Today we’re going to explore two very common English verbs that often confuse English learners: come and go.
These verbs all describe movement, but the difference depends on direction. In other words, whether something moves towards the speaker, away from the speaker, or goes somewhere and returns.
Even advanced learners sometimes mix these verbs up, especially in conversation. In this episode, we’ll explain the meaning of each verb clearly, compare them, and practise with lots of natural examples used in everyday English.

Voice message from Marta from Poland
‘come in’ and ‘go in’ What’s the difference?
come HERE and go THERE

COME
Movement towards the speaker, listener, or shared location.

Can you come here for a minute?
Are you coming to the party?
She came to my office yesterday.

Sometimes English speakers use ‘come’ even if they are not physically there yet.

Example:
“Are you coming to the cinema tonight?”
The speaker means: “Will you join us?”, “Will you be part of the group/event?”

Some expressions with COME
come inside
come with me
come over (to a place)/ come over as…= to give a certain impression
“Come to think of it” = “I’ve just realised something.”
come downstairs
come closer
(What) it (all) comes down to = to put it simply
come true
come first/last
come to an agreement
come round (to an idea) = to eventually accept an idea/situation
come to a decision
come into effect
“Come on!” = “Hurry up!”
“Come on!/Come off it!” = “You must be kidding!/I can’t believe you think that!”

“How did you come to be (= become) a teacher?”

From – TV series
Doc Martin TV series
I’d Rather Go Blind – Beth Hart and Joe Bonamassa

GO
Movement away from the speaker/listener/current location.

Go away.
I’m going to London next week.
He went home early.

Some expressions with GO
go inside/outside
go away
go abroad
go ahead/on
go upstairs/downstairs
go home
go in/out
go to bed
go to sleep
go all the way = without restriction/limit
go along with something = agree (to do something)
go for it = proceed despite some trepidation
go for gold
go easy (on someone)
“Go to hell!”

Go + ___ing ACTIVITY (that requires a specific type of location)
go shopping, skiing, running, jogging, cycling, camping, hiking, surfing, dancing, fishing, hunting, swimming, skateboarding, canoeing, climbing, birdwatching, backpacking, etc.

“Go” can mean ‘become’ when it’s used with an adjective – “I think I’m going crazy.”
go bad
go off (for food that goes bad)
go off something/someone = stop liking something/someone
go bankrupt
go viral
go wrong
go quiet
go blind
go to the dogs/to pot = deteriorate badly over a long period
go crazy/mad/bonkers/bananas

Discussion
Is there anything that makes you go bananas?
Is there any new development or gadget that you didn’t like at first but then came round to eventually
Have any of your wildest dreams ever come true?
What might happen to the world if future AI development goes wrong?

…and now it’s your turn to practise your English.
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In next week’s episode: Gym vocabulary for fitness trainers

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The music in this podcast is by Pitx. The track is called ‘See You Later’