Cool MateArrived vs Came
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Arrived
Top 1,000 (very common)
Came
Top 1,000 (very common)
| Arrived | Came | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //əˈraɪvd//🇺🇸 //əˈraɪvd// | 🇬🇧 //keɪm//🇺🇸 //keɪm// |
| Meaning | To reach a place or destination. | The past tense of 'come'. |
| Example | She arrived at the station just in time to catch the train. | She came to the party late. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| Collocations | arrive at a destination, arrive in a city, arrive on time, arrive early, arrive safely | came early, came back, came prepared |
| Antonyms | departed, left | departed, left |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'arrive to' instead of 'arrive at/in'., Using 'arrived' in present continuous form (e.g., 'I am arrived')., Incorrect preposition usage (e.g., 'arrive to the airport' instead of 'arrive at the airport'). | Confused with 'come' which refers to the present., Using 'came' in future contexts., Forgetting to use 'came' with a specific time reference. |
| Usage notes | Commonly used when discussing reaching a destination. Suitable for both spoken and written English, but avoid using in very formal contexts. | Use 'came' for completed actions in the past. Avoid using it for continuous actions. Suitable for informal and formal contexts. |
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Frequently asked questions: Arrived vs Came
What's the difference between Arrived and Came?
Arrived: To reach a place or destination. Came: The past tense of 'come'.
Can you show an example of each?
Arrived: She arrived at the station just in time to catch the train. Came: She came to the party late.
Can I use Arrived and Came interchangeably?
Not always. Arrived and Came are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.