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alcanza

ahl-KAHN-sah/alˈkansa/

reaches, gets to

Also: is within reach
VerbA2regular (with spelling change) ar
A child stands on tiptoe, stretching their arm high to grasp a bright red apple hanging from a low tree branch.
past Participlealcanzado
gerundalcanzando
infinitivealcanzar

📝 In Action

Ella siempre alcanza los libros de la estantería alta.

A2

She always reaches the books on the high shelf.

¿Alcanza usted a ver el cartel desde aquí?

B1

Can you (formal) reach/manage to see the sign from here?

¡Alcanza la pelota!

A1

Reach for the ball! (Informal command)

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • alcanzar la mano – to reach one's hand out

achieves, attains

Also: catches up with
VerbB1regular (with spelling change) ar
A stylized, smiling hiker stands triumphantly on the grassy summit of a mountain, raising one arm in celebration of reaching the goal.

📝 In Action

Si estudia mucho, alcanza el nivel B2 este año.

B1

If he studies hard, he achieves the B2 level this year.

Ella alcanza una gran reputación en su campo.

B2

She attains a great reputation in her field.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • alcanzar una meta – to reach a goal

is enough, suffices

Also: will go far
VerbB2regular (with spelling change) ar
A stack of shiny gold coins neatly and perfectly fills a small, square wooden box up to the brim, demonstrating that the amount is sufficient.

📝 In Action

El presupuesto no alcanza para comprar un coche nuevo.

B2

The budget is not enough to buy a new car.

¿Con este tiempo, alcanza para terminar el trabajo?

C1

With this amount of time, is it enough to finish the work?

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • bastar (to be enough)
  • ser suficiente (to be sufficient)

Common Collocations

  • no alcanza el dinero – the money is not enough

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

nosotrosalcanzamos
túalcanzas
él/ella/ustedalcanza
yoalcanzo
vosotrosalcanzáis
ellos/ellas/ustedesalcanzan

imperfect

nosotrosalcanzábamos
túalcanzabas
él/ella/ustedalcanzaba
yoalcanzaba
vosotrosalcanzabais
ellos/ellas/ustedesalcanzaban

preterite

nosotrosalcanzamos
túalcanzaste
él/ella/ustedalcanzó
yoalcancé
vosotrosalcanzasteis
ellos/ellas/ustedesalcanzaron

subjunctive

present

nosotrosalcancemos
túalcances
él/ella/ustedalcance
yoalcance
vosotrosalcancéis
ellos/ellas/ustedesalcancen

imperfect

nosotrosalcanzáramos/alcanzásemos
túalcanzaras/alcanzases
él/ella/ustedalcanzara/alcanzase
yoalcanzara/alcanzase
vosotrosalcanzarais/alcanzaseis
ellos/ellas/ustedesalcanzaran/alcanzasen
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "alcanza" in Spanish:

achieves→attains→gets to→is enough→reaches→suffices→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: alcanza

Question 1 of 2

Which meaning of 'alcanza' is used in the sentence: 'El cable no alcanza el enchufe.'

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Old Spanish verb *alcanzar*, which itself came from the Arabic *al-qanṣ*, meaning 'the pursuit' or 'the hunt'. The meaning evolved from 'to catch up to' into the modern sense of 'to reach' or 'to achieve'.

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: alcançar

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'alcanza' the only way to say 'he reaches'?

'Alcanza' is the standard way to say 'he/she/it reaches' or 'you (formal) reach' in the present tense. It comes from the verb *alcanzar*.

How do I know if 'alcanza' means 'to reach' or 'to be enough'?

You can usually tell by the subject. If the subject is a person, it usually means 'to reach' or 'to achieve.' If the subject is money, time, or a resource, it almost always means 'to be enough' (especially when used with 'no').