Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
Came in Spanish: Vino
Vino · verb · BEE-noh
Vino is the third-person singular preterite form of the verb venir, meaning 'he/she/it came.' This irregular verb form is one of the most commonly confused words in Spanish because 'vino' is also the noun for wine. Context always determines which meaning applies — when used as a verb, it expresses completed past movement toward the speaker.
BEE-noh
Ella vino a mi casa ayer por la tarde.
She came to my house yesterday afternoon.
Came in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for came, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| vino | came | BEE-noh | Default, widely understood |
| llegó | came | arrival emphasis |
How Native Speakers Use Vino
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Past arrival
Mi primo vino desde Guadalajara para la boda.
My cousin came from Guadalajara for the wedding.
Describing a past trip or arrival.
First person
Vine temprano porque había mucho tráfico.
I came early because there was a lot of traffic.
First person preterite form (vine).
Question form
¿Cuándo vinieron tus padres a este país?
When did your parents come to this country?
Asking about past movement in plural.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Vino
Regular conjugation error
Incorrect: Ella venió a la fiesta.
Correct: Ella vino a la fiesta.
Venir is highly irregular in the preterite — the third person form is 'vino,' not 'venió.' The stem changes to vin- throughout the preterite conjugation.
Confusing with wine
Incorrect: Pedí un vino a la fiesta — meaning I ordered a 'came' at the party.
Correct: Context determines meaning: 'Pedí un vino' means 'I ordered a wine.'
Vino as a noun means wine; vino as a verb means came. Learners must rely on context — if vino follows a subject or appears in a verbal position, it means came.
Lock in Came Vocabulary with the Parrot Method
Why word lists alone don't stick
Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.
See Vino used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using vino in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Ella vino a mi casa ayer por la tarde. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
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Common Questions About Came in Spanish
- How do I conjugate venir in the preterite tense?
- The full preterite conjugation is: vine (I came), viniste (you came), vino (he/she came), vinimos (we came), vinisteis (you all came, Spain), vinieron (they came). Notice the stem changes to vin- and the endings are irregular.
- What is the difference between vino and llegó?
- Vino (from venir) emphasizes the act of coming toward the speaker, while llegó (from llegar) emphasizes the moment of arrival at a destination. You might say 'vino a mi casa' to stress the journey toward you, or 'llegó a las ocho' to focus on the arrival time.
- How can I tell if vino means came or wine?
- Sentence structure makes the meaning clear. When vino appears after a subject pronoun or proper noun and before a prepositional phrase of direction (a, de, desde), it functions as the verb 'came.' When preceded by an article or number (un vino, dos vinos), it refers to wine.