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Spanish (Spain) • Level 1 • GRAMMAR

present (ir, venir)

💡 Grammar Rule

The Present Tense of Ir and Venir

In Spanish, ir (to go) and venir (to come) are two of the most essential verbs for describing movement. Both are highly irregular in the present tense.

1. Conjugation of Ir (To Go)

The verb ir is completely irregular; it doesn't follow standard -ar, -er, or -ir patterns.

  • Yo voy (I go)
  • Tú vas (You go - informal singular)
  • Él / Ella / Usted va (He / She / You go - formal singular)
  • Nosotros / Nosotras vamos (We go)
  • Vosotros / Vosotras vais (You all go - informal plural, Spain)
  • Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes van (They / You all go - formal plural)

2. Conjugation of Venir (To Come)

The verb venir is a "yo-go" verb (the yo form ends in -go) and also features a stem change (e changes to ie) in most forms.

  • Yo vengo (I come)
  • Tú vienes (You come)
  • Él / Ella / Usted viene (He / She / You come)
  • Nosotros / Nosotras venimos (We come - regular stem)
  • Vosotros / Vosotras venís (You all come - regular stem, Spain)
  • Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes vienen (They / You all come)

Contrastive Use: Ir vs. Venir

The biggest difference between Spanish and English is the point of reference. In Spanish, the choice depends strictly on where the speaker is currently located.

  • Ir (To Go): Use this for movement toward a place where you are not right now.
  • Venir (To Come): Use this for movement toward the place where you are right now.
The "I'm coming!" Trap:
In English, if a friend is at a cafe and asks you to meet them, you might say "I'm coming!" In Spanish, because you are moving away from your current location to the cafe, you must use ir. You would say "¡Voy!" (Literal: I'm going). You only use venir if you are the person already at the cafe inviting someone else.

Examples

  • ¿Vas a la fiesta de mañana? (Are you going to the party tomorrow?)
  • Juan viene a mi casa ahora. (Juan is coming to my house now — implies I am currently at home.)
  • Nosotros vamos al centro comercial en coche. (We are going to the mall by car.)
  • ¿Venís vosotros a España este año? (Are you all coming to Spain this year? — implies the speaker is in Spain.)
Where are you going now?
¿Adónde vas ahora?
I’m going home.
Voy a casa.
Are you coming to the party tonight?
¿Vienes a la fiesta esta noche?
Yes, I’m going with my brother.
Sí, voy con mi hermano.
We are going to the beach on Saturday.
Vamos a la playa el sábado.
That sounds great!
¡Suena genial!
When is the bus coming?
¿Cuándo viene el autobús?
It is coming now.
Viene ahora.
Are you guys going to the cinema?
¿Vosotros vais al cine?
No, we are going to the park.
No, vamos al parque.
My parents are coming tomorrow.
Mis padres vienen mañana.
Where are they coming from?
¿De dónde vienen?
How do you go to work?
¿Cómo vas al trabajo?
I go by metro.
Voy en metro.
I’m not going to the office today.
No voy a la oficina hoy.
Are you sick?
¿Estás enfermo?
Where are Ana and Luis going?
¿Adónde van Ana y Luis?
They are going to the supermarket.
Van al supermercado.
Do you guys come here often?
¿Vosotros venís aquí a menudo?
Yes, we come every Friday.
Sí, venimos cada viernes.
Sir, are you going to the city center?
Señor, ¿va usted al centro?
Yes, I’m going to the main square.
Sí, voy a la plaza mayor.
I’m coming from the dentist.
Vengo del dentista.
Are you okay?
¿Estás bien?
Who is coming to dinner?
¿Quién viene a cenar?
My friends are coming.
Vienen mis amigos.
Are we going by car or walking?
¿Vamos en coche o andando?
We are going walking.
Vamos andando.
You guys aren't coming to the match?
¿Vosotros no venís al partido?
No, we are very busy.
No, estamos muy ocupados.
The waiter is coming with the food.
El camarero viene con la comida.
Finally, I’m very hungry!
¡Por fin, tengo mucha hambre!
Where do you go on Sundays?
¿Adónde vas los domingos?
I go to my grandmother’s house.
Voy a casa de mi abuela.
Are you coming with us? (plural formal)
¿Ustedes vienen con nosotros?
No, we are going later.
No, nosotros vamos más tarde.
She goes to the gym every morning.
Ella va al gimnasio cada mañana.
She has a lot of energy.
Ella tiene mucha energía.
When are you guys coming back?
¿Cuándo venís de vuelta?
We are coming back on Monday.
Venimos el lunes.
I’m going to the library to study.
Voy a la biblioteca a estudiar.
I’m going there too.
Yo voy allí también.
Is the doctor coming soon?
¿Viene pronto el médico?
Yes, he is coming in five minutes.
Sí, viene en cinco minutos.

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