12 Everyday English Expressions with COME

Hello English learners! The verb come is one of the most common words in English, and it appears in many everyday expressions that native speakers use all the time. If you learn these phrases well, your English will sound much more natural, fluent, and idiomatic. In this lesson, we are going to look at 12 everyday English expressions with come, explain what they mean, and see how they are used in natural context. These expressions are especially useful for speaking, but many of them can also make your writing more varied and expressive.

Let’s get started.

1. Come again?

We use come again? when we want someone to repeat something because we did not hear it clearly or did not understand it.

Examples:

• “Our daughter is studying English philology.”
  “Come again?”
• “You should just tell her how you feel.”
  “Come again? I didn’t catch that.”

This expression is slightly informal. In more formal situations, you can say:

• Pardon?
• Excuse me?
• I beg your pardon?

2. Come and go

If something comes and goes, it appears for a while and then disappears, or it happens irregularly.

Examples:

• Don’t worry too much about money. Money comes and goes, but friendship lasts.
• People were coming and going all day to see the flat.
• Trends in fashion come and go, but good taste remains.

3. How come?

We use how come? when we are surprised by something and want an explanation.

Examples:

• If she lived in Greece for years, how come her Greek is so poor?
• How come Tara is allowed to go out, but I’m not?
• “I need to go to the bank.”
  “How come?”

This phrase is very common in spoken English and sounds natural and conversational.

4. Come round

In British English, come round usually means to visit someone in their home.

Examples:

• We’re having a few friends over on Saturday. Would you like to come round?
• Why don’t you come round for tea this afternoon?

It can also mean to regain consciousness after fainting.

Example:

• The nurse said he should come round soon.

5. Come to your senses

If you come to your senses, you begin to think clearly again after being foolish, emotional, or unrealistic.

Examples:

• I hope he’ll come to his senses and stop wasting so much money.
• She finally came to her senses and realised that the deal was a bad one.
• I’m glad you’ve come to your senses and decided to finish your degree.

6. Have come a long way

If someone or something has come a long way, they have made a great deal of progress.

Examples:

• Technology has come a long way in the last few decades.
• You’ve come a long way since you first started learning English.
• Medical science has come a long way since the nineteenth century.

This is an excellent phrase for talking about development, improvement, and progress.

7. Come in handy

If something comes in handy, it proves useful when you need it.

Examples:

• These expressions will come in handy in everyday conversation.
• Keep that old bag — it might come in handy one day.
• The extra money will come in handy when we move house.

This is one of the most useful expressions with come because it appears so often in daily English.

8. When it comes to

We use when it comes to to mean speaking about, regarding, or in matters connected with something.

Examples:

• When it comes to cooking, Simon is brilliant.
• She is very confident when it comes to speaking in public.
• When it comes to grammar, students often need lots of practice.

This expression is especially useful in essays, articles, and discussions.

9. Come naturally / come easily to someone

If something comes naturally or comes easily to someone, they can do it without much effort.

Examples:

• Drawing comes naturally to her.
• Learning languages comes easily to some children.
• Public speaking does not come naturally to everyone.

This phrase is often used when talking about talent, ability, or skill.

10. Come what may

Come what may means whatever happens or despite any difficulties.

Examples:

• Come what may, I’m going to finish this course.
• She promised to support him, come what may.
• Come what may, they were determined to stay together.

This expression sounds strong and determined, so it is perfect when you want to emphasise commitment.

11. As it comes

If you take life as it comes, you accept situations as they happen instead of worrying too much about the future.

Examples:

• These days, I just take life as it comes.
• Ever since the accident, she has learned to take each day as it comes.
• There’s no point planning every tiny detail — sometimes you just have to deal with things as they come.

This expression has a calm, accepting tone.

12. Come to hand

If something comes to hand, it is easily available or within reach.

Examples:

• When I cook, I use whatever ingredients come to hand.
• In an emergency, take whatever essentials come to hand.
• He picked up the first book that came to hand.

This phrase is slightly more formal or literary, but it is still worth knowing.

Why Learn Expressions with COME?

Learning expressions with come is a great way to improve your vocabulary and sound more natural in English. Instead of learning only single words, it is much better to learn whole phrases and expressions. That way, you begin to understand how English is really used in everyday life.

Phrases such as come in handy, how come, and when it comes to are very common in conversation, articles, and exam tasks. If you can use them correctly, your English will immediately sound richer and more confident.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, the verb come is part of many useful and colourful expressions in English. Some are informal and conversational, while others are suitable for more formal speaking and writing. All of them are worth learning.

Try not to memorise them as isolated expressions. Instead, read the examples carefully, say them aloud, and then make your own sentences. That is the best way to remember them and start using them naturally.