Venir vs Llegar: How to Use these Two Spanish Verbs (2023)

Venir vs Llegar: How to Use these Two Spanish Verbs (1)

June 16, 2021 by Faustina Mulnik Spanish Grammar 0 comments

Venir and llegar both have lots of similar uses, so sometimes it can be hard to tell the difference between the two.

These words usually mean “to come” or “to arrive” and are sometimes interchangeable. So, how do you know when to use one or the other?

Our detailed venir vs llegar guide tells you not only how to conjugate these verbs, but also how to use them. Take a look at our list of example sentences and explanations before trying the fun interactive quiz at the end.

Get ready to never mix up venir and llegar again!

How to Conjugate Venir

Venir is somewhat of an irregular verb, so its conjugations don’t always follow the typical rules. Luckily, you can just take a look at these helpful venir conjugation tables!

PronounPresent Tense Conjugation
yovengo
vienes
él, ella, Ud.viene
nosotrosvenimos
ellos, ellas, Uds.vienen
PronounPreterite Tense Conjugation
yovine
viniste
él, ella, Ud.vino
nosotrosvinimos
ellos, ellas, Uds.vinieron

How to Use Venir

Venir vs Llegar: How to Use these Two Spanish Verbs (2)

Venir is one of those Spanish words that have multiple uses. Venir roughly translates as “to come” in English but there are multiple ways to use it. That’s why we put together this detailed guide that lists each of its uses.

One distinct aspect about venir is that the destination must be where the speaker is located. In other words, the person doing the action is always heading towards the speaker. Take a look at this example:

Mario viene a mi casa.
Mario is coming to my house.

Notice how Mario is heading to where the speaker is already located (my house). Read on for more examples of this verb so you can easily tell apart venir and llegar.

To Move From One Place to Another

Example Sentences

El tren viene de Guatemala.
The train comes from Guatemala.

Ella vino en el vuelo de las 7pm.
She arrived on the 7 pm flight.

To Return

Example Sentences

Vine a la casa para cenar.
I came back home for dinner.

El gato vendrá cuando tenga hambre.
The cat will be back when he’s hungry.

Venir de — To Come From

Example Sentences

Gabriel viene de Colombia.
Gabriel is from Colombia.

To be Available

Example Sentences

Los subtítulos de la película vienen en español.
The subtitles for the movie are in Spanish.

Esta comida viene ya hecha.
This food comes pre-made.

To Occur

Example Sentences

¡Ya mismo viene la Pascua!
Easter is coming soon!

Tu cumpleaños viene ya mismo.
Your birthday is coming up soon.

To be Overcome by

Example Sentences

Me viene sueño en el trabajo después de almorzar.
I get drowsy at work after having lunch.

A nosotros nos vino una gripe terrible.
We got a terrible flu.

(Por) venir — To Indicate the Future

Example Sentences

Lo mejor está por venir.
The best is yet to come.

Ahora viene la escena que me gusta.
The scene I like is coming up.

Que venir — To be Next

Example Sentences

El año que viene visitaremos España.
Next year we’re traveling to Spain.

Lo estudiaremos el curso que viene.
We’ll be studying it next year.

Venir bien/mal — To be Convenient

Example Sentences

Este fin de semana me viene un poco mal.
This weekend isn’t too good for me.

¿Te viene bien reunirnos mañana a las 3 pm?
Does meeting at 3 pm tomorrow work for you?

A las 8 me viene mal, ¿podemos salir a las 9?
8:00 is inconvenient for me, can we leave at 9?

Venga — To Express Encouragement

Example Sentences

¡Venga portero!
Come on, goalie!

¡Venga! Vamos a la fiesta. No seas un aguafiesta.
Come on! Let’s go to the party. Don’t be a party pooper.

Venirle — To Indicate Suitability

Example Sentences

La falda me viene ancha.
The skirt is too loose for me.

El abrigo te viene algo pequeño.
The coat is rather small on or for you.

(Video) Difference Between Venir vs Llegar in Spanish

¿Me viene bien este gorro?
Does this hat look good on me?

Venir al pelo — To be Perfect

Example Sentence

El vestido me viene al pelo, voy a comprarlo sin dudas.
The dress is perfect for me, I’m going to buy it without a doubt.

How to Conjugate Llegar

Luckily, llegar usually follows the normal conjugation rules except for a few irregularities. However, you can still use these llegar conjugation tables for reference.

PronounPresent Tense Conjugation
yollego
llegas
él, ella, Ud.llega
nosotrosllegamos
ellos, ellas, Uds.llegan
PronounPreterite Tense Conjugation
yollegué
llegaste
él, ella, Ud.llegó
nosotrosllegamos
ellos, ellas, Uds.llegaron

How to Use Llegar

Llegar means “to arrive” in English, but again there are lots of different uses for this verb. To solidify your understanding of venir vs llegar, take a look at this list of ways to use llegar in Spanish.

Llegar (a) — To Reach a Place

Example Sentences

¿Sabes si ya llegó Maria?
Do you know if Maria has arrived yet?

Voy a llegar al restaurante un poco atrasado.
I am going to get to the restaurant a little late.

To be the Time for

Example Sentences

El fin de semana llegó rápido.
The weekend came quickly.

Este año el verano ha sido lento en llegar.
Summer has been slow to arrive this year.

To be Sufficient

Example Sentence

No me llega el sueldo, así que voy a pedir un aumento.
My salary is not enough, so I’m going to ask for a raise.

Llegar (a) — To Extend

Example Sentence

¿Llegas al teléfono desde la cama?
Can you reach the telephone from the bed?

Llegar a — To be Able to

Example Sentence

¿Llegaste a ver el eclipse?
Did you manage to see the eclipse?

To Hold Up

Example Sentence

Ojalá estas llantas me lleguen otras cien mil millas.
Hopefully, these tires will last me another hundred thousand miles.

Llegar (a) — To Get to

Example Sentences

Espero llegar a ser rico.
I hope I get to be rich.

Mi sueño es llegar a los cien años.
My dream is to make it to a hundred.

Llegar vs Venir Quiz

Venir vs Llegar: How to Use these Two Spanish Verbs (3)

See if you can tell when to use llegar vs volver in this fun interactive quiz!

1. Maria __ de México. (Maria is from Mexico.)

Correct! Wrong!

2. ___ para cenar. (She will come for dinner.)

Correct! Wrong!

(Video) Learn Spanish Verbs: Ir & Venir (to go & to come)

3. Por fin, Carlos ha ___. (Finally, Carlos has arrived.)

Correct! Wrong!

4. ¿Te ___ bien quedar mañana a mediodía? (Does meeting at noon tomorrow work for you?)

Correct! Wrong!

5. El terreno de mi padre ___ hasta el bosque. (My father's land stretches to the forest.)

Correct! Wrong!

6. Mi sueldo no ___ para pagar la universidad a nuestros hijos. (My salary isn't enough to pay for our children's university.)

(Video) Difference Between Llegar and Llevar in Spanish

Correct! Wrong!

7. Su madre ___ a presidente de la compañía. (His mother became president of the company.)

Correct! Wrong!

8. Ese color le ___ al salón. (That color suits the room.)

Correct! Wrong!

9. Los abuelos ___ a visitarnos esta tarde. (The grandparents are coming to visit us this afternoon.)

Correct! Wrong!

10. El tren ___ a Madrid con retraso. (The train arrived in Madrid late.)

(Video) How to Use Tener and Venir in Spanish

Correct! Wrong!

Llegar vs Volver Quiz

Wow, you've mastered the difference between llegar and volver! Good job!

Venir vs Llegar: How to Use these Two Spanish Verbs (4)

You've got a solid understanding of how to use the verbs llegar and volver and the quality of your Spanish conversations are exploding through the roof!

You've almost mastered the difference between llegar and volver. Your consistent practice is leading to better results!

Venir vs Llegar: How to Use these Two Spanish Verbs (5)

As you keep up your hard work and practice, you're starting to understand better how to use the verbs llegar and volver. For more study materials, keep up-to-date with our newest published blog posts at Homeschool Spanish Academy. *YOU'RE ALMOST THERE! You can do it!* Do you prefer learning with videos? Check out our YouTube channel Spanish Academy TV for the best Spanish learning content on the web!

Practice makes perfect! Keep on studying!

Venir vs Llegar: How to Use these Two Spanish Verbs (6)

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Practice Using Venir and Llegar with a Free Class!

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Ready to learn more Spanish grammar? Check these out!

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  • Author
  • Recent Posts

Faustina Mulnik

Freelance Writer at Homeschool Spanish Academy

As a native English speaker, I’ve spent over 6 years perfecting my Spanish. My studies have led me to major in Spanish, translate documents at a local museum, and communicate with people I otherwise wouldn’t have been able to know. I’ve studied abroad in Spain, lived in Yellowstone National Park for a summer, and volunteered in Costa Rica. I’m a passionate travel enthusiast seeking to share my love for all things Latin America.

Latest posts by Faustina Mulnik (see all)

  • How To Use the Spanish Verb ‘Parecer’ - February 12, 2023
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grammar grammar quiz spanish grammar

(Video) Llegar venir and volver | How do they work?

FAQs

What is the difference between venir and llegar? ›

Although venir is typically translated as “to come” and llegar as “to arrive” or “to get there”, the Spanish verbs have a wider range of meanings. These two verbs are not exactly interchangeable, but there are situations in which both verbs venir and llegar can be used according to SpanishDict.

What is the rule of 2 verbs in Spanish? ›

In Spanish, many two-verb constructions only require the use of one conjugated verb and a verb in the infinitive form. For example: Quiero ir a la fiesta. - I want to go to the party.

How do you use the verb venir in Spanish? ›

Venir in the Indicative Future

The Indicative Future of venir is used to talk about something that will happen in the future. For example, "vendré a casa", meaning "I will come home". In Spanish, the Indicative Future is known as "El Futuro Simple". The red dot () above denotes an irregular conjugation.

How do you use llegar in a sentence? ›

Examples from the episode:

I will arrive in Madrid on Tuesday – Llegaré a Madrid el martes. To be early – Llegar pronto. To be on time – Llegar a tiempo.

What is the correct verb of llegar? ›

Llegar in the Indicative Present
PronounSpanishEnglish
YollegoI arrive
llegasyou arrive
Ella / Él / Ustedllegas/he arrives, you (formal) arrives
Nosotras / Nosotrosllegamoswe arrive
2 more rows

What verb is venir? ›

The French verb venir means “to come,” but there are several variations of its use. Whether you add a small preposition, pair it with a verb, or are speaking in different tenses, the meaning of venir can change significantly.

How do you use two verbs? ›

When using any of these verbs first in a two-verb phrase, use the INFINITIVE form of the second verb in the verb phrase: Example: She pretended to be his friend, but she didn't hesitate to make fun of him behind his back.
...
Two-Verb Combinations: Master List.
beginlike(can't) stand
continuelovestart
hateprefer

How do you use two verbs in a sentence in Spanish? ›

When a sentence has two verbs, the first verb is conjugated and the second verb remains in the infinitive form. Puedo pagar diez pesos. I am able to pay 10 pesos.

What is venir in the perfect tense? ›

To build the present perfect of venir, we simply combine the conjugated form of the auxiliary verb haber (to have) with the past participle venido, which remains the same no matter which pronoun is the subject of the sentence.

How can I use example in a sentence? ›

Example Sentences

Noun He set a good example for the rest of us. She gave several examples to show that the program is effective.

Is llegar a regular verb? ›

Llegar is a regular verb, so to conjugate it just take its stem (lleg-) and add the preterite endings.

How do you use llevar with time? ›

Llevar (conjugated in present tense) + period of time + gerund (-ando, -endo) You use this expression to refer to an event that has been in progress for some time. Llevo 3 años estudiando español y cada día me gusta más. I have been studying Spanish for 3 years and I like it more and more every day.

What is the correct form of verbs in Spanish? ›

In Spanish, all verb infinitives end in -ar, -er or -ir. The gerund of Spanish verbs is equivalent to the English -ing form. In Spanish the gerund ends in -ando or -iendo. The participle is equivalent to the English past participle (third form of the verb).

How do you know which verb to conjugate in Spanish? ›

To conjugate a verb in the present indicative, remove the infinitive ending from the regular verb, in this case -ar , -er or -ir, and replace it with an ending indicating "the person" who performs the action of the verb. For example, the word "caminar" (walk) is the infinitive of a common regular verb that ends in -ar.

How to conjugate verbs? ›

To conjugate a verb, you add unique suffixes to its base verb form. The right suffix depends on the person in a sentence you refer to, who is also known as the subject of the sentence.

What is the opposite of venir? ›

Antonym: aller (to go)

Is venir a regular Spanish verb? ›

The Spanish verb venir means to come. It is a very frequently used verb. Like many other common Spanish verbs, venir is highly irregular. It is a stem-changing verb, which means that in some conjugations the vowel e from the verb's stem can change to ie or i when found in a stressed syllable.

Can we use 2 verbs together? ›

In English, as in most languages, it is common to use verbs together in a sentence - e.g. "I enjoy playing football". In some languages the second verb used must always be used in the infinitive (dictionary form).

Can you have 2 verbs together? ›

Consecutive verbs, also called catenative verbs or linked verbs, are verbs that can be followed directly by a second verb, the second verb being normally the object of the first. Depending on the first verb used, the second verb will be in the form of a gerund (-ing form) or of an infinitive with to.

What are verbs 2 types? ›

  • Action verbs. Action verbs, as their name says, are used to refer to actions. ...
  • Stative verbs. Unlike action verbs, stative verbs refer to conditions or states of being. ...
  • Transitive verbs. ...
  • Intransitive verbs. ...
  • Linking verbs. ...
  • Helping verbs (auxiliary verbs) ...
  • Modal verbs. ...
  • Regular verbs.
Jul 1, 2021

Can a simple sentence have 2 verbs? ›

A simple sentence can have two subjects doing the verb, two verbs being done by the subject, or both. No commas separate these elements.

Can a sentence have 2 main verbs? ›

There can be more than one main verb within a sentence, depending on the complexity of the sentence. In general, there is only one main verb per clause; but if a sentence has multiple clauses and subjects, then each of those subjects could have its own main verb.

Can you use two verb tenses in a sentence? ›

The bottom line is this: there is no restriction on what tenses we can use and mix within a sentence, as long as they are appropriate for the context.

What is a sentence with 2 subjects and 2 verbs? ›

A compound sentence has two or more subjects and two or more verbs. It has at least two related independent clauses that are joined by a coordinating conjunction, such as and, but, or, or so. Ethan is confident, and he makes a good first impression.

What are the 2 parts of a Spanish verb called? ›

The first part tells us what the action is. This is the "stem". The second part gives us other kinds of information about the verb. For example, the "a" or "e" in the middle tell us which of the two patterns to follow in using this particular verb.

Why are there two verbs for to be in Spanish? ›

It was during this period that Iberians developed two different verbs for “to be.” Classical Latin has only one verb for “to be,” esse. This became essere in Vulgar Latin, and went on to be ser in Spanish.

How do you use venir in imperfect sentences? ›

Using Venir in the Imperfect

('Maybe you don't remember, but you used to come to this beach every summer. ') Eras muy pequeña. ('You were very little. ') Yo venía con tu abuelo en julio y agosto cada año y vosotros veníais los fines de semana.

Is venir preterite or imperfect? ›

Venir is a Spanish verb meaning to come. Venir is conjugated as an irregular verb in the preterite tense.

Is venir an irregular verb in Spanish? ›

The verb venir is irregular as it does not follow the usual pattern for Spanish verbs ending in “-er”.

What are 5 examples of sentence? ›

Sentences: Simple, Compound, and Complex
  • Joe waited for the train. "Joe" = subject, "waited" = verb.
  • The train was late. ...
  • Mary and Samantha took the bus. ...
  • I looked for Mary and Samantha at the bus station. ...
  • Mary and Samantha arrived at the bus station early but waited until noon for the bus.

What are 10 examples of sentences using in? ›

[M] [T] She is dressed in white. [M] [T] She is in her hotel now. [M] [T] She is in love with him. [M] [T] She wouldn't let him in.

What are the forms of Llegar? ›

Conjugations for llegar in the preterite tense are as follows: Yo llegué, tú llegaste, él/ella/usted llegó, nosotros/nosotras llegamos, vosotros/vosotras llegasteis, and ellos/ellas/ustedes llegaron.

Is llegar a transitive verb? ›

Llegar is an intransitive verb that is often translated as “to arrive” or “to come.” On the other hand, llevar is a transitive verb that is often translated as “to take.” In this blog article, I'll explain in-depth what each verb means and how to use them in a Spanish conversation.

What verb is regular? ›

If you can form the simple past tense and past participle of a verb simply by adding “–ed” or “–d” to it, then it's a regular verb. A verb that doesn't follow these patterns is an irregular verb.

What is the verb llevar used for? ›

Llevar meaning To Take or To Carry

In a majority of the instances, 'llevar' does mean in some way 'to carry'. It is also often associated with the meaning 'to take' even though in Spanish there is another verb, tomar, which explicitly means 'to take' as in 'yo tomo el autobús' or 'I take the bus'.

What is the rule for using gusta? ›

When the thing that you like is singular, you use gusta (third person singular), and when the thing that you like is plural, you use gustan (third person plural).

Would you use ser or estar with time? ›

When we want to express data about days, dates, seasons and hours we use the verb ser (not estar).

What is the difference between venir and Volver? ›

"Venir" is an intransitive verb which is often translated as "to come", and "volver" is an intransitive verb which is often translated as "to return".

What does Venir mean in Spanish? ›

Venir - to come - Lawless Spanish Verb.

What are the 5 forms of venir? ›

Venir Conjugation: Present Tense
yovengo
él/ellaviene
ns.venimos
vs.venís
ellos/ellasvienen
1 more row

How do you use Volver in a simple sentence? ›

Volver Meaning 'To Return'

Pedro volvió a casa de su tía. (Pedro went back to his aunt's home.) Volveremos a la ciudad de Panamá en el primer ferrocarril transcontinental del mundo. (We'll return to Panama City on the world's first transcontinental railroad.)

How do you use Volver? ›

The Spanish verb volver means “to return,” or “to go back.” This meaning may or may not be followed by the preposition a (to). Vuelve a casa temprano. Come back home early. Volvieron muy contentos del cine.

How is venir irregular? ›

The verb venir is irregular as it does not follow the usual pattern for Spanish verbs ending in “-er”. Venir is a stem-changing verb, meaning that, as we'll see below, in some conjugations the vowel “e” from the verb's stem can change to “ie” or “i” when it's part of a stressed syllable, among some other changes.

What tense is Viene? ›

Venire Conjugation: Past Perfect Tense

It is similar to the English “had come” and is formed with the imperfetto (Indicative Imperfect) of the auxiliary verb essere and its past participle venuto.

Is venir always followed by de? ›

To use le passé récent, conjugate venir in the present tense according to the subject, then follow it with the preposition de and the infinitive of the action verb. Remember that de must contract when it's followed by a verb starting with a vowel or mute h.

Videos

1. Verbos de movimiento en español - How to use "ir, venir, llegar, volver, regresar, salir" in Spanish
(Learn Spanish with Holasaru)
2. SPANISH VERB: LLEGAR (TO ARRIVE), Meaning & Use
(Spanish Made Easy | Sugar Astronaut)
3. Llevar or Llegar - Confusing Spanish Verbs
(My Bilingual Life)
4. Llevar vs traer - take vs bring in Spanish
(Real Fast Spanish)
5. Verbs in Spanish Conjugation || Traer and Venir (To bring and to come)
(Why Not Spanish?)
6. LEARN SPANISH: IR or VENIR
(Speak Spanish With Paula)

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