[Alfonso]

Hmmm, Canyonff, not exactly...

I think what you call verbs are better called tenses.

You make a difference between state of mind and imagination. I can only say that in Spanish imaginación works perfectly for what I mean. I'm not getting into connotations about these two words in English, so you can choose which one is the best to translate the Spanish imaginación.

Originally Posted by canyonff

let's say there is a party, or a destination, that you KNOW you will go to or be at. In this state of mind, since you know you're going to attend or are going, you would consider yourself there. sort of like imagining, but more a state of mind since you KNOW it rather that THINK it.

now you leave your house, get by your car and another friend pulls up. this friend doesn't know about the party or isn't sure if they're going. You could say
"Man i'm going to this killer party, you want to come?" or you could say
"man i'm going to this killer party, you want to go?"

either way, in this context, the listener is going to know what you mean. so in this case, come and go actually mean the same thing as they are expressing the same action: moving location. But the speaker, has the option to use either because of a state of mind.

Actually, in Spanish, to choose venir o ir in this context makes a difference:

• Voy a la fiesta, ¿quieres venir? It's coherent.

• Voy a la fiesta, ¿quieres ir? Here there is a contradiction. The other person can ask: ¿No has dicho que vas a la fiesta? ¿Por qué me preguntas que si voy yo? ¿Es que tú no vienes? Or, at least, the first person is not encouraging the other to go the party. The second one will understand that he has to go by himself. There is not idea of companionship.

Originally Posted by canyoff

also in the same conversation that friend, who is now the speaker, could say either:
"Sure i'll come." or
"sure i'll go."

and both would be correct as they both express the same action [moving location].

In this case it's impossible to translate it literally into Spanish, since there is only one possibility:

• Claro que voy. Either with you or by myself.

Originally Posted by canyoff

so it's really dependent on your mindset. another example could be:

in the fall, we're going on a cruise. would you like to come with us? or
in the fall, we're going on a cruise. would you like to go with us?

again two different verbs, two different 'meanings,' conveying the same action.

Again you can get the same contradiction already explained:

• En Inviernno nos vamos de crucero. ¿Te gustaría ir con nosotros?

Either there is a contradiction (ir con nosotros instead of venir con nostros) or the one who speaks is not really inviting the other to go on a cruise. Sure, it's only a compliment.

Originally Posted by canyoff

i think that's what he meant to say. So pretty much I would say tomisimo's rule is a viable rule, and i was taught that rule in spanish 101, but under certain specific conditions the speaker may use either/or. i.e. when go and come will convey the same action regardless of time or location.

What I think about this is that you've been taught a rule you will have very soon to forget to improve your Spanish. You can think it's a beginner's rule... I don't think so. It's more confusing than clarifying. It's an abstract with no relationship with reality. Sure, you can learn the rule and think it's really easy. No, it's not. Of course, it's easy to use venir and ir, but other way out, apart from the usage you do in English of to go and to come.

I'm not saying that all Spanish speakers use venir and ir the way I'm saying. But the mainstream does.