What is the difference between the verb "come" and "go"?

bloomsby

I assume your question refers to the meaning, not to the forms. The key difference is that of direction. "Come" is used with 'motion towards [the speaker]', "go" with 'motion away [from the speaker]'. Compare with "bring" and "take", for example. Mar 02 06, 10:19 AM

Baloo55th

In terms of the structure of the verb, there is a difference (in English). The verb 'to come' has all its tenses (come, came). The verb 'to go' is defective. Its past tense is actually missing and is replaced with a strong past tense of the verb 'to wend'. So we have 'go, went', not 'go, goed'. In Scots, the past tense of 'gae' does exist: 'gaed'. Odd thing, but the current past tense of 'to wend' is weak (wended). No-one outside poetry uses 'wend' normally, but 'wended' is sometimes used (always with 'way'): 'they wended their way home'. Mar 02 06, 11:22 AM

mementoflash

Direction: "Come" is a command to move in the direction towards. "Go" is a command to move in the direction away from. Mar 02 06, 11:44 PM