“Ir” or “Venir”? The Difference Explained Simply 🇪🇸
If you’re learning Spanish, you’ve probably hesitated between ir and venir at some point.
Both verbs mean to go and to come, but their use depends on one small detail… that changes everything!
At the Carmen Vega Spanish School in Cochabamba, this is one of the most common confusions we hear from beginners — but don’t worry, you’ll get it in no time.
🎯 The Basic Idea
👉 “Ir” means to go toward another place.
You use it when you’re moving away from where you are now.
👉 “Venir”, on the other hand, means to come toward where the speaker is.
Put simply:
- “Ir” = moving away from the person speaking
- “Venir” = moving toward the person speaking
🧭 A Few Simple Examples
Imagine you’re in Cochabamba, in the courtyard of Carmen Vega School:
- 🗣️ You say: Voy al mercado.
→ I’m going to the market. (You’re going away from where you are.) - 🧍♀️ Your friend calls you from the market and says: Ven aquí.
→ Come here. (She’s asking you to come closer to her.)
Even though in English we might just say come or go, in Spanish the choice always depends on the point of reference.
🌎 A Handy Trick to Remember
Think of it like this:
- “Ir” = movement toward “there”
- “Venir” = movement toward “here”
For example:
- Voy a tu casa. → I’m going to your house.
- Ven a mi casa. → Come to my house.
Same action (moving), different perspective.
🗣️ In Real Life
At Carmen Vega School, students practice this difference through conversation and role-playing games.
For example, you might describe your day:
Vengo a clase y encuentro a los otros estudiantes que vienen de sus casas de familia, luego voy a la casa de mi familia boliviana y en la tarde vamos al gimnasio con dos otros estudiantes.
You’ll quickly notice that this small nuance makes your Spanish sound much more natural and fluent.
🚀 In Short
| Situation | Verb | Example |
|---|---|---|
| You’re going to another place | ir | Ve (anda) al museo. |
| You’re coming toward me / where I am | venir | Ven aquí conmigo. |
| You’re moving away | ir | Ve (anda) allí. |
| You’re moving closer | venir | Ven por aquí a la escuela. |
🌞 The Carmen Vega School Tip
Don’t stress too much about grammar — distinctions like this become natural with practice.
Our teachers love using real-life situations, games, and city outings to help you feel when to use ir or venir naturally.
And you’ll see… after a few days in Cochabamba, you won’t get it wrong ever again!
👉 Want to speak like a native?
Join the Spanish courses at Carmen Vega School in Cochabamba and discover a fun, immersive way to learn Spanish faster — while living an authentic Bolivian experience.