action
Ese proyecto come mucho tiempo.
B1That project consumes a lot of time.
La impresora come mucha tinta.
B1The printer uses up a lot of ink.
Esta mesa come demasiado espacio.
B2This table takes up too much space.
💡 Grammar Points
Figurative Use Pattern
In this sense, 'come' always takes a non-food item as the thing being consumed (time, energy, battery life, memory space).
⭐ Usage Tips
Using 'Come' vs. 'Gastar'
Using 'come' is often more dramatic than 'gastar' (to spend/use) and emphasizes how quickly the resource is being depleted.
When "come" means 'corrodes', it refers to a substance slowly eating away at material, like rust on metal.
come(Verb (Conjugation))
corrodes
?eats away at (rust/acid)
,captures
?in chess or other board games
erodes
?wear away
📝 In Action
El óxido come el metal del coche.
B2The rust corrodes (eats away at) the metal of the car.
Si la torre come el peón, pierdes la partida de ajedrez.
B2If the rook captures the pawn, you lose the chess game.
💡 Grammar Points
Context is Key
The specific meaning ('corrodes' vs. 'captures') is entirely dependent on the subject: if the subject is acid or rust, it means corrosion; if the subject is a chess piece, it means capturing.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: come
Question 1 of 2
Which form of 'come' is used in the sentence: 'Usted no come carne'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'come' a regular or irregular verb form?
The base verb, *comer* (to eat), is a regular -er verb. 'Come' is a completely regular conjugation, meaning its stem never changes and its endings follow the standard patterns.
How do I know if 'come' means 'he eats' or 'eat!'?
You need context. If the sentence includes a subject (like Ella or Usted) or is part of a longer statement, it means 'he/she/you formal eats.' If you see exclamation points or it stands alone as a short, direct statement, it is the informal command ('Eat!').