What is the difference between come and go?

Come vs Go

Come = movement toward the speaker or the speaker's place (come to me). Go = movement away or to another place (go there).

The one-line answer

Come = movement toward the speaker or the speaker's place (come to me). Go = movement away or to another place (go there).

come

verb

to move toward the speaker or the speaker's location (come – came – come)

Come to my office at three.
Are you coming to the party?
The taxi came quickly.

go

verb

to move away from the speaker or to another place (go – went – gone)

Let's go to the beach this weekend.
She went home early yesterday.
Where are you going?

Memory trick

Same direction rule as bring/take: toward the speaker = come, away = go. On the phone, both speakers use 'come' for the listener's place: 'Can I come to your party?' — the listener is at that place.

Come vs Go: Test yourself

Question 1 of 2

Can I ___ to your house tomorrow?