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SPANISH VERB

venir a cuento

to be relevant, to be to the point

  • Irregular -ir verb
  • Gerund: viniendo a cuento
  • Past participle: venido a cuento

Conjugation

Tap any form to hear it. The part that changes is in colour.

Present

Presente · now, habits and facts

  1. it is relevant

Past

Pretérito indefinido · finished actions

  1. it was relevant

Imperfect

Pretérito imperfecto · “used to” and “was …ing”

  1. it used to be relevant

Future

Futuro · plans and promises; in speech, “voy a hablar” is just as common

  1. it will be relevant

Conditional

Condicional · “would”

  1. it would be relevant

Present subjunctive

Presente de subjuntivo · wishes, doubts, “que …”

  1. (that) it be relevant

Past subjunctive

Imperfecto de subjuntivo · “if I were”, “si …”

  1. (if) it were relevant

How to use venir a cuento

One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.

  1. Present

    Esa historia no viene a cuento ahora, Rosario.

    That story isn't relevant now, Rosario.

  2. Past

    Ayer el chiste vino a cuento y todos se rieron.

    Yesterday the joke was to the point and everyone laughed.

  3. Imperfect

    Lo del dinero no venía a cuento en una boda.

    The money thing wasn't relevant at a wedding.

  4. Future

    Algún día esa anécdota vendrá a cuento otra vez.

    One day that story will be relevant again.

  5. Conditional

    Hablar de política no vendría a cuento en la cena.

    Talking politics wouldn't be to the point at dinner.

  6. Present subjunctive

    Cuéntalo solo cuando venga a cuento, no antes.

    Tell it only when it's relevant, not before.

  7. Past subjunctive

    Guardé la historia hasta que viniera a cuento.

    I saved the story until it was relevant.

Good to know

  • "Eso no viene a cuento" is "that's got nothing to do with it"; "¿a cuento de qué?" asks why on earth someone brought something up.

Where you hear venir a cuento

The lessons that teach a form of it, and how they say it.

Spanish · Fluency Level 3

  • Esa historia no viene a cuento, Rosario. That story isn't relevant, Rosario.
  • Pues ayer vino a cuento, y todos se rieron. Well, yesterday it was relevant, and everyone laughed.
  • Algún día esa historia vendrá a cuento otra vez. One day that story will be relevant again.

Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: irregular -ir verb.