What does it mean word for word?
The construction acabar de + infinitive is the standard way to express that an action has been completed very recently. In the phrase acabo de aterrizar, acabar de means "to have just (done something)".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, people may use Acabo de aterrizar to express "just landed". In Mexico, people often say Recién aterricé for "just landed". In Argentina, you might hear Recién bajé del avión to convey "just landed".
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase acabo de aterrizar specifically means "I have just landed" because it uses the first-person singular form of the verb acabar. To say "we have just landed", you must change the verb to the first-person plural form acabamos de aterrizar. To say "it (the plane) has just landed", use the third-person singular form acaba de aterrizar.
Did you know?
- The verb acabar in acabo de aterrizar originally comes from a root meaning 'head', specifically the Latin caput, which suggests a connection between finishing an action and reaching a 'head' or end point.
- The verb aterrizar is built directly from the word for 'earth' or 'land', which is tierra in Spanish.
- While a pilot uses the technical term aterrizar, a traveler in parts of Latin America might avoid the word for 'land' entirely, opting for the word for 'descend' or 'get off' to express the same arrival.
Examples in context
- Estimado señor, acabo de llegar a Madrid. ¿Podría indicarme cómo llegar al hotel desde el aeropuerto?Dear sir, I have just arrived in Madrid. Could you please tell me how to get to the hotel from the airport?
- Estimada señora, recién aterricé en Buenos Aires y estoy emocionado por visitar su hermosa ciudad.Dear madam, I just landed in Buenos Aires, and I am excited to visit your beautiful city.
- ¡Hola amigos! Acabo de aterrizar en Barcelona. ¿Podemos encontrarnos más tarde?Hi friends! I just landed in Barcelona. Can we meet up later?
- Hola mamá, recién llegué a México. ¿Cuándo quedamos para almorzar juntos?Hi mom, I just landed in Mexico. When can we meet for lunch?
- El avión acaba de aterrizar en Madrid.The plane has just landed in Madrid.
- Acabo de aterrizar en Madrid.I just landed in Madrid.
Example conversation
Lucía calls Daniel from the airport to let him know she arrived.
- LucíaHola Daniel, acabo de aterrizar.Hello Daniel, I just landed.
- Daniel¿Estás bien? ¿Todo salió bien?Are you okay? Did everything go well?
- LucíaSí, todo perfecto. Voy a por las maletas.Yes, everything is perfect. I'm going to get my bags.
- DanielMuy bien, te espero en la salida.Very well, I'll wait for you at the exit.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries acabo, aterrizar, de, CC BY-SA 4.0.
