ESEN

Which one to use?Beginnerverbverb

comevsgo

One moves toward the speaker, the other moves away from the speaker.

Side-by-side comparison

come

verb

Verb. To move toward the location of the speaker or listener. Equivalent to "venir" in Spanish.

Can you come to my office?
¿Puedes venir a mi oficina?
Come here! I need to show you something.
¡Ven aquí! Necesito mostrarte algo.
She came to the party late.
Ella llegó tarde a la fiesta.

verb

Verb. To move toward another place, away from the speaker. Equivalent to "ir" in Spanish.

I will go to the store tomorrow.
Iré a la tienda mañana.
Let's go to the beach!
¡Vamos a la playa!
He went home after work.
Él fue a casa después del trabajo.

Common mistake

Inviting someone to your location using "go" instead of "come". Wrong (said to your guest): "Do you want to go to my house for dinner?" (correct: Do you want to come to my house?)

Trick to remember it

Same logic as "bring/take": "Come" = movement TOWARD the speaker ("come here"). "Go" = movement AWAY from the speaker ("go there"). Bring:Take = Come:Go.

Quick rule

Is the movement toward where you (the speaker) are? Use "come". Is the movement toward somewhere else? Use "go".

Did you know?

When someone invites you somewhere and you accept, both "I'm coming" and "I'll go" work. The difference: "I'm coming" adopts the host's perspective (you arrive toward them). "I'll go" keeps your own perspective (you travel from where you are). "I'm coming" sounds more enthusiastic and committed.

Practise what you learned

Exercise 1 · Pick the right one

Can you _____ to my office? I need to show you something.

Exercise 2 · Pick the right one

I need to _____ to the pharmacy. I'll be back in 10 minutes.

Exercise 3 · Form the word

Frequently asked questions

When do I use "come" and when do I use "go"?

Is the movement toward where you (the speaker) are? Use "come". Is the movement toward somewhere else? Use "go".

What is the most common mistake with "come" and "go"?

Inviting someone to your location using "go" instead of "come". Wrong (said to your guest): "Do you want to go to my house for dinner?" (correct: Do you want to come to my house?)

How do I remember the difference between "come" and "go"?

Same logic as "bring/take": "Come" = movement TOWARD the speaker ("come here"). "Go" = movement AWAY from the speaker ("go there"). Bring:Take = Come:Go.

Related word pairs

bringvstake

Bryan López

Founder of SpeakUP Academy

July 22, 2026

See all word pairs Explore more confusing words

Side-by-side comparison

come

verb

Verb. To move toward the location of the speaker or listener. Equivalent to "venir" in Spanish.

Can you come to my office?
¿Puedes venir a mi oficina?
Come here! I need to show you something.
¡Ven aquí! Necesito mostrarte algo.
She came to the party late.
Ella llegó tarde a la fiesta.

verb

Verb. To move toward another place, away from the speaker. Equivalent to "ir" in Spanish.

I will go to the store tomorrow.
Iré a la tienda mañana.
Let's go to the beach!
¡Vamos a la playa!
He went home after work.
Él fue a casa después del trabajo.

Practise what you learned

Exercise 1 · Pick the right one

Can you _____ to my office? I need to show you something.

Exercise 2 · Pick the right one

I need to _____ to the pharmacy. I'll be back in 10 minutes.

Exercise 3 · Form the word

Frequently asked questions

When do I use "come" and when do I use "go"?

Is the movement toward where you (the speaker) are? Use "come". Is the movement toward somewhere else? Use "go".

What is the most common mistake with "come" and "go"?

Inviting someone to your location using "go" instead of "come". Wrong (said to your guest): "Do you want to go to my house for dinner?" (correct: Do you want to come to my house?)

How do I remember the difference between "come" and "go"?

Same logic as "bring/take": "Come" = movement TOWARD the speaker ("come here"). "Go" = movement AWAY from the speaker ("go there"). Bring:Take = Come:Go.