How to Say "come" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “come” is “ven” — use this informal command when speaking directly to one person you know well (like a friend or family member)..
ven
/ben//ben/
Examples
¡Juan, ven aquí ahora mismo!
Juan, come here right now!
¡Amor, ven aquí un momento!
Honey, come here for a moment!
Si tienes frío, ven y siéntate junto al fuego.
If you're cold, come and sit by the fire.
¡Ven a ver esto, no te lo vas a creer!
Come see this, you're not going to believe it!
The Informal 'You' Command
'Ven' is the special command form of 'venir' (to come) that you use only when talking to one person you know well, like a friend or family member (someone you call 'tú').
Confusing 'Ven' and 'Venga'
Mistake: “Using 'ven' to talk to someone formally: 'Señor, ¡ven aquí!'”
Correction: Use 'venga' for formal situations: 'Señor, ¡venga aquí!' Use 'ven' only for people you call 'tú'.
venido
/beh-NEE-doh//beˈni.ðo/
Examples
Hemos venido a visitarte.
We have come to visit you.
He venido a verte.
I have come to see you.
¿Has venido en coche o en autobús?
Have you come by car or by bus?
Ellos habían venido antes, pero ya se fueron.
They had come before, but they already left.
Building the 'Have Done' Tense
Think of 'venido' as the 'come' part of 'I have come'. It always teams up with a form of the helper verb 'haber' (like 'he', 'has', 'ha') to talk about past actions connected to the present.
Always Stays the Same
When used with the helper verb 'haber', 'venido' never changes. It's always 'venido', whether you're talking about a man ('él ha venido'), a woman ('ella ha venido'), or a group ('ellos han venido').
Using 'ser' instead of 'haber'
Mistake: “Soy venido de España.”
Correction: He venido de España. In Spanish, to say you 'have' done something, you almost always use the helper verb 'haber', not 'ser' or 'estar'.
venga
/ben-ga//ˈben.ɡa/
Examples
Espero que el paquete venga mañana.
I hope the package comes tomorrow.
Espero que mi hermano venga pronto.
I hope my brother comes soon.
Señor, venga por aquí, por favor.
Sir, come this way, please.
Cuando venga el cartero, avísame.
When the mailman comes, let me know.
A Special Form for Wishes and Commands
'Venga' is a special form of the verb 'venir' (to come). You use it after words that express wishes, doubts, or emotions (like 'espero que...' - 'I hope that...') and to give polite commands to someone you'd call 'usted'.
Using the Wrong Verb Form After 'Que'
Mistake: “A common mix-up is saying 'Espero que mi amigo viene'.”
Correction: The correct way is 'Espero que mi amigo venga'. After phrases like 'I hope that...' or 'I want that...', Spanish often changes the verb ending to this special '-a' form.
vengan
/VEN-gahn//ˈbeŋɡan/
Examples
Señoras y señores, ¡vengan a la fiesta!
Ladies and gentlemen, come to the party!
Por favor, señores, ¡vengan aquí de inmediato!
Please, gentlemen, come here immediately!
Esperamos que todos sus amigos vengan a la fiesta.
We hope that all their friends come to the party.
Cuando vengan los resultados, te llamo.
When the results come in, I will call you.
Dual Role of 'Vengan'
'Vengan' serves two main functions: 1) A command for 'ustedes' (you all), and 2) The special verb form (subjunctive) for 'ellos/ellas/ustedes' after expressions like 'espero que' (I hope that) or 'quiero que' (I want that).
Irregularity Alert
The verb 'venir' is highly irregular. Notice the 'e' changes to 'ie' in the indicative present ('vienes') but changes to 'e' then 'g' in the subjunctive forms, giving us 'venga' and 'vengan'.
Confusing Command Forms
Mistake: “Using 'vienen' when giving a command to a group (e.g., '¡Vienen acá!').”
Correction: For commands to a group of people ('ustedes'), you must use 'vengan'. The form 'vienen' is only for stating facts (The students come: 'Los estudiantes vienen').
venid
veh-NEED/beˈnið/
Examples
¡Niños, venid a la cocina, por favor!
Children, come to the kitchen, please!
¡Chicos, venid a la mesa, la cena está lista!
Kids, come to the table, dinner is ready!
Si tenéis dudas, venid a verme después de clase.
If you all have doubts, come see me after class.
Venid inmediatamente si escucháis mi silbato.
Come immediately if you hear my whistle.
The 'Vosotros' Command
'Venid' is the affirmative command form for 'vosotros,' which means 'you all' or 'y'all.' It is used only in Spain to give a direct order or invitation to a group of friends or peers.
Formation Pattern
For most verbs, the 'vosotros' command is created by dropping the 'r' from the infinitive and adding 'd'. For example, 'hablar' becomes 'hablad', and 'venir' becomes 'venid'.
Using 'Venid' in Latin America
Mistake: “Using 'Venid' in Mexico or Argentina.”
Correction: In almost all of Latin America, you must use 'Vengan' (the 'ustedes' form) when commanding a group of people. 'Venid' will sound highly foreign there.
Informal vs. Formal Commands
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.