llegar
/ʝeˈɡaɾ/
llegue is a form of the Spanish verb llegar, which means to reach a destination or arrive at a place.
This is the verb meaning to reach a destination or arrive at a place.
Which one should you use?
The form llegué is the first-person singular preterite (past tense) and is distinguished by an accent on the final e.
How does it change in a sentence?
llegue is the first-person singular present subjunctive or the third-person singular present subjunctive form of llegar.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʝeˈɡaɾ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often confuse llegue with llegué.
Did you know?
- While llegar means 'to arrive', its Romanian relative pleca actually means 'to leave'. This shift occurred because the Latin root also referred to folding up tents before departing.
- In certain contexts, llegar can be used to mean 'to be enough' or 'to suffice', such as when saying a certain amount of money no llega for a purchase.
- The phrase ya llegué is often used as a social ritual when entering a home, serving as a greeting to let everyone know you are present, even if they already saw you walk in.
Examples in context
- Espero que él llegue pronto.I hope that he arrives soon.
Example conversation
Lucía and Mateo are talking about a friend's arrival at a party.
- Lucía¿Crees que Juan llegue a la fiesta?Do you think Juan will arrive at the party?
- MateoSí, espero que él llegue pronto.Yes, I hope he arrives soon.
- LucíaÉl me dijo que vendría tarde.He told me he would come late.
- MateoNo te preocupes, ya llegará.Don't worry, he will arrive eventually.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry llegar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries llegar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
