Similar Verbs, Different Directions
Learners at A1/A2 level already know the basic meanings of the verbs come and go. However, even some more advanced learners often mix them up, especially when speaking quickly or spontaneously. This confusion is common among Italian speakers because the distinction in English relates to direction and perspective, concepts that might differ from your first language.
Come vs Go
Before we start, it’s important to remember that the verb “go” has several meanings in English—for example, go mad, go red, or go well. However, on this page, we’re focusing only on the meaning related to movement, especially when compared with the verb “come”.
The difference between come and go often depends on the speaker’s position or viewpoint. Simply put:
- Come usually describes movement towards the speaker or the speaker’s current (or future) location.
- Go describes movement away from the speaker or towards another location.
Let’s explore these meanings clearly and step-by-step in the next section!
Come: Movement Towards the Speaker or Speaker’s Location
The verb come indicates movement towards the person speaking or towards their location.
Basic idea: Use come when someone or something moves towards you or where you currently are.
Simple examples (with prepositions):
- Please come here!
(Movement towards the speaker.) - My friend came to my house yesterday.
(The speaker’s house is the destination.) - Can you come over tonight?
(Movement toward the speaker’s location.)
More nuanced perspective-based uses:
If the speaker refers to a future location (where they will be), they also use come:
- I’m going to London tomorrow—why don’t you come too?
(The speaker sees London as their future location.)
- I’m going to London tomorrow—why don’t you come too?
Come is often used for invitations, as it implies moving towards the speaker’s viewpoint or event:
- Would you like to come to the party?
(The speaker’s event or location.)
- Would you like to come to the party?
In storytelling, the use of come depends on where the speaker imagines themselves:
- She saw me across the street and came running over.
(Movement towards where the storyteller imagines themselves at that moment.)
- She saw me across the street and came running over.
Go: Movement Away from the Speaker or Speaker’s Location
The verb go indicates movement away from the person speaking, or away from their current location.
Basic idea: Use go when talking about moving to a place that is not where you are right now.
- I usually go to work by bus.
(Moving away from your current place to somewhere else.) - She’s going home now.
(She is leaving the speaker’s current location.) - I need to go to the supermarket later.
(Away from where you currently are.)
More nuanced perspective-based uses:
When discussing a location that’s not your own (now or in the future), use go:
- She went to Paris last weekend.
(Paris is a location away from your perspective.)
- She went to Paris last weekend.
Even when talking about yourself, if you’re mentioning a place different from where you are now, use go:
- I’m going to the office in an hour.
(Moving away from your current location.)
- I’m going to the office in an hour.
In storytelling, go indicates moving towards a place different from the storyteller’s viewpoint:
- I stood outside and watched as he went into the building.
(The building is not where the storyteller imagines themselves.)
- I stood outside and watched as he went into the building.
Come and Go: A Mini Anecdote
Yesterday, I was at home when my friend Sarah called. She said, “Can I come to your house this afternoon?” (Sarah was talking about moving towards me and my location, so she used come.)
Later, when she arrived, she asked, “Do you want to go to the cinema tonight?” (She used go because the cinema was away from both of us at that moment.)
At the café, Sarah suddenly realized she’d left her phone at home. She said, “Oh no, I’ll have to go back home and get it.” (Her home was away from our current location, so she used go.)
Finally, when we were leaving the café, Sarah saw our friend Joe walking towards us. She smiled and said, “Look, Joe’s coming this way!” (Joe was moving towards us.)
Notice the key points:
- Come always involves movement towards the speaker or the speaker’s position.
- Go indicates movement away from the speaker’s location or current position.
Using these verbs correctly helps listeners clearly understand your point of view.
Advanced Note: “Here” vs “There” with Come & Go
It’s natural and correct to combine come with here and go with there because:
“Come” = movement towards the speaker → naturally paired with “here”
- Can you come here?
“Go” = movement away from the speaker → naturally paired with “there”
- I’ll go there later.
However, in everyday speech, especially when choosing or pointing out a place from options (for example, hotels on a travel website), it is very common—and acceptable—to say:
- “Let’s go here—it looks great!”
In this specific case, “go here” means “go to this place we’re looking at.” Even though “here” usually means the speaker’s current position, in contexts like choosing a destination from a screen, speakers often mentally place themselves at that location, temporarily making it “here”.
This use is very natural in English conversation and informal contexts.
Special Usage: "Go" with Activities
We often use “go” together with activities that end in -ing. Notice that in this pattern, “go” means doing the activity elsewhere (away from the current location):
- I usually go swimming every morning.
- Do you want to go shopping later?
We can also express activities with the phrase “go for a…”:
- I might go for a swim later.
- Let’s go for a walk.
Notes:
When inviting someone to join an activity which is away from the speaker’s current location, use “go”:
- Do you want to go swimming with me this afternoon?
When the activity is towards the speaker’s location, viewpoint or a location they frequent, use “come”:
- Would you like to come swimming with me?
Compare these two cases:
Jim: Let’s go swimming
Jack: Yeah, ok. Where?
Jim: Well, there are a couple of pools in my neighbourhood. One indoor and one outdoor.
Jack: It’s not warm enough to swim outdoors. Let’s go to the indoor one.
Joe: Hey Jane, would you like to come swimming with me?
Jane: Sure Joe, where?
Joe: I’m a member of a great pool club near my house. They allow members to bring a guest.
Sports & Outdoor Activities
• go swimming
• go running
• go jogging
• go cycling
• go skiing
• go snowboarding
• go skating (ice skating / roller skating)
• go hiking
• go climbing
• go sailing
• go fishing
• go surfing
• go kayaking
• go canoeing
• go diving (scuba diving / deep-sea diving)
Leisure & Travel Activities
• go camping
• go sightseeing
• go shopping
• go dancing
• go bowling
• go boating
• go birdwatching
• go horse riding
• go paintballing
• go ice fishing
• go paragliding
Let's see what you remember! Do the quiz (select the answer you think is correct)
Come vs Go: Interactive Quiz
Choose "come" or "go" to complete each sentence correctly, then click "Check Answer".
come go
come go
come go
come go
come go
coming going
come go
come go