venían
“venían” means “they were coming” in Spanish (describing an ongoing action in the past).
they were coming, they used to come
Also: you all (formal) were coming
📝 In Action
Ellos venían a mi casa todos los veranos.
A2They used to come to my house every summer.
Mis padres venían tarde cuando la fiesta ya terminaba.
B1My parents were coming late just as the party was ending.
¿Con qué frecuencia venían ustedes a este restaurante?
B1How often did you all (formal) used to come to this restaurant?
Cuando llegamos al cine, las luces se apagaron y la gente ya venía de salir.
B2When we got to the cinema, the lights went out and people were already coming out.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
imperfect
present
preterite
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: venían
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'venían' to describe a past routine?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes directly from the Latin verb *venīre*, meaning 'to come.' This root is ancient and has remained very stable in Spanish, even though the modern conjugation patterns have evolved.
First recorded: Before the 10th century (as part of the earliest forms of Spanish)
Cognates (Related words)
💡 Master Spanish
Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'venían' have an accent mark?
The accent mark is there to show you where to stress the word. All imperfect tense conjugations for -er and -ir verbs (like *venir*) require an accent mark on the 'i' to preserve the 'ee-ahn' sound pattern.
What is the difference between 'venían' and 'vinieron'?
'Venían' describes an action that was ongoing or repeated in the past ('they were coming' or 'they used to come'). 'Vinieron' (the preterite) describes a single, completed action in the past ('they came' and finished arriving).