llegaba
“llegaba” means “was arriving” in Spanish (describing an action in progress in the past).
was arriving
Also: used to arrive, reached
📝 In Action
Yo siempre llegaba tarde a la escuela.
A2I always used to arrive late to school.
Cuando ella llegaba, nosotros estábamos saliendo.
B1When she was arriving, we were leaving.
El agua me llegaba a las rodillas.
B1The water was reaching my knees.
Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Indicative
Preterite
Imperfect
Present
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: llegaba
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence means 'I used to arrive at 5:00'?
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📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin word 'plicāre', which originally meant 'to fold.' For sailors, this meant folding the sails as they reached land, eventually leading to the meaning 'to arrive.'
First recorded: 12th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'llegaba' only mean 'I was arriving'?
No, it can also mean 'he was arriving', 'she was arriving', or 'you (formal) were arriving'. You often need to include the person's name or a pronoun like 'yo' or 'ella' to be clear.
When do I use 'llegaba' instead of 'llegó'?
Use 'llegaba' for things that happened repeatedly or for actions that were ongoing. Use 'llegó' for a specific moment when the arrival was completed.