Spanish Conversation · Level 15
87 words
Spanish word
llegar
Pronunciation
IPA/ʝeˈɣaɾ/
Meaning
- verbarrive
Example
¿A qué hora llegas?
What time do you arrive?
More examples
Llegué tarde porque el tren se retrasó.
I arrived late because the train was delayed.
Core concept
Reaching a specific endpoint (place, moment, or degree).
Common phrases
llegar a tiempo
arrive on time
llegar tarde
arrive late
llegar a casa
arrive home
Similar words
venir: Move toward and arrive at the speaker's location.
entrar: Enter an interior space or room, crossing its threshold.
alcanzar: Reach a distant point, goal, or required level.
presentarse: Appear at a scheduled time and place to attend an appointment or event.
Definition in Spanish
Alcanzar un lugar, un punto en el tiempo o un grado; también conseguir que algo o alguien llegue a ese punto.
Word origin
It derives from medieval Spanish allegar formed with the prefix a-, originally denoting physical arrival and later extending to temporal and abstract senses and to transitive uses that cause arrival.
Usage tips
- With a + infinitive, llegar commonly means 'end up' or 'manage to' (llegó a entender = he ended up understanding), and with a noun it often expresses becoming (llegó a ser presidente).