3

I would like to know which option is the correct one.

  1. Are you going to come to there?
  2. Are you going to come there?

This is from a short conversation: "Hi Mike, Do you know that tomorrow there is a sport event? Are you going to come there? :)"

3 Answers 3

7

In this case I would not use to but there's more to it than that.

When you say come it implies that you're referring to the place you are in. And when you say there it implies that you're referring to somewhere else than where you are.

So neither is really correct but if you switch out come with go, or there with here, it will change, for example.

Are you going to come here?

Which means, are you going to come to the place I am in currently?

Are you going to go there?

Which means, are you going to go to the place where I am not at currently?

But to answer your original question I would not use to.

4
  • Thanks. So, shortly you say that come+there don't go together, as well as go + here. To you opinion it always will be come + here or go + there. Am I understand your opinion? If so, I would like to know on what do you base your opinion. Thank you. Sep 15, 2015 at 16:13
  • 1
    That is what I mean. I don't think I can answer where I got that I am a native english speaker and I just know that it's correct. Sep 15, 2015 at 16:18
  • 'Coming there?' sounds absolutely okay to me!
    – Maulik V
    Nov 30, 2015 at 12:58
  • @Maulik V: "coming there" would only make sense if you meant "have an orgasm there." Otherwise, Sam is correct - you "come here" and "go there."
    – CocoPop
    Nov 30, 2015 at 14:37
4

The answer is (2).

Are you going to come there?"

There is an adverb that means "in, at, or to that place or position". It already provides direction, which the preposition to expresses (hence 'to' should be omitted).

Note: you may use 'to' if you replace 'there': i.e., "Are you going to come to the sports event?"

or in spatial terms: "Are you going to come to the sports arena/stadium/center?" (or wherever the sports event will be held)

1
  • +1. This exactly defines why there's no preposition. I remember even tough one where 'home' serves as an adjective taking no preposition. This was news for me then! :)
    – Maulik V
    Nov 30, 2015 at 13:01
1

You can say:

Are you going to come there?
Are you going to come to that place?

You can't say:

1.Are you going to come to there? 
3
  • Why? Would you mind explaining this?
    – Maulik V
    Nov 30, 2015 at 13:01
  • @MaulikV - probably because we can use the preposition to with nouns and pronouns, but not with adverbials, and there seems to work as an adverbial here. Just a guess. I know that we do say "She is in there somewhere", so this could be just a trend, not a rule set in linguistic stone. Nov 30, 2015 at 13:32
  • @viorel munteanu: Actually, you can't "come" there, you can only "go" there. The verb "come" implies motion towards the speaker, and "go" away from the speaker. In other words, you can only "come here" and "go there."
    – CocoPop
    Nov 30, 2015 at 14:36

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .