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come
/kʌm/
move toward a place
She will come to the party at 8 PM.
This means she will arrive at the party at 8 PM.
neutral
to move or travel toward a place or person
He came to visit me yesterday.
He arrived at my place to visit me yesterday.
Come here, please!
Move to this location, please!
Used for movement toward the speaker or a specified location. Often implies intention or direction.
neutral
to happen or occur
The meeting will come after lunch.
The meeting will happen after lunch.
Used to describe events or situations that will take place.
neutral
to be available or produced
This model comes in three colors.
This model is available in three colors.
Used to indicate availability or production of something.
neutral
to reach a particular state or condition
The milk has come to a boil.
The milk has reached the boiling point.
Used to describe reaching a specific state, often in cooking or processes.
Collocations
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Using 'come' vs. 'go'
'Come' implies movement toward the speaker or a specified location, while 'go' implies movement away. For example, 'Come here!' means move toward me, whereas 'Go there!' means move away from me.
Gold Rule
Direction Matters
Always consider the direction of movement when using 'come'. It is not interchangeable with 'go' without changing the meaning.
Word Origin
Old English 'cuman', from Proto-Germanic '*kwemaną', related to Old Norse 'koma', Dutch 'komen', and German 'kommen'. The original sense was 'to move toward' or 'to approach'.
Usage Notes
'Come' is an irregular verb with past tense 'came' and past participle 'come'. It is often used with prepositions like 'to', 'from', or 'with' to indicate direction or accompaniment. In informal contexts, 'come' can also mean 'to be acceptable' (e.g., 'This shirt doesn't come in my size').
Word Breakdown
come
to move toward
rootEnglish Dictionary