Questions & Answers about Venía a ver el piso.
Why does this use the imperfect tense (venía) when the English translation says "I've come"?
Using the imperfect tense here (venía) instead of the present (vengo) or present perfect (he venido) makes the statement sound softer and more polite. This is a common Spanish habit called the imperfect of courtesy. It is used often when you arrive somewhere to state your purpose without sounding demanding.
Could venía also mean "he", "she", or "you" (formal) have come?
Why is there an a between venía and ver?
In Spanish, verbs of motion like venir (to come) and ir (to go) require the preposition a when they are followed by an infinitive verb (like ver). You cannot place the two verbs directly next to each other to express purpose.
I learned that apartment is apartamento. Why does this sentence use piso?
In Spain, piso is the standard, everyday word for a residential flat or apartment. The word apartamento is understood but is usually reserved for tourist holiday rentals or very small one-bedroom places.
Learn Venía a ver el piso and more in Spanish
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free