comes
/KOH-mess/
you eat
In the informal present tense, 'comes' means 'you eat'.
comes(verb)
you eat
?present action, informal 'tú'
,are you eating
?present continuous, informal 'tú'
do you eat
?habitual action, informal 'tú'
📝 In Action
¿Qué comes ahora? ¿Es una manzana?
A1What are you eating now? Is it an apple?
Tú siempre comes muy rápido.
A1You always eat very quickly.
Si no comes verduras, no creces.
A2If you don't eat vegetables, you won't grow.
💡 Grammar Points
The 'Tú' Form
This verb form, 'comes,' is only used when talking directly to one person you know well (a friend, family member, or child). It means 'you eat.'
Regular -er Ending
To form the 'tú' form for regular verbs ending in -er, you always drop the -er and add -es. (e.g., aprender -> aprendes, correr -> corres).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Mixing 'Tú' and 'Usted'
Mistake: "¿Usted comes arroz?"
Correction: The formal 'usted' needs the 'come' form. Say: '¿Usted come arroz?'
⭐ Usage Tips
Implied Subject
Because 'comes' only refers to 'tú' (you), you usually don't need to say 'tú' unless you want to emphasize who is doing the eating.
In games like checkers or chess, 'comes' can mean 'you capture' a piece.
comes(verb)
you capture
?In games like chess or checkers
,you take
?Referring to a piece being taken
you corrode
?Figurative/technical usage, describing acid or rust
📝 In Action
Si mueves el peón, comes la reina de tu oponente.
B1If you move the pawn, you capture your opponent's queen.
Ese ácido es tan fuerte que comes el metal.
B2That acid is so strong that it eats away the metal. (You, the acid, are doing the action—figurative)
💡 Grammar Points
Figurative Use
Just like in English, 'to eat' can mean 'to destroy' or 'to take.' In Spanish games, 'comer' is the standard way to say 'to capture' a piece.
⭐ Usage Tips
Context is Key
If you are talking about chess, 'comes' means capturing a piece. If you are near a kitchen, it means eating food. The situation tells you the meaning.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: comes
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'comes' to ask about a meal?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'comes' irregular?
No, 'comes' is a regular conjugation of the verb 'comer.' It follows the standard pattern for all verbs that end in -er. It is only irregular in the 'yo' form (I), where it becomes 'como' instead of 'camo' (but that’s normal for -er verbs).
If I want to say 'You are eating' right now, do I need 'estar'?
You can say 'Tú estás comiendo' (using estar + the -ing form), but in Spanish, the simple present 'comes' often already carries the meaning of 'you are eating right now.' For example, '¿Qué comes?' means 'What are you eating?'